Green Eggs and Ham: Difference between revisions

'''''Green Eggs and Ham''''' is a [[Children's literature|children's book]] by [[Dr. Seuss]]. It was published by the [[Beginner Books]] imprint of [[Random House]] on August 12, 1960. The book follows Sam-I-am as he follows an unnamed man, repeatedly asking him if he would like to try some green eggs and ham before the man eventually tries it and likes it. Seuss began writing the''Green bookEggs and Ham'' after his editor [[Bennett Cerf]] bet him $50 ({{Inflation|index=US|value=50|start_year=1960|fmt=eq}}) that he could not write an engaging children's book with a vocabulary of 50 words. ItFinding the challenge difficult, Seuss used notes, charts, and checklists to keep track of his progress. The book covers themes of conflict between individuals, though Seuss has said that it lacks any deeper meaning. ''Green Eggs and Ham'' was widely praised by critics for its writing and becameillustration, and the challenge of writing a book in 50 words is regarded as a success. The book has been the subject of multiple adaptations, including a [[Green Eggs and Ham (TV series)|television series of the same name]] in 2019.

Sam-I-am riderides an animal back inand forth in front of an unnamed man, holding signs saying "I am Sam" and "Sam I am". Sam-I-am offers the man a plate of green eggs and ham, but the man says that he doeshates notthem, likeand themhim. Sam-I-am continues to offer the man a plate of green eggs and ham as they come across different places and things, including here and there, a mouse in a house, a fox in a box, a car, a tree, a train, a dark tunnel, the rain, and a goat on a boat. After the car and train crash into the boat, all of the people and animals they encountered float in the water with them, and Sam-I-am once more offers the man a plate of green eggs and ham. The man givesfinally inagrees to try the dish, so that Sam-I-am will stop asking, and upon tasting them he realizes that he does like green eggs and ham. He announces that he will eat them anywhere, and he thanks Sam-I-am.

== BackgroundWriting and release ==

''Green Eggs and Ham'' was published on August 12, 1960.<ref name="ABC" /> At the time, approximately three million Dr. Seuss books had already been sold.{{Sfn|Jones|2020|p=299}} Dr. Seuss reportedly spent the rest of his life enduring gifts of green eggs and ham, which he described as "deplorable stuff".{{Sfn|Jones|2020|p=299}} Later in life, he said that ''Green Eggs and Ham'' was the only book of his that still made him laugh.{{Sfn|Fensch|2000|p=139}}

Dr. Seuss believed that children's books had more power to do good or evil for society than any other medium, and ''Green Eggs and Ham'' was the first of Seuss's Beginner Books to carry a lesson for children.{{Sfn|Pease|2010|p=121}} Despite this, Dr. Seuss has said that there is no deeper meaning in the book, insisting that "the only meaning was that Bennett Cerf, my publisher, bet me fifty bucks I couldn't write a book using only fifty words".{{Sfn|Jones|2020|p=299}}

[[File:USMC-120302-M-PG598-001.jpg|thumb|Woman reading and showing ''Green Eggs and Ham'' to children.]]''Green Eggs and Ham'' was widely praised upon its release, and reviewers overwhelmingoverwhelmingly celebrated that the book was written using only 50 distinct words.{{Sfn|Jones|2020|p=299}} Emily Maxwell of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' commented on Seuss's use of the vocabulary, saying that "reading him, one is hardly aware that there ''are'' more than fifty words".{{Sfn|Fensch|2000|p=140}} It was praised for its rhythm and illustrations{{Sfn|Pease|2010|p=122}} as well as its use of rhymes.{{Sfn|Fensch|2000|p=140}} The humorous nature of the book was also received positively.{{Sfn|Pease|2010|p=122}}{{Sfn|Fensch|2000|p=140}}

