Dr. Seuss' 1977 Commencement Address Quiz

Answer:

Born in 1904, Theodor Seuss Geisel took on the pen name Dr. Seuss upon starting a career in children's storybook writing in the 1930s. He has, of course, become one of the foremost names in kids books for a younger audience due in part to his simple language, his tendency towards poetic writing, and his outlandish, cartoonish illustrations. Books like "The Cat in the Hat", "Green Eggs and Ham", and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" are just a few examples of his fantastical ideas, many of which have been immortalized in more than just books. They're staples in most children's book collections and libraries.

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Geisel also attended Oxford University with the intent to obtain a degree in English Literature, but he left without, instead pursuing a career in writing and illustration that carried him through the remainder of his life (he would pass away in 1991).

Seuss was also celebrated heavily throughout his lengthy career, not only receiving honorary degrees, but Emmy Awards, Oscars, Caldecotts, a Peabody, a Pulitzer, and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1977, he was invited to receive an Honorary Degree from Lake Forest College in Illinois, and this led to the commencement speech-- the only one he ever gave in his career-- provided in question. Brought up to the podium, Seuss only spoke for seventy-five seconds, reciting his lesser-known poem, "My Uncle Terwilliger on the Art of Eating Popovers". On the surface, it's extremely Seussian with the same lyrical qualities as his most famous works, but the context of the speech is key. Coming out of years of the Vietnam War, America's graduating classes were of an age of disillusionment. As silly as Seuss' poem may seem on the surface, the metaphor is quite the concise one: people must be critical and discriminating of what they take in and they need to dispose of the bluster.