Justin-Grinch Letter

Dear Holiday Program Director,

I recently watched a broadcast of How the Grinch Stole Christmas on your channel and frankly, I’m a bit confused about some things. I know that Dr. Seuss is no longer with us, but I was hoping maybe that along with the broadcast rights, you managed to get some explanatory material that might shed some light on some things.

First, the Whos; is that their species like the Sneeches? Is that a name? The girl is referred to as Cindy Lou Who, so it seems like a name, but when they say “all the Whos down in Whoville” it definitely sounds like a species or at least a clan. This kind of applies to the Grinch as well. Is “the Grinch” a name, title, or species? It’s all a bit confusing.

Second, speaking of the Grinch, he’s green and furry yet manages to disguise himself as Santa with a coat and a hat. He’s still green and furry, and also, HE’S NOT WEARING PANTS. Does the Whos’ Santa mythology include a green, furry, pantsless Santa? Or does Cindy Lou Who have severe vision issues? Most cultures have a version of Santa that kind of blends with the population, which would mean not green or furry or half-naked.

Also, where is Santa? There appears to be a strong enough belief in Santa that the Grinch believes he can get away with grand larceny provided he has the right coat and hat. Yet, the fact that he attempted his holiday stealing plot indicates that he has no belief in Santa himself. The fact that he gets out of Whoville without Santa seeing what he is doing indicates that Santa is not real. Is this story saying Santa is a fake? Maybe there should be a warning before the broadcast so that parents can have a heads up concerning potential myth breaking implications.

Along with that line, the Grinch knows the Whos believe, which means he knows something about them. He’s probably met some of them. If I lived in a small community and someone I knew met a tall, green, furry guy up in the mountains, I’d probably know about it. Everyone would know about it. Assuming we all know that there is a green, furry guy up in the mountains, I’m going to assume that that’s who the green guy is in my living room, not Santa. But again, we don’t know the Whos Santa story.

            Anyway, if you could possibly answer some of these questions, that would be great. I don’t need a written reply, maybe an FAQ section on your website. And I would really consider that whole warning thing and maybe a parental discussion guide or something.

            Thank you for your time and Merry Christmas.

Sincerely,
A concerned parent

P.S. You might also consider giving the Grinch some pants.