The Lorax

Josef Reuther

811

  The book "The Lorax" written by Dr. Suess personifies the danger of large industries on the environment using the "old Once-ler" to represent the industries and the "Lorax" to represent the environment. Unlike many recent stories and pieces that focus on criticizing large industries for what they are doing is wrong, however the story of the Lorax is told from the perceptive of the large industries who seem not to be able to defend themselves in recent pieces.

  The "Once-ler" finds the "Truffula Trees" and sees an economical opportunity that he quickly takes. He chops down the Truffula Trees and knits the soft tufts of material that grows on the top into "thneeds" which become the main product of his future industry. The Once-ler's industry grows quickly and he comes up with new technology to cut down the Truffula Trees quicker and more efficiently. The Lorax stands up for the trees and the animals being effected by the Once-ler's deforestation and warns him about the potential consequences that cutting down the trees could have. The Once-ler, however seems not to care about the well being of the animals who may be affected by the cutting down of the trees and is driven sheerly by financial reasons as many large industries today are too.

  The Once-ler and large corporations and industries often tend to lack foresight on how their actions may have affects on the environment and other people. The Once-ler was unable to see how cutting down the Truffula Trees would effect the animals and didn't know until he had done irreversible damage to the nature there turning the once colorful environment there into nothing but gray soil. I think that by telling the story out of the perspective of the Once-ler the book shows how he recognized that he made a mistake. 

  As can be seen the Lorax gives the large companies a voice this is achieved by having the old Once-ler represent the large industries that cause the environment to deteriorate. Large industries are not given much of a voice and seem to be incapable of defending themselves in the Lorax, however "big industries" have their voice and it shows them acknowledging that they have made mistakes and would like to reverse them.