Author(s)
ケネス・O・アンダースンCitation
聖学院大学論叢, 14(2): 1-14URL
http://serve.seigakuin-univ.ac.jp/reps/modules/xoonips/detail.php?item_i d=200Rights
聖学院学術情報発信システム : SERVE
SEigakuin Repository for academic archiVE
ケネス・
O
・アンダースンN 0 F r i g a t e Like a Book
Kenneth O . ANDERSON
これはR
o b e r tL o u i s S t e v e n s o n
,W a l t e r d e l a Mare
,L o r d Houghton
,Ludwig B e r n e l m a n s
そしてD r . S e u s s
によって書かれた,子供達に想像力の駆使を促す日常逃避のような,子供のための詩の本 の魅力を検討した論文であり,大人をも引き付けるこれらの本に潜在する意味についても論じるも のであるOT h e r e i s no F r i g β t e l i k e a Book
τ
'0t a k e u s Lands away N o r any C o u r s e r s l i k e a P a g e
Of P r a n c i n g P o e t r y ‑ T h i s T r a v e r s e r n a y t h e p o o r e s t t a k e
W i t h o u t o p p r e s s o f T o l l ‑ How f r u g a l i s t h e C h a r i o t T h a t b e a r s t h e h u r n a n S o u l l
E r n i l y D i c k i n s o n
,c . 1 8 7 3
1 h a v e o f t e n wondered when i t was t h a t a p a g e o f p r a n c i n g p o e t r y
直r s tdrew r n y a t t e n t i o n and bade r n e r n o u n t f o r a j o u r n e y t o o t h e r w o r l d s . 1 know i t was i n c h i l d h o o d , f o r 1 r e r n e r n b e r r e a d i n g p o e r n s by R o b e r t L o u i s S t e v e n s o n and W a l t e r de l a Mare
,a r n o n g o t h e r s
,a t a v e r y e a r l y a g e . T h e r e were a l s o
,o f c o u r s e
,t h e r h y r n e s o f Ludwig B e r n e l m a n s and D r . S e u s s
,which c o n t i n u e t o c a p t u r e s o r n a n y .
The r h y r n e s and r n e t e r s o f p o e r n s e n t r a n c e t h e e a r ; c h i l d r e n l o v e Mother Goose r h y r n e s
,and i f t h e y a r e l u c k y t h i s l o v e l e a d s t h e r n t o o t h e r p o e r n s . B u t i t i s a l s o t h e i d e a o f e s c a p e t h a t a p p e a l s : Many c h i l ‑ d r e n who a r e n o t v e r y happy a t e i t h e r h o r n e o r s c h o o l f i n d t h a t r e a d i n g p o e t r y o f f e r s an i r n r n e d i a t e r e ‑ Key w o r d s : R h y r n e
,M e t e r
,E s c a p e
,I r n a g i n a t i o n
,C o n s o l a t i o n
,H u r n o r
‑ 1 ‑
l e a s e , a sudden l i f t o f t h e s p i r i t s i n t o w o r l d s f a r more a t t r a c t i v e t h a n t h e o n e s t h e y a r e f o r c e d t o
江由
a b i tmost o f t h e i r w a k i n g h o u r s . Th e rhythms o f p o e t r y work l i k e an i n c a n t a t i o n , p u t t i n g a s p e l l on r e a d e r s which o f t e n l a s t s a f t e r t h e poem h a s been r e a d
,and which l i n g e r s i n t h e m i n d .
Donald J u s t i c e ' s poem H o u s e s " ( P e c k , e d . , 1 9 7 6 ) e x p r e s s e s w e l l t h e s e n s e o f o p p r e s s i v e n e s s t h a t f o r many h a s been t h e e s s e n c e o f f a m i l y l i f e a s t h e y grow up and away from i t :
Tim
e and t h e w e a t h e r wear away The h o u s e s t h a t o u r f a t h e r s b u i l t . T h e i r g h o s t l y f u r n i t u r e r e m a i n s :
Allt h e s a d s o f a s we h a v e s t a i n e d With t e a r s o f boredom and o f g
凶l t ,
The f r a y i n g m o t t o e s , t h e s t o p p e d c l o c k s . . .
And s t
出s o m e t i m e st h e s e t i r e d s h a p e s T a u n t t h e damp p a r l o r s o f t h e h e a r t . Wh a t Sunday p r i s o n s t h e y r e c a l l !
And what m i r a c u l o u s e s c a p e s !
P o e t r y o f f e r s m i r a c u l o u s e s c a p e s t o c h i l d r e n . I n t h i s e s s a y 1 p r o p o s e t o l o o k a t a few o f t h e poems which h e l p e d me e s c a p e
加c h i l d h o o d( a n d even now) and examine a few o f t h e ways i n which t h e y a c c o m p l i s h t h a t .
Robert Louis Stevenson
Many o f t h e poems i n S t e v e n s o n ' s s e m i n a l A C h i l d ' s G α γ den o f V e r s e s ( S t e v e n s o n , 1 8 8 5 / 1 9 5 2 ) d e a l w i t h e c a p e . S t e v e n s o n , o f c o u r s e , b e i n g an i n v a l i d a s a c h i l d , was o f t e n l i t e r a l l y t r a p p e d a t home , a s he shows i n h i s poem Bed i n Summer." But h i s p e r s o n a i n t h e poems , even when b e d r i d d e n , s t i l l manages t o e s c a p e t h r o u g h t h e u s e o f h i s i m a g i n a t i o n : t h r o u g h p l a y i n g w i t h h i s t o y s , a s i n The Land o f C o u n t e r p a n e " and B l o c k C i t y
,"t h r o u g h r e a d i n g b o o k s ( P i c t u r e ‑ Books i n W i n t e r " and "The Land O
ぱ
fS t ω O
巧町TBo ∞ o k s "
he s
抗t
出wonderswhat l i e s beyond h i s h o r i z o n s : f o r e i g n l a n d s and f a i r y l a n d ( F 、 o r e i
培gnLand
也S, つ where h i s p a p e r b o a t s w i l l come a s h o r e ( Wh e r e Go t h e B o a t s ? " ) , f o r e i g n p o r t s ( P i r a t e S t o r y " ) , and s o o n .
One o f my f a v o r i t e o f t h e s e poems i s
Tra v e l . " T h i s poem c e r t a i n l y l i t a f i r e i n me a s a c h i l d t o t r a v e l t h e w o r l d and e x p e r i e n c e i t s m u l t i f a r i o u s w o n d e r s . The poem b e g i n s i n a f o r m a l way and i s i n c a n t a ‑ t o r y :
1 s h o u l d l i k e t o r i s e and go
Wh e r e t h e g o l d e n a p p 1 e s g r o w . . .
