What's Up With the Title?

What's Up With the Title?

Tongue-in-cheek much, Dr. Seuss? How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a rather clever title because it deliberately misleads the reader to believe that Mr. Grinch actually pulls off his ambitious heist. In a way, the Grinch does succeed. He makes off with all sorts of goodies—Christmas trees, gifts and toys galore. He even escapes with the Christmas feast. Christmas theft success… right?

We're going to have to shake our heads here. When it comes down to it, Grinchy McGrinchersons (can we call you that?), we're sorry to say that your big, elaborate, totally party-pooping scheme fails. Big Time.

Actually, that's kind of the point. The Grinch doesn't steal Christmas, despite all of the superficial objects that he manages to get his grubby hands on. At the end of the day, the title of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is there to emphasize the fact that Christmas can't be stolen in the first place because the spirit of the holidays lives on for the Whos. So it's a title that says something… only to reveal the opposite revelation. Make sense?

We thought so.