copyrighted by Joshua LeBeau (jlebeau@mambo.com) (used with permission)
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The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss Beginner Books, 61 pages. $3.95.

The Cat in the Hat is a hard-hitting novel of prose and poetry in which the author re-examines the dynamic rhyming schemes and bold imagery of some of his earlier works, most notably Green Eggs and Ham, If I Ran the Zoo, and Why Can't I Shower With Mommy?

In this latest novel, Theodore Geisel, writing under the pseudonym Dr. Seuss, pays homage to the great Dr. Sigmund Freud in a nightmarish fantasy of a renegade feline helping two young children understand their own frustrated sexuality.

The story opens with two youngsters, a brother and sister, abandoned by their mother, staring mournfully through the window of their single-family dwelling. In the foreground, an engorged phallic symbol dances wildly in the wind, taunting the children and encouraging them to succumb to the sexual yearnings they undoubtedly feel for each other. Even to the most unlearned reader, the blatant reference to the incestuous relationship the two share sets the tone for Seuss's probing examination of the Id (ed. - In Freudian Theory - The Id is the division of the human psyche that is totally unconscious and serves as the source of instinctual impulses and demands for immediate satisfaction of primitive needs.)

As the story unfolds, Seuss introduces a menacing feline character cleverly disguesed in a stripped head covering. The Cat proceeds to charm the wary youths into engaging in what is so innocently refered to as tricks. At this point, a talking fish, (an obvious Christ figure representing prevailing Christian morality), attempts to warn the children, and thus, in effect, warn all humanity of the dangers associated with acting upon primal urges. In response to this, The Cat proceeds to balance the aquatic naysayer on the tip of his umbrella, essentially saying Down with morality. Down with God!

After poohpoohing the righteous rantings of the waterlogged Christ, the Cat begins to juggle several icons of Western culture, most notably two books, representing the Old and New Testaments, and a saucer of lactal fluid, an ironic reference to maternal loss the children experienced when their mother abandoned them for the afternoon. Our heroic Id adds to this bold gesture a rake and a toy man, and thus completes the Oedipal triangle.

Later in the novel, Seuss introduces the proverbial Pandora's box, a large red crate out of which the Id releases Thing One representing Freud's concept of Ego (ed. - In Freudian Theory - The Ego is the division of the psyche that serves as the conscious mediator between the person and reality), and Thing Two representing The Superego (ed. - In Freudian Theory - The Superego is the division of the psyche that functions to reward and punish through a system of moral attitudes, conscience, and guilt.) Referring to this box, The Cat says, Now look at this trick. Take a look! In this, Dr. Seuss uses the children as a brilliant metaphor for the reader, and asks the reader to re-examine his own inner-self.

The children, unable to control the Id, Ego, and Superego allow these creatures to run free and mess up the house, or more symbolically, control their lives. This rampage continues until The Fish, or Christ symbol, warns that the mother is returning to reinstate the Oedipal triangle that existed before her abandonment of the children. At this point, Seuss introduces a many-armed cleaning device which represents the psychoanalytic couch, which proceeds to put the two youngsters' lives back in order.

With powerful simplicity, clarity, and drama, Seuss reduces Freud's concepts on the dynamics of the human psyche to an easily understood gesture. Dr. Seuss' poetry and choice of words is equally impressive and serves as a splendid counterpart to his bold symbolism. In all, his writing style is quick and fluid, making The Cat in the Hat impossible to put down. While this novel is 61 pages in length, and one can read it in five minutes or less, it is not until after multiple readings that the genius of this modern day master becomes apparent.

Copyright 1989 and 1996, Joshua LeBeau and The Koala Newspaper

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