The i m a g e o f g o l d e n a p p 1 e s i s a t t r a c t i v e t o a c h i l d , t a n t a l i z i n g , e v e n t h o u g h he o r s h e may n o t be a w a r e o f a l l t h e a l l u s i o n s t h a t may come t o them 1 a t e r a s a d u l t r e a d e r s : t h e f r u i t o f t h e Garden o f Eden
,t h e a p p 1 e s o f g o l d i n p i c t u r e s o f s i l v e r o f P r o v e r b s 2 5 : 1 1
,t h e g o l d e n a p p 1 e s o f t h e g a r d e n o f t h e H e s p e r i d e s , t h e " g o l d e n a p p 1 e s o f t h e s u n " i n Y e a t s ' The Song ofWandering Aengus , " and s o o n . The m e l l i f l u o u s rhythm a 1 s o a p p e a 1 s : t h e t r o c h a i c t e t r a m e t e r w i t h i t s c a t a 1 e c t i c 1 i n e s
,t h e a s s o n a n c e (
ii n l i k e " and r i s e
,"0 i n go
,"g o l d e n " and grow ワ . There i s a l s o t h e c o n d e n s a t i o n o f 1 a n g u a g e
,a s i n p a r r o t i s 1 a n d s
,"t h e a l l u s i o n t o R o b i n s o n C r u s o e ( " L o n e 1 y C r u s o e s b
凶l d i n gb o a t s
ウ,an a l l u s i o n many c h i l d r e n w i l l be a w a r e o f o r w i l l a p p r e c i a t e when t h e y f i n d o u t what i t m e a n s . I n f a c t , coming back t o t h e poem a s an a d u 1 t , one becomes i n c r e a s i n g 1 y aware and a p p r e c i a t i v e o f how g r e a t t h e poem i s : a b 1 e t o s p e a k v i v i d 1 y t o b o t h c h i l d r e n and a d u l t s
,i n e x h a u s t i b 1 e i n i t s r i c h e s ( a s a l l good poems a r e ) . I
ti s a b 1 e t o g i v e even a c h i l d a s e n s e o f t h e p a s s i n g o f
住n e , and t h e p a t h o s o f t h a t , a s t h e c h i l d o f t h e poem i m a g i n e s a d e s e r t e d c i t y i n t h e d e s e r t where A l l i t s c h i l d r e n , sweep and p r i n c e
パh a v e JGrown t o manhood a g e s s i n c e " ; and where , when he h a s grown up and i s a b l e t o t r a v e l t o such a c i t y l u m s e l f , h e w i l l
…i n a c o r n e r f i n d t h e t o y s / Of t h e o l d E g y p t i a n b o y s . " A s e n s e o f 1 0 s s i s t h e r e
,a s w e l l a s t h e e x c i t e m e n t o f f i n d i n g a c o n n e c t i o n t o p e o p 1 e l i k e o n e s e 1 f , t h o u g h 1 0 n g v a n i s h e d . T h i s s e n s e o f 1 0 s s may be , t o t h e c h i l d r e a d e r , p a r t l y o r w h o l l y u n c o n s c i o u s ; b u t i t i s t h e r e . Poems s u c h a s T r a v e 1 " p r e
同p a r e c h i 1 d r e n b o t h f o r t h e e x c i t e m e n t s and p 1 e a s u r e s t h a t t h e f u t u r e h o 1 d s and a 1 s o f o r t h e s a d n e s s e s t h a t i t w i l l b r i n g . They do n o t t r y t o h i d e t h e w o r l d from c h i l d r e n , b u t h o l d i t o u t t o them and h e l p them f a c e i t w i t h c o u r a g e .
An
o t h e r poem i n G α γ den which makes one a w a r e o f t h e v a n i s h e d p a s t and t h e s e n s e o f 1 0 s s s u c h a w a r e n e s s b r
担g si s t h e 1 a s t poem
加t h ebook
,To Any R e a d e r . " S t e v e n s o n t e l l s t h e r e a d e r t h a t he may s e e t h r o u g h t h e windows o f t h i s b o o k " t h e c h i 1 d t h a t was S t e v e n s o n l u m s e 1 f , p 1 a y i n g i n a g a r d e n o f t h e p a s t , and t h a t t h i s c h i l d
…
d o e s n o t h e a r ; he w i l l n o t 1 0 0 k , Nor y e t be 1 u r e d o u t o f h i s boo k . For 1 0 n g a g o , t h e t r u t h t o s a y , He h a s grown up and gone away ,
And i t i s b u t a c h i l d o f a i r
T h a t 1 i n g e r s i n t h e g a r d e n t h e r e .
Through s u c h s i m p l e words , S t e v e n s o n c o n v e y s t o t h e c h i 1 d t r u t h s s
/he n e e d s t o know and must e v e n ‑ t u a l l y f a c e head on i
‑ 3 ‑
memorated t h r o u g h a r t .
Walter de la Mare; Come H
4 i 的
'erW.H.Auden h i g h l y commended W a l t e r d e l a M a r e ' s poems f o r c h i l d r e n :
As a r e v e l a t i o n o f t h e w o n d e r s o f t h e E n g l i s h L a n g u a g e
,de l a M a r e ' s poems f o r c h i l d r e n a r e u n r i v a l e d . . . t h e i r r h y t h m s a r e a s s u b t l e a s t h e y a r e v a r i e d . L i k e a l l g o o d poems
,o f c o u r s e
,t h e y do more t h a n t r a i n t h e e a r , t h e y a l s o t e a c h s e n s o r y a t t e n t i o n and c o u r a g e . . . d e l a M a r e ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f b i r d s , b e a s t s , and n a t u r a l phenomena a r e a l w a y s s h a r p and a c c u r a t e , and he n e v e r p r e t t i f i e s e x p e r i ‑ e n c e o r a t t e m p t s t o c o n c e a l f r o m t h e young t h a t t e r r o r and n i g h t m a r e a r e a s e s s e n t i a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f human e x i s t e n c e a s l o v e and s w e e t d r e a m s . (Auden
,1 9 7 3 )
De l a Mare h i m s e l f w r o t e i n a n i n t r o d u c t i o n t o a c o l l e c t i o n o f h i s p o e t r y f o r c h i l d r e n t h a t a good poem r e a d i n c h i l d h o o d may
,when o n e i s o l d e r
,t a k e t o i t s e l f a l i f e ‑ g i v i n g n e s s
,a m u s i c and a d e p t h o f m e a n i n g t h a t o n e n e v e r p e r c e i v e d i n i t a t a l l when o n e r e a d i t a s a c h i l d .
And some poems g o on d e l i c a t e l y c h a n g i n g a l l t h a t t h e y s h a r e w i t h u s w h e n e v e r t h e y a r e r e a d o v e r a g a i n , j u s t a s t h e f l o w e r s i n a g a r d e n , w i t h t h e i r l i g h t and shadow , t h e i r s h a p e s
,and t h e r a i n o r dew o r s u n s h i n e on them
,c h a n g e w i t h e v e r y h o u r o f a summer d a y .
( D e l a Mare
,C o l l e c t e d Rhymes α nd Ve
γ'Se s
,1 9 4 4 / 1 9 7 0 )
1 know t h a t
,a s a c h i l d
,t h e s o u n d s o f t h e words and t h e i m a g e s t h e y e m p l o y e d e v o k e d i n me emo‑
t i o n a l r e s p o n s e s t h a t 1 w a s n ' t a l w a y s c o n s c i o u s l y a b l e t o u n d e r s t a n d : a f e e l i n g o f l i g h t h e a r t e d n e s s
,f o r e x a m p l e , o r , c o n v e r s e l y , o f s a
也l e s s .I f 1 r e t u r n e d a g a i n and a g a i n t o d e l a M a r e ' s poems a s a c h i l d i t was b e c a u s e 1 w i s h e d r e c r e a t e t h o s e e m o t i o n s i n m y s e l f :
The y were a n e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f my f l i g h t t o a n o t h e r w o r l d .