In 1999, the [[National Education Association]] (NEA) conducted an online survey of children and teachers, seeking the 100 most popular children's books. The children ranked ''Green Eggs and Ham'' third, just above another Dr. Seuss book, ''[[The Cat in the Hat]]''.<ref>{{Cite nameweb |title=Kids' Top 100 Books |url="NEAKids">[http://www.nea.org/grants/13110.htm Kids' top 100 books] {{webarchive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2013020119033020130123232252/http://www.nea.org/grants/13110.htm |archive-date=FebruaryJanuary 123, 2013}} ''NEA: National Education Association''. Retrieved |access-date=November 26, 2006. |website=National Education Association}}</ref> The teachers ranked it fourth.<ref>{{Cite nameweb |title=Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children |url="NEAAdults">[http://www.nea.org/grants/13154teachers-top-100-books-for-children.htm "Teachers' Tophtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151028021253/http://www.nea.org/grants/teachers-top-100 Books"]-books-for-children.html ''NEA:|archive-date=October 28, 2015 |website=National Education Association''. Retrieved November 26, 2006.}}</ref> Teachers ranked it fourth again in a 2007 NEANational Education Association poll.<ref name="NEA2007">{{cite web |year=2007 |title=Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children |url=http://www.nea.org/grants/13154.htm/ |titlearchive-url=Teachers' Top 100 Books for Childrenhttps://web.archive.org/web/20100207180317/http://www.nea.org/grants/13154.htm/ |authorarchive-date=NationalFebruary Education7, Association |year=20072010 |access-date=August 19, 2012 |website=National Education Association}}</ref> ''[[Scholastic Parent & Child]]'' magazine placed it #7 among the "100 Greatest Books for Kids" in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scholastic.com/100books/pdf/Top_100_Childrens_Books_of_All_Time.pdf |title=Parent & Child 100 Greatest Books for Kids |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2012 |publisher=[[Scholastic Corporation]] |access-date=March 25, 2013}}</ref> That same year, it was ranked number 12 among the "Top 100 Picture Books" in a survey published by ''[[School Library Journal]]'' – the first of five Dr. Seuss books on the list.<ref name="SLJPicture2012">{{cite web |url=http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/2012/07/06/top-100-picture-books-poll-results |title=Top 100 Picture Books Poll Results |author=Bird, Elizabeth |publisher=A Fuse #8 Production. Blog. [[School Library Journal]] (blog.schoollibraryjournal.com) |date=July 6, 2012 |access-date=August 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204030956/http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/2012/07/06/top-100-picture-books-poll-results |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

At Dr. Seuss's ''alma mater'', [[Dartmouth College]], it became an inside joke that the book's title was a reference to the breakfast food served in the on-campus cafeteria.{{Sfn|Jones|2020|p=299}} When Dr. Seuss received an honorary doctorate from [[Princeton University]] in 1985, the graduating class rose and recited ''Green Eggs and Ham'' in its entirety for him.{{Sfn|Fensch|2000|p=171}}{{Sfn|Morgan|Morgan|1996|p=261}} At Dr. Seuss's ''almareportedly mater'',spent [[Dartmouththe University]],rest itof becamehis anlife insideenduring jokegifts thatof thegreen book'seggs titleand washam, awhich referencehe todescribed theas breakfast"deplorable foodstuff".{{Sfn|Jones|2020|p=299}} servedLater in life, he said that ''Green Eggs and Ham'' was the on-campusonly cafeteriabook of his that still made him laugh.{{Sfn|JonesFensch|20202000|p=299139}}

The Green Eggs and Ham Cafe opened in the Seuss Landing island at the [[Universal Islands of Adventure]] theme park in 1999. It closed in 2015 before reopening in 19992019. The cafe serves the titular green eggs and ham as well as other foods featured in Dr. Seuss books.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spence |first=Shay |date=December 17, 2019 |title=Universal Orlando Reopened Its Green Eggs and Ham Cafe — And They're Serving Who Hash |url=https://people.com/food/universal-orlando-green-eggs-and-ham-cafe-open/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=People}}</ref>

U.S. District Court Judge James Muirhead referenced ''Green Eggs and Ham'' in his September 21, 2007, court ruling after receiving an egg in the mail from prisoner Charles Jay Wolff, who was protesting against the prison diet. Muirhead ordered the egg destroyed and rendered his judgment in the style of Seuss.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/20925030wbna20925030 |title= Judge makes 'Green Eggs and Ham' ruling |date= September 23, 2007 |publisher=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{citation |contribution-url=http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-hampshire/nhdce/1:2006cv00321/30005/56/0.html |contribution=ORDER the egg filed by the plaintiff is to be destroyed re: 55 Motion for Contempt, injunction |date=September 18, 2007 |id=Filing 56 |title=Wolff v. NH Department of Corrections et al (Case 1:2006cv00321) }}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Senator [[Ted Cruz]] read the book on the floor of the [[United States Senate]] during his [[filibuster]] over the funding of the [[Affordable Care Act]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/why-ted-cruz-read-green-eggs-and-ham-in-the-u-s-senate-1.1867499 |title=Why Ted Cruz read Green Eggs and Ham in the U.S. Senate |first=Meagan |last=Fitzpatrick |date=September 25, 2013 |website=CBC}}</ref> Musician [[will.i.am]] has stated that his moniker is inspired by the story.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/magazine/23FOB-Q4-t.html |title=Questions for Will.i.am |first=Deborah |last=Solomon |date=January 20, 2011 |newspaper=New York Times |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

* {{Cite book |lastlast1=Morgan |firstfirst1=Judith |url=https://archive.org/details/drseussmrgeisel00morg/ |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr. Geisel: A Biography |last2=Morgan |first2=Neil |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-306-80736-7}}