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Where the Wild Things Are

This article is about the 1963 children's picturebook. For the film adaptation, seeWhere the Wild Things Are (film).For other uses, seeWhere the Wild Things Are (disambiguation).

Where the Wild Things Areis a 1963children'spicture bookwritten and illustrated by American author and illustrator,Maurice Sendak,originally published in hardcover byHarper & Row.The book has been adapted into other media several times, including an animated short film in 1973 (with an updated version in 1988); a1980 opera;and a live-action2009 feature-film adaptation.The book had sold over 19 million copies worldwide as of 2009, with 10 million of those being in the United States.[3]

Where the Wild Things Are
The book cover is an illustration of a sail boat coming into a forested shore. On the shore, sleeping against a tree, is a giant furry monster with bare human feet and the head of a bull. Above the illustration, written in uneven block capital letters against a white background, is the title of the book "Where the Wild Things Are" and below the illustration, "Story and pictures by Maurice Sendak".
First edition cover
AuthorMaurice Sendak
IllustratorMaurice Sendak
Cover artistMaurice Sendak
LanguageEnglish
GenreChildren'spicture book
PublisherHarper & Row
Publication date
November 13, 1963[1]
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (wide-format hardcover)
Pages40
ISBN0-06-025492-0(25th anniversary ed., 1988)
OCLC225496
LC ClassPZ7.S47 Wh[2]

Sendak won the annualCaldecott Medalfrom the children's librarians in 1964, recognizingWild Thingsas the previous year's "most distinguished American picture book for children".[4]It was voted the number one picture book in a 2012 survey ofSchool Library Journalreaders, not for the first time.[5]

Plot

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The story focuses on a young boy named Max who, after dressing in hiswolfsuit, wreaks such havoc through his household that he is sent to bed without his supper. Max's bedroom undergoes a mysterious transformation into a jungle environment, and he winds up sailing to an island inhabited by monsters, simply called the Wild Things. The Wild Things try to scare Max, but to no avail. After stopping and intimidating the creatures, Max is hailed as the king of the Wild Things and enjoys a playful romp with his subjects. Finally, he stops them and sends them to bed without their supper. However, to the Wild Things' dismay, he starts to feel lonely and decides toabdicateand return home. The creatures do not want him to go and throw themselves into fits of rage as Max calmly sails away home. Upon returning to his bedroom, Max discovers a hot supper waiting for him.

Development

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Sendak began his career as anillustrator,but by the mid-1950s he had decided to start both writing and illustrating his own books.[6]In 1956, he published his first book for which he was the sole author,Kenny's Window(1956). Soon after, he began work on another solo effort. The story was supposed to be that of a child who, after a tantrum, is punished in his room and decides to escape to the place that gives the book its title, the "land of wild horses".[6]Shortly before starting the illustrations, Sendak realized he did not know how to draw horses and, at the suggestion of his editor, changed the wild horses to the more ambiguous "Wild Things", a term inspired by theYiddishexpression "vilde chaya" ( "wild animals" ), used to indicate boisterous children.[7]

He replaced the horses with caricatures of his aunts and uncles, caricatures that he had originally drawn in his youth as an escape from their chaotic weekly visits, on Sunday afternoons, to his family's Brooklyn home. Sendak, as a child, had observed his relatives as being "all crazy – crazy faces and wild eyes", with blood-stained eyes and "big and yellow" teeth, who pinched his cheeks until they were red.[6][8][9]These relatives, like Sendak's parents, were poor Jewish immigrants from Poland, whose remaining family inNazi-occupied Europewere killed during theHolocaustwhile Sendak was in his early teens. As a child, however, he saw them only as "grotesques".[9][10]

When working on the 1983opera adaptationof the book withOliver Knussen,Sendak gave the monsters the names of his relatives: Tzippy, Moishe, Aaron, Emile, and Bernard.[11]

Literary significance

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Analysis

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In Selma G. Lanes's bookThe Art of Maurice Sendak,Sendak discussesWhere the Wild Things Arealong with his other booksIn the Night KitchenandOutside Over Thereas atrilogycentered on children's growth, survival, and fury.[12][13]He indicated that the three books are "all variations on the same theme: how children master various feelings – danger, boredom, fear, frustration, jealousy – and manage to come to grips with the realities of their lives".[12]Fundamental to Sendak's work for over fifty years is his trust in the validity of children's emotions.[14]