And 1 f e e l t h e same e m o t i o n s when 1 r e a d t h e s e poems t o d a y ‑e m o t i o n s b r o a d e r and d e e p e r , p e r h a p s , t h a n t h e o n e s 1 f e l t a s a c h i l d , b u t s p r u n g f r o m t h o s e : t h e C h i l d i s f a t h e r o f t h e M a n . "
1 w i s h t h e r e were t i m e and s p a c e enough t o d i s c u s s e v e r y poem o f d e l a M a r e ' s , b u t t h a t n o t b e i n g t h e c a s e 1 am f o r c e d t o l i m i t m y s e l f t o a v e r y f e w . T h e r e a r e poems w h i c h e x p r e s s t h e d e s i r e f o r f a r ‑ away p l a c e s : A r a b y , "A r a b i a , "T a r t a r y , " and s o o n ; o n e s t h a t c e l e b r a t e t h e c a l m and q u i e t p l e a s u r e s o f j u s t b e
加gs t 出 , w a t c h i n g t h e n a t u r a l w o r l d , w o o l g a t h e r i n g ( s u c h a s Summer E v e n i n g , " The L i t t l e Green O r c h a r d つ ; t h e e e r y ( J
加1J a y , " JohnMo
叫dy , "TheL i s t e n e r s , " e t c . ) ; and many o t h e r v a r i e t i e s o f p o e m s . 1 w
由b r i e f l ycomment on t h r e e .
Bunches o f G r a p e s " i s a poem i n w h i c h t h r e e c h i l d r e n
一 首r n o t h y
,E l a i n e
,and J a n e ‑e x p r e s s t h e i r
p r e f e r e n c e s i n f o o d , f l o w e r s and t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . C h i l d
t h e c h o i c e s i n t h e poem and t h e n c o m p a r e them t o h i s o r h e r o w n ; i t a l s o l e a d s t h e c h i l d t o g o beyond t h e poem and t h i n k a b o u t o t h e r c h o i c e s .
明なmta l s o a p p e a l s t o me a s a n a d u l t r e a d e r i s r e f l e c t i n g how t h e c h o i c e s
Timo t h y
,E l a i n e and J a n e make r e f l e c t t h e i r p e r s o n a l i t i e s . T h i s poem i n s p i r e s c h e e r f u l ‑ n e s s and a n a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e g o o d n e s s o f common t h i n g s . I t i s d e c e p t i v e l y s i m p l e ; o n e o n l y h a s t o t r y t o w r i t e a s i m i l a r poem t o b e g i n t o r e a l i z e how much s k i l l and a r t i s t r y a r e embedded i n t h e poem
,a s b e a u t y i s embedded
加,and i n s e p a r a b l e f r o m
,a f l o w e r .
An
o t h e r poem
,N i c h o l a s Nye
,"i s t u n e d t o t h e d e e p ‑ s e a t e d human d e s i r e t o b e a b l e t o b r e a k down t h e w a l l s o f human i s o l a t i o n t o s h a r e o u r t h o u g h t s w i t h a n i m a l s . V e r y s m a l l c h i l d r e n
,i n f a c t
,seem t o b e l i e v e t h e y c a n c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h t h e i r p e t s o r t o y a n i m a l s . The n a r r a t o r o f N i c h o l a s N y e " r e c a l l s c h i l d h o o d h o u r s he s p e n t i n a n o r c h a r d w i t h N i c h o l a s Nye , a d o n k e y .
Alt h o u g h he d o e s n o t c l a i m t o h a v e a c t u a l l y been a b l e t o c o n v e r s e w i t h N i c h o l a s Nye , he d o e s s a y t h a t o v e r t h e g r a s s would seem t o p a s s . . . s o m e t h i n g much b e t t e r t h a n w o r d s between me/
And N i c h o l a s N y e . " T h e r e i s a m u t u a l bond o f empathy b e t w e e n them
,s o t h a t N i c h o l a s Nye would seem t o be s m i l i n g a t me" o r
,a t o t h e r t i m e s
,t o s o m e t i m e s s t o o p and s i g h , l
And t u r n h i s head
,a s
江hes a i d , l ' P o o r N i c h o l a s N y e ! " Y e t
,i n t h e end
,t h e n a r r a t o r must r e t u r n t o h i s home a t t w i l i g h t and l e a v e N i c h o l a s Nye
加h i s , where i n t h e moon‑
l i g h t
,d a r k a s dew , l A s k i n g n o t w h e r e f o r e n o r why
,/Wo u l d b r o o d l i k e a g h o s t
,and a s s t
出a sa p o s t , l O l d N i c h o l a s N y e . " I n t h e end e a c h i s a l o n e
,a l t h o u g h o n e d i f f e r e n c e between humans and a n i m a l s s e e m s t o b e t h a t t h e a n i m a l d o e s n o t q u e s t i o n h i s p l a c e i n t h e scheme o f t h i n g s
,n o r why
抗mustb e s o .
A t h i r d poem
,The S o n g o f t h e Mad P r i n c e
,"would seem t o b e r e f e r r i n g
,on o n e l e v e l
,t o H
訂叫e t and O p h e l i a . 1 d i d n ' t r e a l i z e t h a t a s a c h i l d
,b u t i t d i d n ' t d e t r a c t f r o m my a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e poem i n t h e s l i g h t e s t
,n o r need i t f o r any r e a d e r . The t i t l e o f t h e poem t e l l s u s t h a t i t s n a r r a t o r i s t h e mad p r i n c e . F o r o n c e 1 w i l l q u o t e d e l a Mare
加f u l l
,t o g i v e a n i d e a o f t h e h a u n t i n g b e a u t y and s t r a n g e n e s s o f h i s p o e t r y :
Wh
o s a i d P e a c o c k P i e ' ? The O l d
King t o t h e s p a r r o w :
Who s a i dC r o p s a r e r i p e ' ?
R u s t t o t h e h a r r o w :
Wh
o s a i d
,Whe r e s l e e p s s h e now?
Wh
e r e r e s t s s h e now h e r head
,B a t h e d i n e v e ' s l o v e l i n e s s ' ‑
T h a t ' s what 1 s a i d .
Wh
o s a i d
,Ay,mum's t h e w o r d ' ;
‑5‑
S e x t o n t o w
出o w :
Wh
o s a i d , G r e e n d u s k f o r dreams , Moss f o r a p i l l o w ' ?
Wh
o s a i d , ' A l l
Time ' s d e l i g h t H a t h s h e f o r n a r r o w b e d ; L i f e ' s t r o u b l e d b u b b l e b r o k e n ' ?
一T h a t ' s what 1 s a i d .
