A few questions about “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss.
First, is the Grinch a Who? A banished Who? He has a bed, and a sewing machine, and a set of mounted antlers. Did he just steal that stuff? Or did he start out as a Who and then just move gradually further and further away?
What is he doing with a pet dog? Where did he get Max?
Merry Xmas
The book doesn’t say. It just says that “The Grinch, who lives just north whoville does not” [does not love Christmas]
The movie seems to build a case that he is a banished Who, but the book leaves it to us to decide.
I’m guessing Max was a stray and was taken in by Grinch.
I always assumed the Grinch was some sort of mutant Yeti, judging from his habitat.
Only this past year, though, did it occur to me to wonder why a creature who does not wear clothes (aside from shoes, for some reason) has a sewing machine…
The rinch is not a Who. The movie makes it clear he is a What.
Who’s on first?
Ok, but is the movie canon? I think only the books (and isn’t there some book about Halloween where the Grinch is also mentioned) and the television show are canon.
correct.
I had a capital G when I came in here, I am sure of it…
As the live-action movie was approved and allowed by Dr. Geisel’s widow, it must be considered canonical.
What is the name of the guy on second?
Yeah, but I dunno if the Doc Himself would have approved. I’m fairly sure he wouldn’t have liked the recent Cat in the Hat movie.
And I’m holding out for “mutant yeti.”
The movie depicts him as being an errant stork delivery that happened to land in Whoville. Beyond that, I can only guiess he was supposed to go to Whatland.
As for the sewing machine, antlers, etc - Mt. Crumpit is the Whoville dump site. He’s just a good trash-picker.
Stork?
My friend, it is a umbrella-like delivery system which goes astray.
(I hated the film and only viewed it once, with my daughters. I have fine taste in entertainment. I am looking forward to Cold Mountain as I found the book interesting. I am currently rereading all of Sherlock Holmes. I read Moby Dick every two years or so and get more out of it each time. I am a well-educated mature man. I cannot believe that I am discussing The Grinch.)
Heh…well, when I said “stork” I was referring to any fanciful baby-delivery system that does not involve actual birth.
Agree wholeheartedly. The Grinch movie (ok ok I never actually saw it all the way through) does not seem to me true to the spirit of the book. The Cat in the Hat Movie seems even less so. Both seemed to be conceived of and executed solely as vehicles for their respective stars to be over the top and zany. (and merchandising, and for accompanying “making of” shows that explain how hard it was to be funny wearing all that makeup.)
This sounds right no to me. Any other ideas?
Actually, he looks more like a green, furry Mick Jagger… 
The Grinch is a Grouch.
Etymologically, did the word “grinch” exist before Suess used it?
If not, then I’d assume the Grinch is a grinch.
The thing I started wondering this year is:
Since the Whos celebrate Christmas, does that mean that Jesus died for the Who’s sins? Or is this the same Who-ville that is on a dust speck(from Horton Hears A Who). Maybe there is a Who-Jesus in this world?
Chris W
According to “Seussical: The Musical,” it is.
I always assumed it WAS the same Whoville that existed on the speck of dust in HHAW. It always made me wonder what else was on that speck. (Since the Grinch wasn’t mentioned in HHAW.
My Christian phase post-dated my childhood, so I never wondered about Whoian Christology, but Christian doctrine is that Jesus died for all of Creation (biblical cite if necessary), so that would indeed include the Whos. Since Jesus has traditionally been depicted in a multitude of forms and in various ethnicities, I would presume that Who-churches would indeed have depictions of a Who-Jesus. Fun to imagine.
I used to say Mrs. Geisel is a whore for what she’s allowed to be done with her late husband’s creations, but that was an insult to sex-trade workers, whose bodies are at least their own, and who don’t degrade and ruin the wonderful fantasies of childhood (unless you pay extra.)
Hold on, is every human looking character in any Dr. Suess book a Who?