The Cat Is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss's Children's Books

The researchers looked at 50 books and more than 2,200 characters written by Theodor Geisel over 70 years to evaluate the claims that his children’s books are anti-racist, and at how and to what extent non-white characters are depicted in Dr. Seuss’ children’s books. The study addresses a gap in Seuss literature by revealing how racism spans across the entire Seuss collection, while debunking myths about how books like Horton Hears a Who! and The Sneetches can be used to promote tolerance, anti-bias, or anti-racism. Findings from this study promote awareness of the racist narratives and images in Dr. Seuss’ children’s books and implications to the formation and reinforcement of racial biases in children. The study continues by explaining that some of the most iconic characters relay the troubling messages of Orientalism (the representation of Asia and Asian people based on colonialist stereotypes), anti-blackness and white supremacy.