De l a Mare m e n t i o n s p e a c o c k p i e i n a n o t h e r poem ,The T h r e e B e g g a r s , " and i n f a c t p u b l i s h e d a c o l l e c t i o n o f poems f o r c h i l d r e n t i t l e d Pe α cock Pie i n 1 9 1 3 (De l a Mare , 1 9 4 4 1 1 9 7 0 ) , b u t 1 d o u b t
江t h e s e i n s t a n c e s a r e r e l e v a n t t o The Song o f t h e Mad P r i n c e " . De l a Mare l e t s u s h e a r t h e mad p r i n c e ' s s o n g w i t h o u t e x p l a n a t i o n ; i t i s up t o u s t o f i n d meaning and m e a n i n g s i n
比I s t h e o l d
King t o t h e s p a r r o w " an o b l i q u e r e f e r e n c e t o t h e M o t h e r Goose p i e o f f o u r ‑ a n d ‑ t w e n t y b l a c k b i r d s s e t b e f o r e a k i n g
‑o r d o e s i t mean s o m e t h i n g e l s e ?
Why would t h e
Kings a y s u c h a p h r a s e t o a s p a r r o w ?
Wha t r u s t s a y s t o t h e h a r r o w s e e m s a b i t e a s i e r t o i n t e r p r e t : The h a r r o w i s n ' t b e i n g u s e d and t h e c r o p s a r e g o i n g t o w a s t e ‑b u t why?
Why i s t h e h a r v e s t b e i n g n e g l e c t e d ? The l i n e s t h a t t h e mad p r i n c e h i m s e l f c l a i m s c o u l d p o s s i b l y r e f e r t o O p h e l i a
,who drowned h e r s e l f i n s o r r o w a t H a m l e t ' s r e j e c t i o n ( a n d t h u s i n ‑ c r e a s e d t h e madness o f H a r
凶e t‑t h e mad p r i n c e ‑by a d d i n g r e m o r s e f o r O p h e l i a ' s ? ) . The s e x t o n c o u l d b e t h e g r a v e d i g g e r
血H α
,mlet
,f a t e d t o b u r y n o t o n l y Y o r i c k
,b u t O p h e l i a and H a m l e t a s w e l l .
But t h i s i s o n l Y s p e c u l a t i o n
,and i n f a c t t o t i e t h e poem t o o c l o s e l y t o R α mlet d e t r a c t s f r o m i t s b e a u t y .
Itd o e s n o t m a t t e r who t h e mad p r i n c e " r e a l l y " i s ; t h e m y s t e r y o f h i s madness , h i s s a
也l e s s , i s t h e m y s t e r y o f any o f u s , t o o u r s e l v e s and t o o t h e r human b e i n g s , tun
由1 9o u r s a d n e s s and o u r won‑
d e r i n t o p o e t r y i n o r d e r t o be a b l e t o b e a r t h e m . The c a r e f u l l y c o n s t r u c t e d b e a u t y o f t h e poem
,i t s h a u n t i n g i m a g e s , b o t h c o n s o l e u s and p l e a s e u s w i t h t h e i r b e a u t y .
De l a Mare was a l s o r e s p o n s i b l e f o r p u t t i n g t o g e t h e r o n e o f t h e most p l e a s i n g a n t h o l o g i e s o f p o e t r y e v e r p u b l i s h e d ,
Come Hitheγ(De l a Mare , 1 9 2 3 / 1 9 7 3 ) . He i n t r o d u c e d i t w i t h a s t o r y a b o u t a boy named Simon l o o k i n g f o r a p l a c e c a l l e d E a s t D e n e ; a woman named
Mis s T a r o o n e who l i v e s i n a h o u s e c a l l e d T h r a e b u t a l s o s p e a k s o f a f a m i l y mansion c a l i e d S u r e V i n e ; and h e r r e l a t i v e M r . Nahum. As Auden s a y s (Auden , 1 9 7 3 ) , t h e t h r u s t o f t h e s t o r y i s t h a t human b e i n g s
… want a poem t o be a b e a u t i f u l o b j e c t
,a v e r b a l Garden o f Eden w h i c h
,by i t s f o r m a l p e r ‑
f e c t i o n , k e e p s a l i v e
加u st h e hope t h a t t h e r e e x i s t s a s t a t e o f j o y w i t h o u t e v i l o r s u f f e r i n g w h i c h i t c a n
and s h o u l d be o u r d e s t i n y t o a t t a
担.At t h e same t i m e
,we l o o k t o a poem f o r some k i n d o f i l l u r r
出l a t i o n
a b o u t o u r p r e s e n t w a n d e r i n g c o n d i t i o n , s i n c e , w i t h o u t
t r u t h , however r n i n o r , and , a s we know , most home t r u t h s a r e n e i t h e r p r e t t y o r p l e a s a n t .
1 f i r s t r e a d t h i s a n t h o l o g y i n c h i l d h o o d and l a t e r , a s an ad
叫t , b o u g h t my own c o p y . One o f t h e p l e a s u r e s o f r e ‑ r e a d i n g i t s p a g e s was t o r e d i s c o v e r , w i t h renewed a w a r e n e s s and a p p r e c i a t i o n , some o f t h e beau
司t i f u l Mother Goose rhymes t h a t had been r e a d t o me when 1 was a c h i l d and t h a t f i r s t i n s t i l l e d i n me a d e s i r e f o r p o e t r y . One o f t h e s e was Boys and G i r l s
,come o u t t o p l a y . " The d e s i r e t o e s c a p e o n e ' s bed a t n i g h t and s e e k a d v e n t u r e o u t s i d e i s a c h i l d h o o d d e s i r e which o f t e n f i n d s v o i c e i n p o e t r y ( s e e , f o r example , S t e v e n s o n ' s Escape a t B e d t i m e " and De l a Ma
訂r e '
冶SNoBed"
t h i s d e s i r e a l s o h e l p c h i l d r e n t o s e e t h e n i g h t a
儲sf r 丘 i e n d l 坊 yand u n t
出hr児ea 抗 . t en
凶1吐i n gr a t h e r t h a n f e a r f u l and n i g h t m a r i s h .
An
o t h e r s u c h Mother Goose rhyme was 1 had a l i t t l e n u t t r e e " : 1 had a l i t t l e n u t t r e e
,N o t h i n g would i t b e a r , But a s i l v e r nutmeg ,
An
d a g o l d e n p e a r . The
Kingo f S p a i n ' s d a u g h t e r
Came t o v i s i t me
, And a l l b e c a u s e o f
My l i t t l e n u t t r e e . 1 s k i p p e d o v e r w a t e r
1 danced o v e r s e a ,
And a l l t h e b i r d s i n t h e a i r
C o u l d n o t c a t c h m e .
1 s t
出t h i n kt h i s i s one o f t h e most b e a u t i f u l poems e v e r w r i t t e n . Not o n l y d i d i t s b e a u t i f u l i m a g e s a p ‑ p e a l t o me a s a c h i l d
,i t a l s o a l l o w e d me t o i d e n t i f y w i t h t h e s p e a k e r o f t h e poem ( u n c o n s c i o u s l y
,no d o u b t ) and f e e l t h a t some day 1
,t o o
,would own s o m e t h i n g p r e c i o u s and m a g i c a l ; would be v i s i t e d by a b e a u t i f u l p r i n c e s s ; would be g r a c e f u l and e x c e l a t s o m e t h i n g ; would be f r e e r t h a n t h e b i r d s t o wan‑
d e r w h e r e v e r 1 w a n t e d .
