“How the Grinch stole Christmas!

(Published 10.7.2009)

http://www.dailynationalcourier.com/national_courier/jul2009_daily/10-07-09/artical/artical1.htm

The Grinch is a fictional cartoon character that first appeared in 1957 in a children's book “ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The character created by Dr Seuss soon turned out to be a legend and was followed by a popular television special by the same name in 1966. In 2000 the book was turned into a movie in which rubber-faced Hollywood actor Jim Carey played Grinch, a green, hairy and cruel character that turns decent at the end of film realizing it was indeed 'bad' on his part to become cruel to the point of evil to get even for being made butt of joke years ago at a Christmas party at school.
The Grinch was created by Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2, 1904 Ã¢â‚¬" September 24, 1991), an American writer and cartoonist, best known for his children's books written under the pen name Dr. Seuss. Dr Seuss published over 60 children's books numerous adaptations many of which were done including eleven television specials, three feature films, and a Broadway musical.
“How The Grinch Stole Christmas! is a classical and ever popular book that centres around a powerful combination of such base human instincts like greed, materialism, revenge, jealousy as well as higher instincts like kindness and compassion.
Grinch hates Christmas, remember that the story is set in Christian America, and all celebrations related to it including the sounds, presents and the feast. He hates Christmas so much that he finally comes up with an idea to steal it so people could not celebrate it any longer. Dressed up as Santa Claus and using his dog Max as a look-alike reindeer Grinch comes down from his mountain hideout to steal not only the entire presents but also the stocking hung on the fireplace mantle, the roast beef, the Christmas trees- and even the firewood!
But The Grinch was shocked and surprised when “Whos, the people of “Who-ville still celebrate the Christmas and be merry despite being deprived of any thing material. Their reaction force the Grinch to think that may be Christmas just “come from a store. He finally returns everything that he had stolen and join the celebration carving the “roast beef that he hated so much for better part of his life just until a few days ago. That's happy ending with a message good for humanity anywhere- happiness comes from doing good and from within when you do good and are nice to your fellow human beings. Written for children the book's message is also good for us adults to be kind to our fellow human beings and to try to fin peace within ourselves than in any and all things material available at a price in shopping malls and stores.
The story helps us discover the true meaning of happiness making a clear distinction between a 'grouchy Grinch who shows great disdain all things fine, best described by the song “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, prior to discovering peace at the end of the book. Grinch is a legendary great character- fictitious as he is. He is symbolic of 'evil' that gets reformed at the end. He helps children as well as their parents clearly understand not only the nature and concept of good and bad but also educates them what makes good or bad.
While Dr Seuss' Grinch, whose only friend throughout the book was his dog Max who despite being ill treated still loved his master, was reformed and found happiness we seem to have thousands of “Grinch in our part of the world. The Grinches for whom people don't matter. The Grinches who do not only steal the presents, the roast beef, the Christmas trees and the firewood but also the meager daily bread, water, power, wheat flour, rice, edible oil, petroleum, pulses and all items essentials.
Unlike the fictitious Grinch our very own Grinches are much smarter, extra expensively dressed, articulate, live in style in palatial homes and palaces and travel in some of the most expensive cars anywhere and planes at their beck and call in artificially cooled environs throughout. Our Grinches don't have large-bellies, dirty long fingers or hair on their faces or bodies like the real Grinch but they are as mean, cruel and “happiness snatcher as the real Grinch- the pre-reformed one that is. Will our Grinches would ever be reformed? God alone knows.