Suess Tops Summer Reading List

February 4, 2003 | After last year’s nationally publicized brouhaha over UNC-CH’s requirement that all incoming freshmen read the Quran, the UNC-CH Freshman Summer Reading Program Planning Committee has given careful thought to this year’s choice.

Though choosing a relevant work that’s intellectually challenging, yet less controversial, than the Quran has proven no easy task, the committee stands firmly by its selection. Marilyn West, head of the reading program’s planning committee, feels confident the selection of Dr. Suess’ insightful novella The Cat in the Hat is just what the program is looking for.

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“This is a timeless piece many of our students may have already read,” said West. “But we want our students to re-examine the work in light of the subtle layers of postmodern allegory and in reference to the impact it may have exerted on non-Western cultures unique from our own.”

Not all at UNC-CH are so pleased with West’s choice, however.

“Suess’ annoying and unwavering adherence to the rhymed couplet is really quite sophomorish,” Dr. Roger Rogerer, professor of 20th century poetry, said. “It’s almost as if this were written for children.”

West and her supporters rebut by pointing to “Cat’s” broad-ranged and multidisciplinary appeal. They say it raises pertinent questions in several areas of academia.

Philosophy: Is there really a cat and/or a hat? How can one be sure?

Statistics: Assuming both the cat and the cat do, in fact, exist and no prior knowledge of the cat’s behavior is known, what is the probability that the cat will be in the hat?

Animal rights: If the cat has the mental capacity to decide he wants to be in the hat, should he, then, also be permitted to choose where and with whom he lives?

Fine arts: Is Suess’ illustrative approach to drawing the eye and the mind away from the violation of realism represented by a talking cat and directing the audience’s attention instead to the spatial relation of the cat to the hat successful?

In order to further prevent another installment of last year’s catastrophe, the edition of Cat chosen this year features forwards by two leading scholars who provide highly divergent interpretations of Suess’ work.

“We understand that studying one unilateral perspective of a piece such as Cat promotes dangerous, subjective learning, and [we] made sure to avoid this,” said West.

Students seem to be pleased with the selection of Cat.

“I love The Cat in the Hat,” said Preston Wainscotting III, a sophomore in history. “Counting the times my Nanny read it to my while my Mom was playing bridge with the garden club, I’ve read it over this many times [held up hands to indicate 7].”

Some critics argue that the committee is overcompensating for what turned out to be an infamous selection of the Quran last year.

“I feel that the university may be covering their pretentious arses,” said English department maintenance technician Lookie MeBum. “Suess is good and all, but he’s no Silverstein.”

©2003, NCSU Student Media