I n a d d i t i o n
,de l a M a r e ' s a n t h o l o g y i n t r o d u c e d me t o t h e l i n e s t h a t E d i t h S i t w e l l appended t o t h e o r i g i n a l poem. She must h a v e been e n t r a n c e d by t h e poem a s w e l l
,and wanted t o t r y h e r hand a t m a t c h i n g i t s b e a u t i f u l l i n e s w i t h h e r o w n . But s h e changed t h e n o t e o f e l a t i o n i n t h e o r i g i n a l t o one o f m e l a n c h o l y
,a s t h e n a r r a t o r o f t h e poem f a l l s i n l o v e w i t h t h e K
ing o f C h i n a ' s d a u g h t e r b u t f i n d s h i s l o v e u n r e q u i t e d . An d t h i s s t r u c k a r e s p o n s i v e c h o r d i n me t o o , a s 1 grew o l d e r and came t o r e a l i z e t h a t dreams would n o t a l w a y s be a c h i e v e d e a s i l y
,江a ta l l .
一
7‑
Come H i t h e r
・i sf :
叫1o f h a u n t i n g poems
,many by p o e t s who would be a l l b u t f o r g o t t e n
江i t were n o t f o r t h i s a n t h o l o g y : S m a l l F o u n t a i n s , " by L a s c e l l e s A b e r c o m b i e ; B o a t s a t N i g h t , " by Edward S h a n k s ( w h i c h i n t h o u g h t , i f n o t e x p r e s s i o n , i s v e r y l i k e H u c k l e b e r r y F i n n ' s m u s i n g s on t h e b e a u t y o f t h e
Mis ‑ s i s s i p p i R i v e r a t r u g h t ) ; E c s t a s y " and Romance , " by W a l t e r J . T u r n e r ( t h e l a t t e r s i m i l a r i n s p i r i t t o de l a M a r e ' s
Ara b i a " ) ; The O l d S h i p s , " by James E l r o y F l e c k e r ; F l a n n a n I s l e " and " T h e Pa
町o t s , " byWu‑
f r i d G
ib s o n ; The M o o n ‑ C h i l d , " by F i o n a M a c l e o d (W i l l i a m S h a r p ) ;
Time , You O l d G
ip s y Man , " by R a l p h H o d g s o n ; The D e s e r t e d House
,"by Mary C o l e r i d g e ; B i r t h r i g h t " and D e e r " by John D r i n k w a ‑ t e r ( M o o n l i t A p p l e s " i s a n o t h e r f a v o r i t e poem o f mine by D r i n k w a t e r w hich somehow e s c a p e d t h i s a n t h o l o g y ) . T h e r e a r e , o f c o u r s e , w e l l ‑ k n o w n poems and a u t h o r s i n c l u d e d a s w e l l ; and t h e w h o l e a d d s up t o a t r e a s u r e which someone who c a r e s a b o u t p o e t r y w i l l r e f e r t o a g a i n and a g a i n .
A Child's 80n9"
Th
e r e i s a poem 1 w i s h t o i n c l u d e h e r e whi ch 1 l o v e d a s a c h i l d b u t was n e v e r a b l e t o f i n d i n any a n ‑ t h o l o g y i n p r i n t n o r anywhere on t h e I n t e r n e t . 1 f i n a l l y s e c u r e d a c o p y by o r d e r i n g an o u t ‑ o f ‑ p r i n t c o l ‑ l e c t i o n which i n c l u d e d i t : The P o e t i c a l Works o f Lord Houghton ( H o u g h t o n , 1 8 7 6 ) . A
lt h o u g h you c a n
血l dt h e f i r s t s t a n z a o f t h e poem
,A C h i l d ' s S o n ι "inB α r t l e t t ' s Quot α t i o n s
,t h e w h o l e poem h a s r e g r e t t a b l y d i s a p p e a r e d f r o m v i e w by a l l b u t t h e most d e t e r r o i n e d s e e k e r s . Y e t
抗i sa poem 1 am g l a d t o h a v e f o u n d and do n o t w i s h t o be l o s t . Here i t i s :
Lady Moon , Lady Moon , where a r e you r o v i n g ? Over t h e s e a .
Lady Moon
,Lady Moon
,whom a r e you l o v i n g ?
Allt h a t l o v e m e .
Ar
e you n o t t i r e d w i t h r o l l i n g
,and n e v e r R e s t i n g t o s l e e p ?
Wh
y l o o k s o p a l e
,and s o s a d
,a s f o r e v e r W i s h i n g t o weep?
Ask me n o t t h i s
,l i t t l e c h i l d
,i f you l o v e me;
You a r e t o o b o l d ;
1 must obey my d e a r F a t h e r a b o v e me
, And do a s I ' m t o l d .
Lady Moon , Lady Moon , where a r e you r o v i n g ? O v e r t h e s e a .
Lady Moon , Lady Moon , whom a r e you l o v i n g ?
Allt h a t l o v e m e .
1 f e l t t h e s a d n e s s o f t h l s poem a s a c h i l d
,b u t was a l s o c o n s o l e d by i t . 1 h a v e a l w a y s f e l t s a d when 1 h a v e l o o k e d a t t h e moon ‑s a d and happy a t t h e same t i m e ‑b u t d i d n o t u n d e r s t a n d why a s a c h i l d . ( E v e n now 1 am f a r f r o m u n d e r s t a n d i n g c o m p l e t e l y my e m o t i o n a l r e s p o n s e s t o t h e m o o n . ) T h l s poem r e a s s u r e d me when 1 was v e r y young t h a t o t h e r p e o p l e f e l t t h e same w a y .
Itwas a l l r i g h t t o f e e l s a d ;
抗
wasa n a t u r a l f e e l i n g , and w a s n ' t g o i n g t o k
iUy o u . The poem a l s o made me r e a l i z e t h a t 1 w a s n ' t t h e o n l y o n e who d i
也市u n d e r s t a n dwhy t h e moon had e x i s t e d f o r s o l o n g , and w o u l d c o n t i n u e t o e x i s t l o n g a f t e r 1 was g o n e .
And t h e poem g a v e me t h e c o m f o r t o f f e e l i n g ( a s a l l humans d e s i r e t o f e e
l)t h a t my l o v e f o r t h e moon and o t h e r t h i n g s o f t h l s w o r l d was n o t u n r e q u i t e d ; t h a t t h e y
,somehow
,a l s o f e l t s o m e t h i n g f o r m e .
The poem a l s o j i b e d w i t h what 1 was t a u g h t a s a c h i l d t o b e a C h r i s t i a n v i e w o f l i f e ( a n d w h l c h 1 s t
iUb e l i e v e ) : t h a t a l l human b e i n g s , t o o n e e x t e n t o r a n o t h e r , s h a r e t h e f a t e o f S t . P e t e r a s i t was t o l d t o hlm by C h r i s t :
I n a l l t r u t h 1 t e l l you , when you were young you p u t on y o u r own b e l t and w a l k e d where you l i k e d ; b u t when you grow o l d
you w i l l s t r e t c h o u t y o u r h a n d s ,
and somebody e l s e w i l l p u t a b e l t r o u n d you and t a k e you where you would r a t h e r n o t g o . ( J o h n 2 1 : 1 8 , The New Jerusalem B i b l e , 1 9 8 5 )
Thus t h e Lady Moon must d o a s h e r f a t e d e m a n d s ; and 1 r e a l i z e d a s a c h i l d t h a t 1 w o u l d n o t e v e r b e t o t a l l y f r e e t o do a n y t h i n g 1 p l e a s e d . T h l s was and i s a h a r d l e s s o n t o leam , b u t a n e c e s s a r y o n e .
