Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 1

Dr. Seuss Horton Hears a Who!
(Movie)



A term paper
Submitted on the
E.T. Yuchengco School of Business and Management
MAPUA ETYSBM
Makati City





In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Course Requirements in
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
HUM14





Submitted by:

Llaguno, Diane Celina S.





Submitted to:

Dr. Reynaldo A. Padilla






June 2014

Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 2

Acknowledgement

With hard work, perseverance, and sheer luck I was able to finish this term paper;
although, I wouldnt be able to finish my work without the help of various people. Without their
help, I might be suffering now or Ive been spending a whole night finishing my work. So I
would like to extend my gratitude to them for spending their time to help me.
Im thankful to my understanding parents and big brothers for their whole support to my
studies and for encouraging me to do my very best in everything that I need to do. I would like to
express my gratitude to my professor, Sir Padilla, for without him I dont think that I would
know how to do this term paper and I wont be able to understand Philosophy nor would I know
what a philosophy is if he didnt explained it all to us. So, thank you sir for your help and
explanations. I am also indebted to my peers and accounting friend, Chavin Arcilla for telling me
the format of the term paper and how should I do it. Without them I wouldnt be able to finish
my work. Its not like I didnt copy the format, I just dont know how to start, so thank you so
much guys. Lastly, with extreme prayers, God has heard me and gave me strength and remove
my laziness for me to be able to finish my work.
Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 3

Table of Contents

Page
Title Page.1
Acknowledgement...2
Historical background
Introduction to the movie..4
All about Dr. Seuss4
Educational background of Dr. Seuss...5
Dr. Seuss Career...5
Merits of Dr. Seuss6
All about the book.6
All about the movie...6
Influence6
Philosophical Content the movie.7
Philosophy that I learned from the movie8
References9









Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 4

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Introduction to the movie
Horton hears a Who! is also known as Dr.
Seuss Horton hears a Who! It is a 2008 film based on
the childrens story book written and illustrated by Dr.
Seuss which has the same title as well. The film was
directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino. The
screenplay writers of the story were Ken Daurio and
Cinco Paul. The characters of the story were dubbed
by famous actors and actresses in the Hollywood such
as Charles Osgood who narrates the story and Jim
Carrey, the voice behind Horton the Elephant. There is
also Steve Carell, the voice actor of Ned McDodd, the
mayor of Who-ville. Carol Brunett, the voice actress
for the sour kangaroo in the story. Josh Flitter is also present. He is the voice actor for Rudy
Kangaroo. Will Arnett was the voice actor behind Vlad Valadikoff. Dan Fogler is present as
well, as well as Jesse Mccartney, Seth Roger, Amy Poehler, and many more Hollywood actors
and actresses. The film was released in March 14, 2008. This is the only movie adaptation of Dr.
Suess works that is not distributed by Universal and this is only fully animated film of Dr
Seuss stories. In addition to that, this is the only film (Dr. Seuss film) that receives a G rating
from MPAA. Dr. Suess face also appeared the film as one of Jojos great grandfather.

All about Dr. Seuss
Theodore Seuss Geisel was the original name of Dr. Suess. He was born on 1904 in
Howard Street of Springfield, Massachusetts. His father, Theodore Robert, and grandfather were
both brew master in the city. His mother, Henrietta Seuss Geisel often chants rhyme to him and
his sister when they are about to sleep. Dr. Seuss grandparents were both German immigrants.
Their family, based form what I read, was somehow rich. However, the onset of World War II
and Prohibition presented both financial and social challenge to their family. Nevertheless, the
Figure 1 Horton Hears a Who! (Film)
Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 5

family persevered and prospered, providing Dr. Seuss and his sister, Marnie with happy
childhood which is reflected to Dr. Seuss works.

Educational background of Dr. Seuss
When Dr. Seuss became a teenager, he left
Springfield to attend Dartmouth College where he
becomes the editor-in-chief of the schools humor
magazine, Jack OLantern. However, after throwing a
drinking party, which is against the prohibition law and
school policy, he was removed as the editor-in-chief.
Although, it didnt stop him to contribute to the magazine,
signing his works Seuss. This is Dr. Seuss middle name
and his mothers maiden name.
Since his father wants him to become a college
professor, he entered Oxford University in England after
his graduation, intending to earn a PhD in English literature.
This is where he met Helen Palmer. She is a childrens book author and book editor. She is also
DR. Seuss first wife and the one who encourage him to give up becoming an English teacher in
favor of pursuing drawing as a career.

Dr. Seuss Career
Dr. Seuss got bored with his studies at Oxford and decided to tour England instead.
Upon returning to the United States, he pursued a career as a cartoonist. As World War II
approached his focus shifted and he began contributing weekly political cartoons to PM
magazine. He also serves with Frank Capras Signal Corps (US Army) making training movies.
This is also where he learned the art of animation and developed a series of animated training
films featuring a trainee called Private Safu. After that, he started to publish different stories to
different magazines. He then became a definitive childrens book author and illustrator after his
work, The Cat in the Hat, was published. After World War II, Dr. Seuss and his wife, Helen,
moved to La Jolla, California and he returned to childrens books. He wrote a lot of childrens
story book. One of the stories that he wrote and illustrated was Horton Hears a Who! (1954).
Figure 2 Meet Theodor Seuss Geisel
Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 6

Merits of Dr. Seuss
At the time of his death, Dr. Seuss had written
and illustrated 46 childrens books which are often
characterized by imaginative characters, rhymes, and
frequent use of anapestic meter. His books had been
translated into more than 15 languages. His works
have spawned numerous adaptations, including eleven
television specials, four feature films, a Broadway
musical, and four television adaptations.