Dr. Kara Keeling and Dr. Scott Pollard, both English professors, assess the role that food plays in the book, arguing that food is a metaphor for Max's mother's love based on the idea that Max comes home to a "still hot" supper, which suggests that his mother "loves him best".[15]Going along with this, Mary Pols ofTimemagazine wrote that "[w]hat makes Sendak's book so compelling is its grounding effect: Max has a tantrum and in a flight of fancy visits his wild side, but he is pulled back by a belief in parental love to a supper 'still hot', balancing the seesaw of fear and comfort".[16]

Where the Wild Things Areis a story that shows children's resilience through their "spirit" and "pluck".[17]Max is able to stand up to the Wild Things with their "terrible teeth" and "terrible claws" using "the magic trick of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once".[17]

Professor Liam Heneghan describes Max's dream as one of mastering the wild, from which he also learns to master his "inner tumult".[18]It sets forth the unrestrained rowdiness of the Wild Things and enlightens the reader to the idea that one cannot live in the wild forever. In her words: "In this notion of wilderness, there is a heightened reminder that after our fill of wilderness, one can, or perhaps even should, return, replenished, to the comforts of home".[18]Heneghan concludes that "the overarching thought is an old one: a human engages with Wild Things and in so doing comes into accord with the world and gains a measure of self-mastery".[18]

Reception

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Where the Wild Things Arehas received high critical acclaim.Francis Spuffordsuggests that the book is "one of the very few picture books to make an entirely deliberate and beautiful use of the psychoanalytic story of anger".[19]New York Timesfilm criticManohla Dargisnoted that "there are different ways to read the wild things, through aFreudianorcolonialistprism, and probably as many ways to ruin this delicate story of a solitary child liberated by his imagination ".[20]Based on a 2007 online poll, theNational Education Associationlisted the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".[21]Five years later,School Library Journalsponsored a survey of readers which identifiedWhere the Wild Things Areas a top picture book.[5]Elizabeth Bird, the librarian from theNew York Public Librarywho conducted the survey, observed that there was little doubt that it would be voted number one and highlighted its designation by one reader as a watershed, "ushering in the modern age of picture books". Another critic called it "perfectly crafted, perfectly illustrated... simply the epitome of a picture book" and noted that Sendak "rises above the rest in part because he is subversive". PresidentBarack Obamaread it aloud for children who were attending theWhite House Easter Egg Rollin multiple years.[22]

New York Timeswriter Bruce Handy brought up the idea that "as a child myself, without benefit of personal insights subsequently gleaned from more than a decade of talk therapy, I had been left cold byWhere the Wild Things Are".[23]Deborah Stevenson, a writer forThe Horn Book Magazine,talks about the effects the book had on a child who "screamed, apparently not with delight, every timeWhere the Wild Things Arewas read to him. It is quite possible for some young readers or listeners to be moved to alarm by a book, just as they can be moved to joy or excitement or boredom ".[24]Sendak responded to this criticism in an interview, asking: "Did she hate her kid? Is that why she was tormenting her with this book?"[25]

Despite the book's popularity, Sendak refused to produce a sequel; four months before his death in 2012, he told comedianStephen Colbertthat a sequel would be "the most boring idea imaginable".[26]Where the Wild Things Arewas number four on the list of "Top Check Outs OF ALL TIME" by the New York Public Library.[27]

Adaptations

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An animated short adaptation which had taken five years to complete was released in 1973,[28]directed and animated byGene Deitchand produced at Krátký film,Prague,forWeston Woods.It had narration byAllen Swiftand amusique concrètescore composed by Deitch himself; an updated version, which featured a new musical score and narration both byPeter Schickele,was released in 1988. This revised version was featured in a Children's Circle video titledThe Maurice Sendak Library.