Iti s
江
npo
此a n tt o t e s t o n e ' s l i m i t s , b u t a l s o t o r e a l i z e t h a t t h e r e a r e l i m i t s ; t o s t r i v e f o r f r e e d o m , b u t n o t be d i s h e a r t e n e d by f a i l u r e . L i k e t h e poem
,w h l c h c i r c l e s b a c k t o i t s b e g i n n i n g
,o n e f i n d s r e c u r r e n t p a t ‑ tems i n
町' e
,e v e r w i d e
凶ng c i r c l e s o f e x p e r i e n c e
,k n o w l e d g e and u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t r e t a i n t h
位b e a u t y and m y s t e r y e v e n a s t h e y r i p p l e o u t w a r d . A f e e l i n g o f b e i n g n o t e n t i r e l y f r e e may be an u n ‑ happy o n e ; b u t t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e c o i n i s t h a t o n e f e e l s c o n n e c t e d t o s o m e t h i n g g r e a t e r t h a n o n e ‑
‑ 9 ‑
s e l f , a p a r t o f a l l t h i n g s ; and t h i s f e e l i n g o f u n i o n w i t h t h e u n i v e r s e i s c o r n f o r t i n g .
Madeline
Ludwig B e m e l m a n ' s M α deline b o o k s h a v e s u r v i v e d b o t h a t e r r i b l e m o v i e v e r s i o n o f them (M α d e ‑ l i n e
,1 9 9 8 )
,t a p e d v e r s i o n s o f t h e b o o k s w i t h m e d i o c r e s o n g s
,and i n f e r i o r a d d i t i o n s t o t h e s e r i e s by B e m e l m a n s ' g r a n d s o n
,John Bemelmans M a r c i a n o . ( H o w e v e r
,M a r c i a n o d i d w r i t e a w o n d e r f u l book a b o u t h i s g r a n d f a t h e r
,Bemelm α n s : The L
iJ告α ndAr
・tofM α d e l 仰 ぬ C γ θ α t o γ
,p u b l i s h e d
担1 9 9 9
,f o r w h i c h a M a d e l i n e f a n must be g r a t e f u l . ) B e m e l m a n s ' b r i l l i a n t a r t i s t r y and c o l o r
,h i s b r i s k and p o e t i c s t o r y t e l l i n g h a v e e n s u r e d t h a t t h e M α deline b o o k s w i l l be p e r e n n i a l l y p o p u l a r w i t h b o t h c h i l d r e n and a d u l t r e a d e r s .
Bemelmans h i m s e l f w r o t e a b o u t how he f i r s t came t o c r e a t e M a d e l i n e i n an e s s a y f i r s t p u b l i s h e d i n TheNew Yo
他 所andnow a v a i l a b l e i n t h e d e l i g h t f u l T e l l Them I t W α s Wonde
げ'ul :S e l e c t e d Writings of Ludwig Be
ηwlm α ns (Bemelmans
,1 9 8 5 / 1 9 8 7 )
,w h i c h i n c l u d e s an i n t r o d u c t i o n by h i s widow
,M a d e l e i n e . I n t h e e s s a y
,The I s l e o f God ( o r M a d e l i n e ' s O r i g i n ) "
,Bemelmans t e l l s how he b a s e d Made‑
l i n e on a l i t t l e g i r l he saw i n a h o s p i t a l where he was b e i n g t r e a t e d f o r an a c c i d e n t
,on an i s l a n d where he was v a c a t i o n i n g w i t h h i s f a m i l y i n t h e Bay o f
Bis c a y
,o f f t h e w e s t c o a s t o f F r a n c e . He d e c i d e d Made‑
l i n e s h o u l d l i v e i n P a r i s
,and t h e f i r s t book
,M α deline
,was p u b l i s h e d
加1 9 3 9 .Bemelmans c o n t i n u e s
, Itt o o k me a b o u t t e n y e a r s t o t h i n k o f t h e n e x t one
,w h i c h was M α d e l i n e ' s Rescue. One day
,a f t e r t h a t was f m i s h e d and i n p r i n t
,I s t o o d and l o o k e d down a t t h e S e i n e o p p o s i t e No
四t r e Dame. Some l i t t l e b o y s were p o i n t i n g a t s o m e t h i n g f l o a t i n g i n t h e r i v e r . One o f them s h o u t e d :
Ah,t h e r e comes t h e wooden l e g o f my g r a n d f a t h e r . " I l o o k e d a t t h e o b j e c t t h a t was a p p r o a c h i n g and d i s c o v e r e d t h a t i n my book I had t h e S e i n e f l o w i n g
担t h ewrong d i ‑ r e c t i o n . (Bemelmans , 1 9 8 5 / 1 9 8 7 , p . 1 6 6 )
No m a t t e r .
Its t
出wont h e C a l d e c o t t M e d a l i n 1 9 5 4 . I t a l s o
,l i k e a l l t h e b o o k s i n t h e M α deline s e r i e s
,o f f e r e d e n c h a n t i n g v i s i o n s o f P a r i s t h a t s p a r k e d i n me
,a s I ' m s u r e i t d i d i n i t s o t h e r c h i l d r e a d e r s
,an a r d e n t d e s i r e t o some d a y s e e t h e wonders o f P a r i s f o r m y s e l f .
But t h e most a p p e a l i n g t h i n g a b o u t t h e Madeline b o o k s
,o f c o u r s e
,i s t h e i r main c h a r a c t e r
,Made‑
l i n e . Bemelmans s a i d t h a t " h i s c r e a t i o n was a c o m b i n a t i o n o f h i s mother
,w i f e
,and d a u g h t e r
,b u t c e r ‑ t a i n l y
itwas a l s o p a r t Bemelmans h
江n s e l f‑t h e s m a l l e s t
加c l a s s
,t h e o n e a l w a y s i n t r o u b l e "
( M a r c i a n o
,1 9 9 9 ) . B e i n g t h e s m a l l e s t i s p a r t o f M a d e l i n e ' s a p p e a l t o c h i l d r e n . B e i n g s m a l l t h e m s e l v e s
,t h e y a r e o f t e n p i c k e d on and o r d e r e
o u t on t o p w i t h t h e k i n d s o f c h a r a c t e r s C h a r l i e C h a p l i n and B u s t e r K e a t o n o f t e n p l a y e d ) .
1 w i l l l o o k b r i e f l y a t M α deline
(19 3 9 / 1 9 8 6 )
,w h i c h r e c e i v e d a C a l d e c o t t H o n o r .