All about the book
Horton hears a who! was a book written and illustrated by Theodore Seuss Geisel. It was
published in 1954. Dr. Seuss began working on the book in the spring of 1953. Dr. Seuss, who
has a strong anti-Japan sentiments before and during World War II changed his view
dramatically after the war during and his book, Horton Hears a Who! as an allegory for the
American post-war occupation of the country. He also dedicated the book to a Japanese friend.

All about the movie
The main theme of the movie, a person is a person no matter how small, was Dr. Seuss
reaction to his visit to Japan, where the importance of the individual was an exciting new
concept. The story also contains a strong moral message. The lines of the mayor of Who-ville in
the movie, When the black-bottomed birdie let go and we dropped, we landed so hard that our
clocks have all stopped, is a reference to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Influence
The recurring phrase of Horton the Elephant, A persons a person no matter how small,
found its way to the center of the recurring debate in the United States over abortion. Several
pro-life groups have adopted the phrase in support of their views.


Figure 3 One of the famous works of Dr.
Seuss, The Cat in the Hat
Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 7

Philosophical Content of the Movie

A persons a person no matter how small
This is the recurring phrase of Horton the Elephant the main character in the film. It
means that no matter how small you see a person, or how unimportant are them for you, they are
still a person. A person that is somewhat similar to you.

Come on guys, were all mammals
This was what Horton the Elephant said to the monkeys that are attacking with bananas.
As we all know, humans are considered as mammals. Dr. Seuss use this to convey his message to
us that we are all of the same species, that we are all mammals, so we shouldnt attack each
other. Rather, we should all get along for we are of the same species.

Theres no easy path towards your goal
When Horton found out about Who-ville, he decided to take the speck of dust (this is
where Who-ville can be found) to the top of Mount Nool. He was really optimistic about it. His
phrase in the movie, All right got to get this speck up to the top of Mount Nool. A.S.A.P,
whatever that means. Probably act swiftly awesome pachyderm! I mean how hard can that be?
We all think that reaching our goal was just a piece of cake but actually its not. And rushing
towards is a sheer plummeting to certain death. He has to endure a lot of hardships, and even
have to go against the citizen of the jungle. And thats what the movie wants to tell us.

Do unto others what you want others do unto you
Confucius golden rule also applies to the movie. The part where the mayor of Who-ville
throws a stapler to the portrait of the chairman is the part where this rule applies. The mayor
threw a stapler to the portrait of the chairman; however, the stapler bounced back and hit him,
leaving a stapler in his head. He then started to scream in pain. This shows that once you do a
bad thing to other, it will bounce back to you and would bring you pain.



Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 8

God is always watching from above
Do you ever get the feeling that someone watching you? And that someone is a giant
elephant? Horton was a representation of God, and he was always watching over Who-ville.
This phrase implies that God is always watching over us and he was always the first person who
listens to our cries just like when Horton heard the cries of Jojo. Even though we couldnt see
him but he could always hears us and see us. He also believes us and protects us from harm just
like Horton protecting the speck of dust from harm.

Philosophy that I learned from the Movie

Hold tight to what you believe is true
When Horton the Elephant heard a voice from the speck of dust, he reasons out that there
must be a very small creature living in there for it was very peculiar for the dust to speak. Even
though he cant see the creature, he seems to know that that creature is in there and it is his duty
to save it from any harm. The jungle animals didnt believe him and tried to harm him and the
speck of dust. Nevertheless, Horton still believe that there exist a creature in that tiny speck of
dust even though he was about to get killed. Like what Horton did, we should all hold tight to
what we believe is true even though it might harm us.

Learn to listen to what other people says
Jane kangaroo never likes to believe in Horton nor did she like him. When Horton said
that there is a creature in that tiny speck of dust, she didnt believe. She assumed that he is losing
his sanity and that it is dangerous for their children to let him meddle with them. So she asked
Vlad, a vulture to kill Horton. But when Vlad failed, she asked the help of other jungle animals
by telling negative things about Horton. When they finally caught Horton, she was about to
destroy the speck of dust when Who-ville made a noise and was finally heard. Thats when the
jungle animals finally believed Horton, even Jane kangaroo. Before we criticize a person, we
should first listen and believe to what she/he is saying and observe if what she/he believe is true.
We might not know it, but what that person is saying might be true.


Horton Hears A Who!

HUM14 Page 9

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Seuss
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton_Hears_a_Who!
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Horton_Hears_a_Who!_(film)
http://philosophynow.org/issues/67/Horton_Hears_A_Who
http://seuss.wikia.com/wiki/Horton_Hears_a_Who!_(Film)
http://www.catinthehat.org/history.htm
http://www.openculture.com/2012/11/the_epistemology_of_dr_seuss_more_philosophy_
for_kids.html