In The Atlantic, there is a feature called "The Big Question." I rarely read it because I usually end up frustrated - you can't answer "the Nautilus" when the question asks you which fictional house you'd like to live in. Unfortunately, I didn't stop myself from reading the feature when our issue arrived in the mail today. The question for the July/August 2018 issue asks well-known people, "What book or article would you make required reading for everyone on Earth?" Although I find it annoying to signify that these choices only apply to those on Earth, that is not why I have rushed to my computer to vent my frustration. The reason I am sitting here typing is because of a terrible understanding of Yertle the Turtle.
Marley Dias, who founded #1000BlackGirlBooks, chose Yertle the Turtle because she believes "[It] shows the consequences of abusing power. Yertle the Turtle yelled and screamed at those who supported him and his lack of gratitude led to his fall from power. The book can teach all of us that as we rise, we need to thank and uplift those who help us."
With all due respect to Miss Dias, who is a very intelligent and inspiring young lady, that is not at all what Yertle the Turtle is about. Yertle certainly did abuse his authority to get into a higher place of power, but his downfall was not a result of him failing to "thank and uplift" others. When the book starts he is already king of the pond, but through force, he climbs on the backs of other turtles, contemptuous of those beneath him and craving still more power over a greater area. Yertle the Turtle is a story of corrupted authority, subjugation of citizenry, and the power of an individual's simple action.
The expansion of Yertle's rule is not a voluntary action by the community. Before Yertle decides that "the kingdom he [rules is] too small," the turtles of Sala-ma-Sond have "everything turtles might need" and they are all "quite happy indeed." Although the text does not say the king yells at his subjects, it does say that he "order[s]" turtles to come to him, and that he gives "a command" and "[makes] each" of these turtles create his new, higher throne. Dr Seuss's language clearly shows that the turtle citizens were content and it was only through direct command that they create the king's new throne. These turtles were not willing helpers who were simply asked to lend a hand. And, in fact, the illustrations show that the turtles who make up this new throne are immediately unhappy and uncomfortable, and as the story continues, this discomfort only increases.
It is not because of a "lack of gratitude" that King Yertle falls from power, rather it is because of his tyranny over and mistreatment of the turtles of Sala-ma-Sond. Yertle, enjoying his new position, responds in anger to the appeal of the suffering turtle at the bottom, the "plain little turtle" named Mack. The moment Mack questions how much longer he must suffer, the king barks back with the command of "SILENCE!" Additionally, Yertle retaliates by commanding, through "bellow[s] and bray[s]," more turtles to raise his throne. Again, Dr Seuss shows that these turtles are not willing helpers. The new turtles, "trembl[ing]" and "afraid," follow his orders. With even more turtles in the stack, the suffering becomes intolerable, and Mack changes his petition from a personal one ("I've pains in my back") to a communal one ("we turtles can't stand it"). When once again his complaint is answered by shouts to be silent and a threat of increased pressure, Mack takes action.
Mack's action is not a call to battle or a thunderous response but a "plain little thing"- he burps. Through this small act of rebellion, Mack upsets the delicate balance of King Yertle's throne and King Yertle topples into the pond. The moment Yertle hits the water, the turtles of the stack are smiling, relieved of their burden. And the influence of Mack's small action goes beyond only a moment of relief, for in the present time of the reader, Yertle is "King of the Mud" and "the turtles are free."
Yertle the Turtle cannot teach us how to act on the way up or how to act if we reach the top; Yertle the Turtle promotes the idea that the desire for power, the desire to be above the rest, is selfish, dangerous, and to be rebelled against. It is not a teaching tool for those at the top but a call to action for those at the bottom. Yertle the Turtle teaches us that our actions, no matter how small, can fight against the evil of despotism and make our world a better, more equitable place. That's why it should be required reading for everyone on Earth and beyond.
Yes, I just dashed off an essay on a Dr Seuss book, but this is important people! Beyond my respect for the content of Yertle the Turtle, I am concerned about the fact that a well-educated young woman such as Marley Dias can't comprehend a powerful, subversive message in a picture book.
In a panic (because I am the most insecure homeschooler on the planet), I just called the boys in separately to ask them what they believed were the main themes of Yertle the Turtle. Morley said that it showed the reader to be content with what you have and that everyone should be free. Dashiell said that it was saying not to be proud, to be happy with what you have, and that small things can have a big impact. That'll do. Thus ends sixth grade.
Well done in all areas! :)
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