The Star-Bellied Sneetches
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by Dr. Seuss


Wolran Kim
Jan. 2012


We live in a colorful world. I saw on the news that the seven-billionth baby was born a few months ago. So many people live in this planet, but no two faces are alike even with twins. Our differences mean that each of us is unique and has a special value. Within this diversity, we have prevalence of and bias from inclusion, exclusion, discrimination, stereotypes, privileges, and labels.

People live with a sense of wariness and cautiousness toward different and unfamiliar things due to habits and stereotypes. Therefore, growing children are even committing suicide from bullying at school and others are resorting to plastic surgery. This is prevalent due to the supremacy of outward appearances. People are also buying luxury goods through fake name brands, and this reflects people’s mentality of wanting to be the mainstream.

The mind of women who get fashionable clothes and jewelry represent their desire to be popular and not alienated. I am also afraid to be seen as having unique flaws which differs from others. We all do not want to be different. We all want to have stars that show us belonging in a superior group rather than no stars like those in The Star-Bellied Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. We would even buy those stars too. That’s why people work hard to earn money and study hard to get a degree.

McBean, who built wealth through drawing and erasing stars for the Sneetches, cleverly expressed modern civilization which has become materialistic. In the end of story, the Sneetches who draw and erase the stars with inferiority and superiority complexes, finally built a beautiful world after breaking down the barriers between different natures. The win-win game discards prejudice in a large diversity of people. We all cannot be selected according to our desire when we are born and when we die. Everyone pursue happiness until we suddenly die as we are. Our combative spirit is really hollow and trivial most of the time. Our life is short enough to only love.