In the 1980s, Sendak worked with British composerOliver Knussenona children's opera based upon the book.[11]The opera received its first (incomplete) performance inBrusselsin 1980; the first complete performance of the final version was given by theGlyndebourne Touring Operain London in 1984. This was followed by its first U.S. performance inSaint Paul,Minnesota, in 1985 and the New York City premiere byNew York City Operain 1987. A concert performance was given atThe Promsin theRoyal Albert Hallin London in 2002.[29]A concert production was produced by New York City Opera in spring 2011.[30]

In 1981, the New England Dinosaur Dance Company turned the book into a dance piece with choreography by Toby Armour and music byEzra Sims.[31]The piece debuted at Boston'sWilbur Theatreon December 22, 1981.[32]

In 1983,Walt Disney Productionsconducted a series of tests ofcomputer-generated imagerycreated byGlen KeaneandJohn Lasseterusing as their subjectWhere the Wild Things Are.[33]

In 1999, Isadar released a solopianomusical composition titled "Where the Wild Things Are" which appeared on his albumActive Imagination,inspired by the Sendak book. The composition was revisited and re-recorded in 2012 on Isadar's album,Reconstructed,withGrammywinner and founder ofWindham Hill Records,William Ackerman,producing.[34]

The2005Simpsonsepisode, "The Girl Who Slept Too Little",features a spoof ofWhere the Wild Things Areentitled "The Land of the Wild Beasts".

A live-action film version of the bookwas released on October 16, 2009.[35]Directed bySpike Jonzeand co-produced by Sendak, the film stars Max Records as Max and featuresCatherine Keeneras his mother, withLauren Ambrose,Chris Cooper,Paul Dano,James Gandolfini,Catherine O'HaraandForest Whitakerproviding the voices of the principal Wild Things. The soundtrack was written and produced byKaren OandCarter Burwell.The screenplay was adapted by Jonze in collaboration withDave Eggers,who also novelized the screenplay asThe Wild Things,published in 2009.

In 2012, indie rock quartetalt-Jreleased the song "Breezeblocks",inspired in part by the book.[36]Alt-J keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton said the story and the song share similar ideas about parting with a loved one. "Breezeblocks" reached certifiedARIA Goldstatus in Australia.[37]