Asw i t h t h e o t h e r M α d e l
仇e b o o k s
,i t i s w r i t t e n i n i r r e g u l a r i a m b i c m e t e r . The l i n e s a r e s i m p l e b u t v i v i d
,moving a l o n g a t a b r i s k p a c e :
I n an o l d h o u s e i n P a r i s t h a t was c o v e r e d w i t h v i n e s l i v e d t w e l v e l i t
t1e g i r l s i n two s t r a i g h t l i n e s . . . They l e f t t h e h o u s e a t h a l f p a s t n i n e i n two s t r a i g h t l i n e s i n r a i n o r s h i n e
一t h e s m a l l e s t o n e was M a d e l i n e .
The o l d h o u s e i n P a r i s " i s a b o a r d i n g h o u s e where M a d e l i n e and t h e o t h e r l i t t l e g i r l s a r e s e n t f o r a C a t h o l i c e d u c a t i o n by
Mis s C l a v e l
,a n u n . The s t o r y i n M α deline i s v e r y s i m p l e : M a d e l i n e comes down w i t h a p p e n d i c i t i s and h a s t o be t a k e n t o a h o s p i t a l t o h a v e h e r a p p e n d i x t a k e n o u t . M i s s C l a v e l and t h e o t h e r g i r l s come t o v i s i t M a d e l i n e i n t h e h o s p i t a l t o o f f e r t h e i r c o n d o l e n c e s , o n l y t o f i n d t h a t s h e i s n o t s u f f e r i n g a t a l l . S h e ' s been g i v e n a l o t o f t o y s
,c a n d y and a d o l l h o u s e
企omh e r f a t h e r
,and s h e p r o u d l y d i s p l a y s t o them t h e s c a r l e f t by h e r o p e r a t i o n . As a r e s u l t
,a l l t h e o t h e r l i t t l e g i r l s c r y
,Boohoo , l we want t o h a v e o u r a p p e n d i x o u t
,t o o ! " M a d e l i n ぬ b r a v e r yand good f o r t
田l ea p p e a l t o c h i l ‑ d r e n
,f o r M a d e l i n e d e m o n s t r a t e s t o them how e v e n a d v e r s i t y may be a b l e s s i n g i n d i s g u i s e .
Even t h o u g h M α d e l
仇e i s a s t o r y i n w h i c h a l l t h e c h a r a c t e r s ( e x c e p t f o r t h e d o c t o r who o p e r a t e s on M a d e l i n e ) a r e f e m a l e
,i t a p p e a l s t o b o t h g i r l s and b o y s .
官l ef a c t t h a t M a d e l i n e お a sf e
町l e s sa s a n y boy , e a g e r t o f a c e newe
却e r i e n c e s , and c a n s t a n d up t o a u t h o r i t y 匂 町 e s ( S h e was n o t a f r a i d o f m i c e
ー/s h e l o v e d w i n t e r , snow , and i c e . / To t h e t i g e r i n t h e z o o / M a d e l i n e j u s t s a i d , P o o h ‑ p o o h , ' / and nobody knew s o we
ll/how t o
剖g h t e n
Mis s C l a v e l " ) , makes h e r a r o l e model f o r b o t h s e x e s . M a d e l i n e e v e n f a c e s down a boy who i s c r u e l t o a n i m a l s i n M α deline α nd theB α d Hat
(19 5 6 ) , s u c c e e d i n g i n g e t t i n g him t o c h a n g e h i s ways
,a f t e r w h i c h t h e y become t h e b e s t o f f r i e n d s . M a d e l i n e ' s e x a m p l e i s e s p e c i a l l y n o t a b l e f o r t h e t i m e s i n which t h e b o o k s were w r i t t e n , when b o t h men and women had a l o t l e s s f r e e ‑ dom o f c h o i c e and were e x p e c t e d t o c o n f o r m t o c e r t a i n s t e r e o t y p e s . L i k e a l l good c h i l d r e n ' s b o o k s ( e s p e c i a l l y M
αγ' Y Poppi
ηs , Winnie‑the Pooh , The Wind in t h e Willows , and t h e Jungle Books , t h e D i s n e y f i l m s o f w h i c h a r e t r a v e s t i e s )
,t h e M a d e l i n e b o o k s w i l l s u r v i v e m i s t r e a t m e n t and c o n t i n u e t o
加ー‑11‑
s p i r e g e n e r a t i o n s o f f u t u r e r e a d e r s .
Dr. Seuss
The D r . S e u s s b o o k s o f T h e o d o r S e u s s G e i s e l ( D r . S e u s s was h i s pen name) h a v e a s o n e o f t h e i r main t h e m e s
,i n common w i t h o t h e r b o o k s d i s c u s s e d i n t h i s a r t i c l e
,t h e t r i u m p h o f i n d i v i d u a l
凶a g
加a ‑ t i o n o v e r t h e b a n a l i t y o f e v e r y d a y l i f e . They a r e q u i t e a b i t d i f f e r e n t i n t o n e h o w e v e r : b r a s h
,c o l o r f u l t o t h e p o i n t o f b e i n g g a r i s h , r a m b u n c t i o u s . They a r e t h e c h a r m i n g s i d e o f t h e I n n o c e n t Abroad , a m i ‑ a b l e , g o o d ‑ h u m o r e d , l o q u a c i o u s b u t n o t b o r i n g . V i r t u a l l y a l l o f them a r e w r i t t e n w i t h t h e same r o l l i c k ‑ i n g rhythm
,l o o s e a m p h i b r a c h i c t e t r a m e t e r w i t h t h e f i n a l u n a c c e n t e d s y l l a b l e o f t h e m e t e r o m i t t e d ( c a t a l e x i s ) . F o r e x a m p l e , f r o m M c E l l 句 o t ' sP o o l ( S e u s s , 1 9 4 7 / 1 9 9 7 ) :
One d o e s n ' t c a t c h t h i s k i n d o f f i s h a s a r u l e
,B u t t h e c h a n c e s a r e
血l ei n M c E l l i g o t ' s P o o l !
D r . S e u s s ' b o o k s a r e a l s o w e l l ‑ k n o w n f o r t h e i r i n v e n t i v e names ‑f o r e x a m p l e , t h e p l a c e ‑ n a m e s Zomba‑
m a ‑ T a n t
,M o t t a ‑ f a
♂o t t a ‑ f a ‑ P e l l
,t h e D e s e r t o f Z i n d
,Y e r k a
,T o b s k
,Gwark
,and names o f c r e a t u r e s s u c h a s t h e F l u s t a r d
,t h e J o a t s
,t h e T h w e r l l
,t h e C h u g g s
,t h e B
目i p p o ‑
引no
か‑ B
田u
1江n
唱g u sand t h e F 、 i
包z z a ‑ m a
か‑Wi
担z z a ‑ m a .
心i
出l l
,f r o m
lf1 Rαn t h e Zoo ( S e u s s
,1 9 5 0 / 1 9 9 7 )
,t o c i t e a few e x a m p l e s f r o m j u s t o n e o f h i s b o o k s . S o m e t i m e s known w o r d s a r e u s e d f o r t h e s h e e r p l e a s u r e o f how t h e y s o u n d ‑e . g .
