Arts & Culture
Let the wild rumpus begin!
The Pointer
Emuel194@uwsp.edu
Who didn’t feel sorry for poor Max, sent to bed without supper for telling his mom, “I’LL EAT YOU UP!”? Clad in a white wolf suit, Max begins a fantastic journey through the jungles of his bedroom to a place known only as WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.
Before you go see the film on Oct. 16, please take time to revisit the beloved book by Maurice Sendak, made up of only 10 sentences but accompanied by some of the most beautiful illustrations in children’s literature.
“Where the Wild Things Are” begins with Max, an unruly boy in a wolf suit who creates all kinds of mischief and eventually gets punished for it. Rather than pout in his room, Max takes a trip in a private boat across an ocean to where the wild things are. He finds the fierce-looking Wild Things and commands them to “BE STILL!” Of course, he becomes their king and friend, and all sorts of good times ensue.
As a child, I loved this book because of the captivating pictures. Today I read the story and find it is one of friendship, family, companionship and love. While Max cavorts with his friends, the Wild Things, in the wake of the crushing blow of his mom’s punishment, he still misses his home and family. He gives up his place as King of the Wild Things to return to the people “who love him best.” Of course, there is the more obvious message of unleashing your inner Wild Thing, as Spike Jonze’s tagline points out: “There’s one in all of us.”
The buzz around the movie has unearthed some surprising information about the Wild Things themselves. Each of the Wild Things are named after Maurice Sendak’s family members: Tzippy, Moishe, Bruno, Emile and Bernard, though this is never mentioned in the book. The Wild Things’ names will be different in the movie, according to the Internet Movie Database.
The book also won a Caldecott Medal in 1964. Every year the Caldecott Medal is awarded to the artist who most effectively illustrates a picture book to enhance the audience’s enjoyment of the story. It is, along with the Newberry Medal awarded for writing, the most prestigious award a children’s book can receive. “Where the Wild Things Are” has been recognized as an American Library Association notable book and is regarded as a masterpiece of children’s literature. But in the words of the great LeVar Burton, “don’t take my word for it.” Visit your public library or local bookstore and pick up a copy of “Where the Wild Things Are.”
