Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
I am Sam
I am Sam
Sam I am
That Sam-I-am
That Sam-I-am!
I do not like
that Sam-I-am
Do you like
green eggs and ham?
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
Would you like them
Here or there?
I would not like them
here or there.
I would not like them
anywhere.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am
Would you like them
in a house?
Would you like them
with a mouse?
I do not like them
in a house.
I do not like them
with a mouse.
I do not like them
here or there.
I do not like them
anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Would you eat them
in a box?
Would you eat them
with a fox?
Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere.
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Would you? Could you?
in a car?
Eat them! Eat them!
Here they are.
I would not,
could not,
in a car.
You may like them.
You will see.
You may like them
in a tree?
I do not in a tree.
I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be.
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox
I do not like them in a house
I do mot like them with a mouse
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
A train! A train!
A train! A train!
Could you, would you
on a train?
Not on a train! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!
I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not eat them with a mouse
I will not eat them in a house.
I will not eat them here or there.
I will not eat them anywhere.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Say!
In the dark?
Here in the dark!
Would you, could you, in the dark?
I would not, could not,
in the dark.
Would you, could you,
in the rain?
I would not, could not, in the rain.
Not in the dark. Not on a train,
Not in a car, Not in a tree.
I do not like them, Sam, you see.
Not in a house. Not in a box.
Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.
I will not eat them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!
You do not like
green eggs and ham?
I do not
like them,
Sam-I-am.
Could you, would you,
with a goat?
I would not,
could not.
with a goat!
Would you, could you,
on a boat?
I could not, would not, on a boat.
I will not, will not, with a goat.
I will not eat them in the rain.
I will not eat them on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them ANYWHERE!
I do not like
green eggs
and ham!
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.
You do not like them.
SO you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may I say.
Sam!
If you will let me be,
I will try them.
You will see.
Say!
I like green eggs and ham!
I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!
And I would eat them in a boat!
And I would eat them with a goat...
And I will eat them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good so good you see!
So I will eat them in a box.
And I will eat them with a fox.
And I will eat them in a house.
And I will eat them with a mouse.
And I will eat them here and there.
Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!
I do so like
green eggs and ham!
Thank you!
Thank you,
Sam-I-am.
The speaker is Sam-I-Am, and he is a very persistent, sometimes annoying, but overall, optimistic character and he is speaking to the knox.
Green Eggs and Ham takes place in many different locations: Sam-I-Am and the knox travel on a boat and on a train, and are in a house and on a tree, so to pinpoint one specific place would be difficult, as the story takes place in many different areas of Dr. Seuss' land, but it takes place in a very optimistic time, when Sam-I-Am tries to persuade the knox, his friend, to eat green eggs and ham.
The central purpose of Green Eggs and Ham is to get people to try new things and be open minded. Green Eggs and Ham tells a story about these two friends and one tries to get the other to eat green eggs and ham, but the other refuses, saying he doesn't like them. But the story also reveals human character in the way that humans don't like to try new things if they appear different than what they are used to.
The lines, "You do not like them. / SO you say. / Try them! Try them! / And you may. / Try them and you may I say." support how the poem is revealing human character because it tells the the knox says he doesn't like green eggs and ham, but Sam-I-Am retorts that he hasn't tried them and, if he had, he may feel differently actually like them.
The central theme of the poem is to not judge a book by its cover.
Sam-I-Am is very optimistic that the knox will actually end up liking something new, in this case, the green eggs and ham, if he just gives them a try. Sam-I-Am is so persistent in his cause to get the knox to try the food, that he actually annoys the knox, who is bitter towards Sam-I-Am because he is so persistent and won't leave him alone, which is shown in the quote, "Not on a train! Not in a tree! / Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!".
"I do not like green eggs and ham. / I do not like them, Sam-I-am." is one very good example of diction, as, even though it doesn't use any big, complicated words, it is effective to convey the nox's unwillingness to try the green eggs and ham and it helps reveal the conflict in the story of how the knox won't try anything new.
"I do so like / green eggs and ham! / Thank you! / Thank you, / Sam-I-am." is also effective not for it's complicated word use, but for revealing the ending of the story and how the knox finally chooses to try the green eggs and ham, and even ends up liking them and admitting he will eat them anywhere and showing that Sam-I-Am's persistence paid off.
"Not on a train! Not in a tree! / Not in a car! Sam! Let me be! / I would not, could not, in a box. / I could not, would not, with a fox." if an example of effective imagery because it expertly uses rhyming to convey how the knox does not want to try something new, and these lines use words like would not and could not, which are very similar, to express the idea of the knox being stubborn, revealing his character, and also the character of Sam-I-Am and how he is so persistent to the point of being almost annoying.
"Not in a box. / Not with a fox. / Not in a house. / Not with a mouse. / I would not eat them here or there. / I would not eat them anywhere." appeals to the sense because there is a great rhyme scheme in these lines and, again, it shows the knox's stubborn personality and his determination not to try the new food.
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss is so powerful for me because it conveys a very strong message in that, if given the chance, one should try something new and be open minded, and that we should never judge a book by its cover, or judge someone before we get to know them.