In 2016,Alessia Carareleased her second single, "Wild Things",which charted at number fifty on theBillboardHot 100.In an interview withABC News Radio,Cara stated she took inspiration fromWhere the Wild Things Are,saying "each 'Thing' represents an emotion and [the main character] kinda escapes into this world... and that's kinda what I wanted to do".[38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Where the wild things are".Heritage Auctions.RetrievedJuly 16,2021.
  2. ^Where the wild things are.Catalog Records. Harper & Row. 1963.RetrievedJune 17,2013– via Library of Congress.
  3. ^Turan, Kenneth (October 16, 2009)."Where the Wild Things Are".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedFebruary 12,2012.
  4. ^"Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938-Present".Association for Library Service to Children.American Library Association.RetrievedJune 19,2013.
    "The Randolph Caldecott Medal".Association for Library Service to Children.American Library Association.RetrievedMay 27,2009.
  5. ^ab"SLJ's Top 100 Picture Books"(PDF).School Library Journal.2012. Poster presentation of reader poll results. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on November 23, 2016.RetrievedJune 17,2013.
  6. ^abcWarrick, Pamela (October 11, 1993)."Facing the Frightful Things".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedAugust 27,2009.
  7. ^Shea, Christopher (October 16, 2009)."The Jewish lineage of" Where the Wild Things Are "".The Boston Globe.Brainiac.RetrievedJanuary 28,2012.
  8. ^"Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak".Traditional Fine Arts Organization.April 26, 2005.RetrievedAugust 28,2009.
  9. ^abBrockes, Emma(October 2, 2011)."Maurice Sendak: 'I Refuse To Lie to Children'".The Guardian.RetrievedOctober 5,2011.
  10. ^Sullivan, Jane (July 8, 2011)."On the origins of the novel species".The Sydney Morning Herald.RetrievedJuly 12,2024.
  11. ^abBurns, Tom, ed. (March 2008)."Maurice Sendak".Children's Literature Review.131.Detroit, MI: Gale: 70.ISBN978-0-7876-9606-1.OCLC792604122.
  12. ^abLehmann-Haupt, Christopher(June 1, 1981)."Book Of The Times".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 12,2009.
  13. ^Gottlieb, Richard M. (2008)."Maurice Sendak's Trilogy: Disappointment, Fury, and Their Transformation through Art".Psychoanalytic Study of the Child.63:186–217.doi:10.1080/00797308.2008.11800804.ISBN978-0-300-14099-6.PMID19449794.S2CID25420037.
  14. ^Maguire, Gregory (December 2003). "A Sendak Appreciation".The Horn Book Magazine.79(6).
  15. ^Bhadury, Poushali (April 2011). "Critical Approaches to Food in Children's Literature".The Lion and the Unicorn.35(2): 189–194.doi:10.1353/uni.2011.0013.S2CID145308185.
  16. ^Pols, Mary (October 14, 2009)."Where the Wild Things Are:Sendak with Sensitivity ".Time.Archived fromthe originalon September 21, 2011.RetrievedOctober 18,2009.
  17. ^abKakutani, Michiko (May 16, 2017). "The Roots Of a Singular Imagination".The New York Times.
  18. ^abcHeneghan, Liam (April 30, 2018)."Our Imaginations Need to Dwell Where the Wild Things Are".Literary Hub.
  19. ^Spufford, Francis (2002).The Child That Books Built: A Life of Reading(1st ed.). New York City: Metropolitan Books. p.60.ISBN978-0-8050-7215-0.OCLC50034806.
  20. ^Dargis, Manohla(October 16, 2009)."Some of His Best Friends Are Beasts".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 16,2009.
  21. ^"Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".National Education Association. 2007.RetrievedAugust 22,2012.
  22. ^Bird, Elizabeth (July 2, 2012)."Top 100 Picture Books #1: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak".School Library Journal.RetrievedJune 17,2013.
  23. ^Handy, Bruce (October 9, 2009)."Where the Wild Things Weren't".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedDecember 6,2021.
  24. ^Stevenson, Deborah (June 1996). "Frightening the children?: Kids, grown-ups, and scary picture books".The Horn Book Magazine.72(3): 305.
  25. ^Sutton, Roger (November 2003). "An Interview with Maurice Sendak".The Horn Book Magazine.79(6).
  26. ^Carlson, Erin (January 25, 2012)."Maurice Sendak Calls Newt Gingrich an 'Idiot' in 'Colbert Report' Interview".The Hollywood Reporter.The Live Feed.RetrievedFebruary 21,2012.
  27. ^"These Are the NYPL's Top Check Outs OF ALL TIME".January 13, 2020.
  28. ^"Where The Wild Things Are (1973)".rarefilmm | The Cave of Forgotten Films.RetrievedMarch 3,2024.
  29. ^Bowden, Emma (March 29, 2016)."10 wild facts about Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.RetrievedJuly 12,2024.
  30. ^Wakin, Daniel J. (March 10, 2010)."For New York City Opera Season, Bernstein, Strauss and New Works".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 19,2013.
  31. ^Clay, Carolyn (January 5, 1982)."The wild bunch".The Boston Phoenix.RetrievedJuly 1,2024.
  32. ^Stern, Alan (December 22, 1981)."Play by play".The Boston Phoenix.RetrievedJuly 1,2024.
  33. ^Amidi, Amid (February 23, 2011)."Early CG Experiments by John Lasseter and Glen Keane".Cartoon Brew.RetrievedJune 19,2013.
  34. ^"Active Imagination (Solo Piano)".AllMusic.December 28, 1998.RetrievedMarch 12,2012.
  35. ^Sperling, Nicole (September 11, 2008)."'Where the Wild Things Are' gets long-awaited release date ".Entertainment Weekly.Inside Movies. Archived fromthe originalon September 21, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 12,2008.
  36. ^Podplesky, Azaria (December 18, 2012)."alt-J Taps Maurice Sendak and a Kate Middleton Look-Alike For 'Breezeblocks' Video".Seattle Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon July 8, 2017.RetrievedJune 10,2013.
  37. ^"ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2013 Singles".Australian Recording Industry Association.RetrievedMarch 19,2013.
  38. ^"Alessia Cara on 'Wild Things': 'It's Just Really an Empowering Song'".ABC News Radio. April 26, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 28,2017.
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