Speaking Truth to Power
Americans, by and large, were not particularly aware of the significance of speaking to power—or the potentially devastating consequences of a failure to do—until well into the twenty-first century. During the age of monarchy, however, it was always of utmost important to have at least on advisor a king could count on to be honest no matter what. Entire plays were written touching upon this concept, including Othello. Bartholomew is an example of this kind of advisor and the story is an example of what happens when a power-mad tyrant believes in his own infallibility.
The Strength of Apology
The very same kind of people who make it difficult to speak truth to their power usually tend to be so lacking in esteem that they cannot bring themselves to apologize for being wrong. Saying “I’m sorry” becomes, this view, a sign of weakness. Seuss reverses this entire concept by making the moment that King Derwin apologizes for bringing on the plague of oobleck his single moment of greatness; it is his one act of genuine courage. And the result of merely saying “I’m sorry” has the magical effect of making the oobleck go away.
Taking Responsibility
When King Derwin says “I’m sorry” he finally takes responsibility for the horrible consequences of his demand. He stands in stark contrast to Bartholomew, the powerless little kid who displays a profound depth of adult responsibility from the beginning and never cowers to the fear of doing so. The book therefore is not merely an exploration of the theme of taking responsibility for one’s actions, but that responsibility is not a concept limited only to either adults or those with the actual power to change things. Demonstrations of responsibility can come in the form of pointing out what is wrong even if lacking the faculties to do anything about making it right.
