Sneetches

The Star-Bellied Sneetches had bellies with stars, 

the Plain-Bellied Sneetches had none upon thars

Those stars weren't so big. They were really so small

You'd think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.

The story of the Sneetches is so simple, but like many Dr Seuss books has more subtle layers of meaning and message. On one level you see fashion and capitalist exploitation of insecurities, at another you can see racial and cultural tension and prejudice. The Star-Bellies think they are so much better, the Plain-Belies are excluded from all the privileges of Star-Bellied life. Then along comes Sylvester McMonkey McBean, with his amazing Star machine and suddenly no-one can tell the difference. 

"Through the machine they raced round and about again,

Changing their stars every minute or two.

They kept paying money. They kept running through

Until neither the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew

Whether this one was that one ... or that one was this one

Or which one was what one ... or what one was who."

I don't think it's meant to imply that solutions are simple, maybe just that they are possible.

And here is my Sneetch. 

This is my first attempt to crochet something from a pattern and it is designed by the lovely Nicole at Nicole's Nerdy Knots. She publishes lots of free patterns on Ravelry so do check her out (particularly if you have a child into Pokemon). It was very fiddly in places and I think my tension leaves a little to be desired but I am so chuffed that he looks like a Sneetch and not just a yellow blob.