Was Dr. Seuss a Real Person?

Question

Okay, so for an English project in school we had to write a biography on a famous poet or writer, I choose Dr. Seuss because I used to read his stories all the time when I was younger. So my English teacher came round and asked us all who we were writing about and I said Dr. Seuss and she just laughed and told me he wasn't a real person! She said that a group of people came together and wrote stories pretending to be a person, and I was so confused! So when I got home, I looked up Dr. Seuss on the internet and it shows that he was a real person named Theodor Seuss Geisel and it shows all about his life and everything. Show I told my teacher the next day, she just laughed again and told me to choose a different poet/writer! Now, am I going crazy or is my English teacher just plain stupid?

Answer 1

God! They'll let anyone teach English nowadays, won't they? Condolences for your chance at a education. If at all possible, see if you can get a different English teacher. Yours is an idiot.



If you can't, you're stuck between getting a good grade or proving a point. I'd lean towards proving a point, but, hey I already sucked up to a few lousy English teachers in my time. I got the Communications degree, so had to suffer through a few idiots to get the grades to get the degree.



If you're feeling gutsy, and then if you're willing to take on this fight, write THAT paper. You've fulfilled your class assignment if you do. BUT make it a damn good paper. Make it an A paper, if you take that on. And then, if she doesn't give you the A or doesn't accept it, then take it up the ladder to get that idiot fired. If the principal, dean, and/or chancellor doesn't see your point, then take it to the news media. That idiot gives "English teacher" a bad name.



Yes! Most certainly. Your teacher is a raving idiot, and take that from someone who wanted to be a high school English teacher. ;)

Answer 2

Ummm...

Yes, Dr. Seuss IS a real person. No, he was NOT a group of people and I do not know where she got that ridiculous idea from. If you're writing about the person exclusively as opposed to his works, I see nothing wrong with doing a bio for Dr. Seuss. In fact, I think that's an interesting concept. Even if his work was for children, why should he not be credited as a *real* poet? It's very wrong of a teacher to discourage you that way. So go for it!

Answer 3

Stupid people like your teacher have the right to remain stupid and ignorant. You can do one of two things. One you can prove your teacher wrong and bring some sort of evidence that proves that Dr. Seuss is a real person like a internet article, or a biography. It would be best to bring several of these. Your teacher must think that a bunch of people made him up and his books, because he died in 1991, but his books remained popular and kept being published. He was indeed a real person even though he dead now. Bring pictures of Dr. Seuss and bring a picture of him holding one of his famous books. That's option one. The second is the less favorable of the two, simply pick a different author and move on. However I think you should totally rub it in her face that she was wrong and you were right. Even if your teacher decides not to believe you, it means that she's just an ignorant, overpayed tempt, who had a lousy childhood, and has questionable intelligence. It's okay to think this, but not to say it. I know that's kind of mean to say, and I really shouldn't judge, but who doesn't know that Dr. Seuss is a real person, I mean he is the most popular children's author's, also his books have pattern, so it proves that he alone wrote all those books. Just keep in mind that your teacher sounds like a complete blockhead, and she's embarrassing herself everytime she says he's not a real person.

Answer 4

Your teacher is an idiot. Theodor Seuss Geisel is a fascinating real historical person who authored the vast majority of the works published under the pen name "Dr. Seuss" while he was alive. Other authors have been hired by his publisher to write adaptations and later works using the same pen name after his death (and their names are given author credit on the books, it isn't a secret), but pretty much all the popular works by Dr. Seuss are by Theodor Geisel.



Geisel revolutionized children's literature. Cat in the Hat was absolutely groundbreaking in the first reader category. It was the first book written for young children learning to read that actually held their attention. Before that, first readers were all about Dick and Jane or Spot. He did likewise with classics like One Fish Two Fish among many others. He had a similar impact on books designed to improve the minds of pre-reading babies and toddlers like Fox in Socks that uses wonderfully original rhyme to reinforce the way sound is used to put together words. And also similarly, stories for older readers, toward the end of his demographic, like Horton, the Lorax, Mertle the Turtle, the Sneetches and many others give simple and important morals, basically modern day fairy tales for modern children to teach them about honesty, faithfulness, bullying, environmentalism and all kinds of other important lessons for kids.



It is difficult to overstate the impact he had on children's literature. I think he is a wonderful subject for an English project. My twin toddlers agree. They can't get enough of "Oh The Places You'll Go!" It's a great lesson for them as they gain more and more control over their own bodies.

Answer 5

Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for children's picture books written and illustrated as Dr. Seuss.

From a German immigrant family, but I've been trying to get his books in German for my grandchildren and all I can find is Green Eggs and Ham.

I think it's possible that your teacher expected you to choose a rather more highbrow English language writer like Hemmingway or Steinbeck.

Answer 6

Teachers are like that, she might have heard that from somewhere and told you that and now her ego is preventing her from admitting.



My advice is dont write about anyone else, write about Dr. Seuss. Find all the proof you can about him and pictures.



Did you know Geisel's birthday, March 2, has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day

Answer 7

Yes, your English teacher is stupid. Dr. Seuss was a real person and wrote odd children's books and poems.

Answer 8

Your English teacher is WRONG. Suess was a real man, he only used Dr. Suess as a pen name instead of his full name, which you know well. Go ahead and write your report on him. State all your sources (other than wikipedia, because most teachers don't accept it), and if she fails you for not writing about a "real" writer, take it to the board of education.

Answer 9

Your teacher is acting very stupid, for Dr. Suess is a real person. If he wasn't a real person, his poems and books wouldn't be here.



I'm assuming she means a poet and/or writer that is alive?

Answer 10

Yes indeed - wonderful books.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Seuss