Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose

Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose
Author Dr. Seuss
Country United States
Language English
Genre Children's literature
Publisher Random House
Publication date
 1948 (renewed 1976)
Media type Print (Hardcover)
Pages 41 pages
ISBN 0-394-90086-3
OCLC 1386296
Preceded by McElligot's Pool
Followed by Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose is a 1948 children's book by Dr. Seuss.

Summary

Thidwick, a moose in a herd numbering approximately sixty who subsist mainly on moose-moss and live on the northern shore of Lake Winna-Bango, grants a small bug's request to ride on his antlers free of charge. The bug takes advantage of the moose's kindness and settles in as a permanent resident, inviting various other animals to live on and in the moose's antlers. The moose acquiesces to the unexpected living arraingements, considering the animals 'guests' even though he never told them explicitly that they were allowed to live there, and the situation quickly gets out of control. When one of the guests, a woodpecker, begins drilling holes in Thidwick's horns, the other moose give Thidwick an ultimatum: He must get rid of his guests or he must leave the herd. When Thidwick's sense of proper etiquette forces him to forgo the comforts of herd life in favor of being kind to his guests, his herd leaves him. When winter comes, the herd swims across the lake to find fresh supplies of moose-moss, but before Thidwick can follow them, his guests strenuously object, preventing him from taking "their home to the far distant side of the lake". Even facing starvation, Thidwick refuses to break etiquette, and remains on the cold, northern shore of the lake where his guests prefer to reside. The residents of Thidwick's antlers, paying no regard to the increasing physical or psychological load that the moose has to endure, once again continue inviting other animals to live with them.

The situation comes to a head when hunters attack Thidwick with the goal of mounting his head on the wall of the Harvard Club. Thidwick attempts to outrun the hunters, but the heavy load, which is coupled with his guests' strictest rule because of their unwillingness to travel across the lake, prevents him from escaping. Just before his imminent capture, however, Thidwick remembers that it is time for him to shed his antlers. He does so by promptly shedding his antlers, making a snide comment to his former guests, and swimming across the lake to rejoin his herd. His former guests are captured by the hunters and are stuffed and mounted with his antlers on the Harvard Club wall.

Meaning

The story explores the limits of hospitality and sharing. Neil Reynolds had discussed it as a parable of immigration issues and the social welfare state.[1] Aeon J. Skoble discusses Thidwick at length as an exemplification of the idea of property rights, and particularly of Locke's formulation of property rights.[2] Skoble argues that Thidwick is badly mistaken in viewing the other animals as "guests", and that the story demonstrates this.[2] In a later essay in the same volume, Henry Cribbs makes a similar point, considering whether "Thidwick" is a case of squatter's rights.[3]

Shortly after the book was published, David Dempsey, writing in The New York Times, said:

"Thidwick is a masterpiece of economy, and a shrewd satire on the "easy mark" who lets the conventions of society get the better of him. The genius of the story, however, lies in its finale. A man of less consistance than Seuss would have let Thidwick be rescued by the creatures he is defending (this is the customary Disney riposte in similar situations) but Seuss' logic is rooted in principle, rather than sentiment, and the sponging animals get what they deserve. Incidentally, this is also what the child expects."[4]

Adaptations

References

  1. ↑ Neil Reynolds (2011), The Moose and the modern welfare state, retrieved 2013-01-30
  2. 1 2 Skoble, Aeon J (2011), "Thidwick the Big-Hearted Bearer of Property Rights", in Held, Jacob M., Dr. Seuss and Philosophy: Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!, Rowman & Littlefield, pp. 159–166, ISBN 978-1442203112, retrieved 19 June 2013
  3. ↑ Cribbs, Henry (2011), "Whose Egg is it Really? Property Rights and Distributive Justice", in Held, Jacob M., Dr. Seuss and Philosophy: Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!, Rowman & Littlefield, pp. 184–5, ISBN 978-1442203112
  4. ↑ "The Significance of Dr. Suess" by David Dempsey, quoted in Fensch, Thomas (2001), The Man Who Was Dr. Seuss: The Life and Work of Theodor Geisel, New Century Books, p. 95, ISBN 978-0930751128, retrieved 19 June 2013
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