,g a s k e t
,s e e r ‑ s u c k e r
,and s o o n . As a m a t t e r o f f a c t
,a s f a r a s 1 c a n t e l l D r . S e u s s i n v e n t e d a word w h i c h i s now w e l l ‑ known b u t o f w h i c h t h e o r i g i n
,c o n s u l t w h i c h e v e r d i c t i o n a r y you p l e a s e
,i s s a i d t o b e
UI虫n o w n :t h e word n e r d
,"w h i c h i s t h e name o f a f i e r c e and g r o u c h y ‑ l o o k i n g a n i m a l ( D r . S e u s s ' i l l u s t r a t i o n s a r e a s c e l e b r a t e d a s h i s w o r d s ) i n
lf1 Rα n t h e Z o o . T h e r e a r e n o t many a u t h o r s who c a n c l a i m t o h a v e c o i n e d a word w h i c h h a s become a pa
此o fe v e r y d a y l a n g u a g e ‑e v e n t h o u g h t h e p r e s e n t meaning o f
n e r d " i s a f a r c r y f r o m t h e meaning w h i c h D r . S e u s s a s s i g n e d t o i t .
D r . S e u s s was a w a r d e d a P u l i t z e r P r i z e i n 1 9 8 4 f o r h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n o v e r n e a r l y h a l f a c e n t u r y t o
t h e e d u c a t i o n and e n j o y m e n t o f
Ame r i c a ' s c h i l d r e n and t h e i r p a r e n t s " ( S p i e g e l m a n
,1 9 9 9 ) .
ArtS p i e g e l m a n ( h i m s e l f a P u l i t z e r P r i z e w i n n e r f o r h i s book Mα
US,w h i c h he b o t h w r o t e and i l l u s t r a t e d )
,m e n t i o n s t h i s i n a n a r t i c l e c e l e b r a t i n g D r . S e u s s ' s a t i r i c a l p o l i t i c a l c a r t o o n s o f t h e 1 9 4 0 s . He a l s o n o t e s
t h a t t h e h e a d g e a r o f D r . S e u s s ' c r e a t i o n , The C a t i n t h e H a t , i s a c t u a l l y a n emblem
加c o u n t l e s s [ o f
D r . S e u s s ' ] p o l i t i c a l c a r t o o n s ‑U n c l e S a m ' s r e d ‑ a n d ‑ w h i t e s t r i p e d t o p h a t ! The C a t i n t h e H a t i s
Ame r ‑
i c a ! "
のp i e
I n book a f t e r book a young p r o t a g o n i s t l e t s h i s i m a g i n a t i o n s o a r , i m a g i n i n g a l l s o r t s o f s t r a n g e s i g h t s i n f a r ‑ o f f l a n d s . I n D r . S e u s s ' f i r s t book , And t o Think Th αt 1 Sαw I t on Mulbe γ γ y S t γ ' e e t ( S e u s s , 1937
/19 9 1 ) , a young boy named Marco c h a n g e s , i n h i s i m a g i n a t i o n , t h e p r o s a i c r e a l i t y o f t h e s t r e e t he l i v e s on , M u l b e r r y S t r e e t , t o a p a r a d e o f wonders ‑b u t h a s h i s f a n t a s i e s q u a s h e d by h i s n o ‑ n o n s e n s e Dad when he g e t s h o m e . However , i n b o o k s w h i c h came a f t e r ( e . g . , M c E l l 句 o t ' sP o o l ,
lf1 Rα η t h e Z o o ) t h e f a n t a s i z i n g boy i s u n f a z e d by h i s c r i t i c s and c o n t i n u e s t o i m a g i n e a l t e r n a t i v e w o r l d s w i t h g r e a t s a t i s f a c t i o n . I n many b o o k s p a r e n t s and o t h e r a u t h o r i t y f i g u r e s d i s a p p e a r a l t o g e t h e r
,a s i n The C αt i n t h e H I αt
,i n w h i c h a g i r l and h e r b r o t h e r h a v e t o d e a l w i t h t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g C a t i n t h e H a t on t h e i r o w n . I n o t h e r b o o k s , s u c h a s Bα γtholomewαnd t h e O o b l e c k ( S e u s s , 1 9 4 9 / 1 9 9 7 ) , t h e p r o t a g o ‑ n i s t i s t h e f e c k l e s s h e r o o f t r a d i t i o n a l f a i r y s t o r i e s who t r i u m p h s o v e r h i s e n e m i e s and becomes t h e f a ‑ v o r e d s o n o f t h e k i n g d o m . T h e r e a r e a l s o a n i m a l f a b l e s s u c h a s Ho
吋onHe αmα
昨' h o !( S e u s s ,
1954
/19 9 7 ) , w h e r e i n t h e p u t ‑ u p o n a n i m a l p r o t a g o n i s t , t h r o u g h p e r s i s t e n c e and d e t e r m i n a t i o n , o v e r ‑ comes t h e i n d i f f e r e n c e , i r r i t a t i o n , o r d o w n r i g h t h o s t i l i t y o f o t h e r c r e a t u r e s , r i g h t s a wrong , and i s r e ‑ warded f o r i t .
I n l a t e r b o o k s , D r . S e u s s a t t e m p t e d t o t a r g e t s p e c i f i c w r o n g s : e . g . , t h e d a n g e r s o f p o l l u t i o n , i n The Lo γ αx
(19 7 1 ) , and t h e t h r e a t o f t h e a r m s r a c e i n The B u t t e γ B αt t l e Book
(19 8 4 ) . 1 r e a d t h e s e b o o k s when 1 was an a d u l t
,and f e l t t h a t t h e e a r l i e r b o o k s 1 had r e a d i n c h i l d h o o d were more s a t i s f y i n g .
AnnH
凶b e r t
,i n h e r r e v i e w o f t h e 1995 b i o g r a p h y o f D r . S e u s s
,Dγ ' . S e u s sαndM γ ' . G e i s e l by J u d i t h and N e i l Morgan
,p i n p o i n t s why ( H u l b e r t
,1 9 9 5 ) :
… I n t h e s e c o n d h a l f o f h i s c a r e e r , t h e f u n i n h i s l i t t l e b o o k s became more and more s e l f ‑ c o n s c i o u s l ye d u c a t i o n a l ' and t h e m e s s a g e s i n h i s b o o k s were i n c r e
加i n g l yr i g h t e o u s and r e l e v a n t ¥ D r . S e u s s , a t t h e p i n n a c l e o f w e a l t h and fame , was o v e r t l y a n x i o u s t o e s t a b l i s h h i s s t a t u r e a s a s e r i o u s ' a r t i s t . The s e r m o n i z i n g n o t e . . . s e e m s a g g r e s s i v e l y e a r n e s t . Com‑
p a r e i t w i t h t h e somewhat wry d e l i v e r y i n h i s e a r l i e r b o o k s o f what was i n e s s e n c e t h e same u n d e r l y i n g m o r a l : t h a t o t h e r s m e r i t o u r i m a g i n a t i v e s y m p a t h y .
A d u l t r e a d e r s c a n e x p l o r e t h e t e n s i o n s i n D r . S e u s s ' l i f e and what l a y b e h i n d h i s c r e a t i v e o u t p u t i n t h e b i o g r a p h y ; s u c h i s s u e s need n o t c o n c e r n h i s you
My Mind to Me a Kingdom is"