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Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

By Dr. Seuss
Theme and Symbolism Lesson

​
Read-aloud the Dr. Seuss book ​Oh, the Places You’ll Go! or use ​this read-aloud​ from
YouTube uploaded by Michael FitzPatrick and read by John Lithgow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoyVcIMdcL4&t=199s

After reading, discuss theme with students. The theme of the text is the “heart” of the
text. It is the lesson or universal message that comes from a text. Many stories can
share the same theme. Many stories have more than one theme. Examine the text
details and make inferences to determine the main theme in a text.

​ the Places You’ll Go! To determine the main theme

Use the words and images from ​Oh,
of the text.

Then, have students choose one of the images from the chart or another image in the
text that they think best represents the theme. This is called a symbol. A symbol is a
recurring image or idea that carries deeper meaning. For example, a heart represents
love.

Also, students choose a line from the text that they think best describes the theme.
Students will create a poster that includes an image and quote that best represents the
theme. Write an explanatory paragraph describing your choices.
Extension:

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​https://books.google.com/books/about/Oh_the_Places_You_ll_Go.html?id=_LettPDhwR0C&source=kp_cover&hl=en
​ Seuss, Dr. ​Oh, the Places You'll Go! London: HarperCollins Children's, 1990. Print.
Students use the same process with another picture book or a novel of their choice and
create a poster that represents the theme. Students write a literary paragraph/essay
explaining the theme of the text using the image/text chart as text support.

Name _______________________________________________________________________
Analyze the text and images of ​Oh, the Places You’ll Go! to determine the theme.
Image/Text Summarize the Text/Image

You're on your own. And you

know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll
decide where to go.

And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
 So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or
Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
You're off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

Based on your analysis above, write the theme in the heart below. Remember, the theme is the
“heart” or main message of the text.
Name ​Answers​____________________________________________________________

Analyze the text and images of ​Oh, the Places You’ll Go! to determine the theme.
Image/Text Summarize the Text/Image

You're on your own. And you When you are on your own, you determine the path of
know what you know. your life.
And YOU are the guy who'll
decide where to go.

Sometimes you will have success and feel like you’re

flying high.

Sometimes you will have failures and setbacks that

make you feel bad.

And when you're in a Slump, Setbacks are hard to overcome.

you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

So many people wait for life to happen to them instead

of making it happen for themselves.
 If you take charge of your life, you can do anything.

So... Don’t wait. You can do anything at anytime of your life.

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or
Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
You're off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

Based on your analysis above, write the theme in the heart below. Remember, the theme is the
“heart” or main message of the text.
Sample Theme Paragraph:

Dr. Seuss’s ​Oh, the Places You’ll Go! may be a children’s picture book, but it carries a
heavy message about life. The theme that life will have ups and downs, but if you believe in
yourself, you can do anything is shown throughout the text and images of the book. Dr. Seuss
shows his lead character flying high on success then crashing into the trees and falling into the
“Slumps” reminding readers that “un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” The character then
finds himself wading through the “Waiting Place” where people get stuck waiting for life to
happen as opposed to making life happen. Dr. Seuss encourages readers to believe in
themselves because you can move mountains if you try. This thoughtful picture book embraces
a message for children and adults alike to know that in good times and bad, you can pull
yourself through. Believe in yourself, and be true to you!

Sample Theme Poster (using Google Draw):