Why I Love “The Lorax” So Much

Over the last few years, I have probably watched “The Lorax (2012)” every few months because it never seems to get old. Maybe it is an obsession, maybe it is just my favorite movie, but regardless something always calls me back to watch it one more time. 

To most, the movie is simply a kid’s movie, just another cinematic adaptation of Dr. Suess’s many books. They might think that it would not be enjoyable to watch as a teenager or adult and would not have anything they could connect to. I think that I can debunk all of those. 

First, it has evolved into much more than Dr. Suess’s work; actually, the first cinematic creation of “The Lorax” was created in 1972 and is only 25 minutes long. There is so much more plot added to the newer version and it is so much more than the original book in 1971. I also think it is quite enjoyable to watch with humor and relevant themes that keep getting more relevant by the day.

The actual plot of the movie seems like a coming-of-age film with the duality of being an advocate for anti-capitalism. The movie follows Ted on his quest to get a tree to impress a girl, but instead, the true purpose for getting the tree evolves into saving humanity. In order to be given the last tree seed, he must listen to the story of the Once-ler, who is the person who destroyed the forests. This represents learning from the mistakes of those who have come before us which contributes to the larger themes of the work that focus on fixing problems and especially damage caused to the environment by human behavior. And this just is too similar to the current world.

As Ted strives to fix the world, the biggest problem that stands in his way is O’Hare Air, a company that claims to be saving the world. However, the business, which sells fresh air to the people, created a solution, but does not fix the problem of the environment being destroyed. In fact, they hide the true scale of environmental destruction behind the walls of the city and pretend that there is not a problem that innovation cannot fix. In a children’s movie, they are able to display the complexity of human nature in the battle between doing morally better and doing what is better for the finances of the richest people.

Although the movie was released ten years ago the problems in the movie still mirror the problems that exist in the world today. That is why it hurts just a little bit more each time that I watch “The Lorax,” because more time has passed and the world has not fixed the problem, only created “solutions.” Like the Once-ler, the business people of today are lacking self-evaluation and control, causing more and more climate destruction with each passing day. 

The actual reason I watch “The Lorax” so much is not so that I can sit and dwell in pity as the world is destroyed, but because it gives me hope. In the end, humanity and nature reign supreme and even the Once-ler repents his wrongdoings. There is a quote from Dr. Suess that is recited in the movie: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” With this, I am able to look around the world and see the people who care a lot and believe that one day if people keep caring then we won’t end up having to destroy the whole world to realize our faults like the Once-ler. 

“The Lorax” creates fear for the path of society, but it also gives hope, so I keep coming back to go through that cycle just once more each and every time.