Oh, The Places You'll Go

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)

Published in 1990

Grade Level: 3rd grade

Synopsis: Oh, the Places You'll Go chronicles the journey of a boy through life as he attempts to find his place in the world.  Written with an upbeat tone, the story gives advice to its readers as it follows the boy on his first steps as an independent person.  He is no longer under the supervision of another.  All life's decisions are in his hands; "You're on your own.  And you know what you know.  And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."  Sometimes the boy is alone, confused, or scared.  Sometimes he has easy decisions to make, while others are hard.  Nevertheless, in the end the reader is left with the feeling that the boy, as well as themselves, will be successful in life.  "And will you succeed?  YES! You will, indeed!  (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)  KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!"

Theme/Skill: Dr. Seuss is known for his imagination and skill as a poet and writer.  In Oh, the Places You'll Go he created a story about the the journey of life, relevant to nearly any event that could happen in a person's life.  While writing the story of the boy ('you') he incorporates loneliness, struggle, freedom and independence, travel and adventure, individuality, and choice.  Together, these make up the overall theme, which is an ode to life; the idea that each person is capable of doing what they have dreamed about doing.  Whether someone is graduating from kindergarten or graduate school, the same theme applies; "Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting.  So...get on your way!"  Anything is possible. 

Pre-reading activity: In order to introduce the themes that are present in Oh, the Places You'll Go the teacher could guide the students in a reading of Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken."  The theme of this poem is extremely similar to that of Seuss's story.  I believe that if students understand the theme of the poem that they will be more able to identify it in another piece of writing.  The discussion and activity that will go along with Frost's poem will be a model for students and a preview of what they can expect from Oh, the Places You'll Go.

Post-reading activity: After discussing the theme of the story as a class or in groups, students will create a graphic organizer to organize their own goals.  Students will then take the Myers Briggs Personality test in order to identify their interests and what careers best fit those interests.  This will lead to an in depth writing assignment in which students will research a career of their choice.  The research paper will be written as an I-search paper and presented to the class. 

Assessment: The I-Search paper will be graded on spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation, however this aspect of the paper should be well refined by the time it is graded because there will be an extensive editing and revising process.  Students will also be graded on their notes (i.e-Cornell Notes) about a given career and their incorporation of information gathered from the interview. 

Reflection: I am sure that I must have come across this book on a library shelf or in a classroom when I was a child, yet it did not make an impact on me until I received it as a gift for my graduation from high school.  My mother gave it to me with an inscription on the inside cover.  As corny as it may sound, the book actually moved me to tears.  As a teenager on the verge of leaving for college I felt as though I were in the same position as the 'you' in the story.  Never before had I had to be as independent as I would have to be in college.  There was no mother or father there to choose my classes for me, buy my groceries, or stand by my side when I met dozens of new people.  Although Dr. Seuss wrote Oh, the Places You'll Go as a children's book with rhyming and illustrations, I believe that the true message of the book can only be interpreted by a child who is capable of relating it to their own life/journey.  This book would be a great gift for someone embarking on a new part of their life, whether it be marriage, college, or career.  It is a bit of hope in the middle of our hectic world.  "Step with care and great tact and remember Life's a a Great Balancing Act."