Share
SAN DIEGO — A century-old tree with a long trunk and bushy branches that some believe was the inspiration for fictional Truffula trees in Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” has fallen in a coastal San Diego park.
According to local legend, the tree inspired the “The Lorax” by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, who lived nearby and worked in an office with a sweeping view of the coastline.
But there are no facts to back up the lore. His wife, Audrey Geisel, told the La Jolla Village News in 2012 that the idea for Truffula trees in the 1971 environmental fable came from an Africa trip.
“He looked up at one of the (local) trees, and said, ‘That’s my tree. They’ve stolen my tree.’ So that’s where that came from,” Audrey Geisel said.
Officials Plan to Salvage Some of the Wood
Geisel told interviewers over the years that “The Lorax” was inspired by the anger he felt as he watched homes and condominiums being carved into the hillsides below him. He called the book “one of the few things I ever set out to do that was straight propaganda,” according to the Union-Tribune.
In it, the title character tries to stop the Once-ler from chopping down Truffula Trees so that their tufts (“much softer than silk”) can be used to manufacture Thneeds, a classically Seussian word for all manner of worthless merchandise.
“I speak for the trees,” the Lorax says.
Geisel, who died in 1991, would often claim “The Lorax” was his favorite among the 48 books that he wrote, the newspaper said.
Officials plan to salvage some of the wood and repurpose it, and a replacement tree will be planted, Graham said.
RELATED TOPICS:
Selma Mayor Charged With Electioneering Violation on Election Day
1 hour ago
Stocks Rise With Tech-Related Shares, Notch Weekly Gains; Dollar Up
3 hours ago
Conflicting US-China Talks Statements Add to Global Trade Confusion
3 hours ago
Fresno Police Arrest 17 in Domestic Violence Crackdown
3 hours ago
Visalia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2019 Fatal Stabbing
5 hours ago

Higher Taxes on Millionaires? Trump Says He’s Open, but Many in His Party Are Not

Ex-US Rep. George Santos Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity Theft

Selma Mayor Charged With Electioneering Violation on Election Day

Stocks Rise With Tech-Related Shares, Notch Weekly Gains; Dollar Up

Conflicting US-China Talks Statements Add to Global Trade Confusion

Wired Wednesday: What’s the Future of Fresno Unified and the Superintendent Position?

Zakaria Draws Parallels Between Trump’s Tariffs, Failed 1930s Economic Policies
