The Importance of Fantasy in The Cat In The Hat
The Cat in The Hat was a children’s book written and creatively illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Suess. It was first published in 1957 and has since made a deep impression in the hearts of children and adults alike. The story centers around an eccentric anthropomorphic cat that comes in to the house of two children while the adults are away, attempting to entertain them while they are stuck at home on a rainy day. The element of fantasy that was implemented throughout the story, which includes a talking pet goldfish and a talking cat that performs all sorts of tricks, became an immediate success and was praised as an exciting alternative compared to the ineffective traditional primers such as those featuring Dick and Jane. This essay will discuss on the importance of fantasy in popular children’s literature such as The Cat in The Hat.
Firstly, fantasy is vital for the human mind. Fantasy in children’s literature such as in The Cat in The Hat is important as it is a slow and mediated way for children to come to terms with the reality of life as they grow up. It begins as the psychological process by which a child learns to fill the gaps between knowledge, reality and experience, and becomes a vital coping mechanism. For example, when a young child is frightened by the unknown, like the spooky creaks of a floorboard in the middle of the night. For them, the only way to make sense of the experience, for which there was no certain answer, was to fantasize. They would fantasize that maybe it was a pirate or a fairy sneaking around the house while everyone’s asleep to look for hidden treasure. Certainly, at times children scare themselves silly like this, but while they have no knowledge of central heating pipes swelling, they have to engage with make-believe to bridge the gap between experience and knowledge. As time passes and children learn about the effect of heat on pipes and floorboard,...