Wide spaces (Motif)
The boy encounters several vibrant, multicolored landscapes throughout his journey. Unlike the town during the expository scenes, the wide-open spaces do not have marked streets nor do they point to a clear path. In other words, the boy is not constricted or bound by external forces that pressure him to adhere to societal or normative expectations of a fulfilling and enriching life. Indeed, the vastness of these landscapes signifies the endless opportunities the boy can freely pursue. By venturing out into these spaces, the boy has the ability to discover his interests, cultivate resilience, and find success on his own terms. These areas thus illustrate the themes of autonomy and open-ended exploration.
The Waiting Place (Allegory)
While The Waiting Place is a literal, concrete place wherein all residents passively wait for a change in their circumstances, it is also an allegory for the consequences of submitting to the inevitable periods of aimlessness and stagnancy in our lives. In many situations, we may be forced to wait for a new opportunity or change; however, as the narrator suggests, we often choose to wait—which blocks us from taking risks and attaining success. The lethargic Waiting Place residents are simply defined by their inactivity; they are complacent with their lack of progression and momentum. As the narrator puts it, they are “just waiting.” With this, the Waiting Place evokes the hopeless monotony of waiting for change.
Ball (Symbol)
After the boy emerges from The Waiting Place, he plays games with others using balls, hoops, nets, banners, and other equipment, and the narrator remarks, “There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. / And the magical things you do with that ball / will make you the winning-est winner of all.” Here, the narrator characterizes games as a metaphor for life. To score a point or become the “winning-est winner” in a game, we must actively and skillfully use a ball or appropriate equipment. Likewise, to succeed in life, we must use our own unique skills and tools to make wise, informed decisions about our own opportunities and paths. The ball in this passage, as such, symbolizes our abilities that we must activate and optimize to extract the most meaning out of our lives.
Monsters (Motif)
The boy confronts various monsters on his journey: the stern creatures poking out of the holes in the town, the dark blob-shaped monsters guarding the archway, the wailing Hakken-Kraks, and the giant feline-like beast. Each of these frightening monsters represents a hurdle or challenge that threatens or halts the boy’s progress. However, the boy faces and overcomes each one of the monsters, emerging confident in his abilities and proud of his accomplishments after each confrontation. With this, Seuss demonstrates the inevitability of setbacks—and the necessity of preserving through them to unearth our fullest potential.
Moving to the right (Motif)
Oh, the Places You'll Go! advocates for relentless perseverance and forward motion, especially after enduring hardships. Seuss uses the motif of rightward movement to symbolize the necessity of constant progression and exploration. Whenever the boy preserves through a frightening place or confrontation with a monster, he confidently moves to the right, prepared for the next milestone or hurdle in his journey. Additionally, one of the final illustrations in the book depicts the boy in the exact same position he started in at the beginning of the movie: moving toward the right. The parallelism between these two images further embodies the critical role of progress in our lives. Regardless of what we have accomplished and endured, we must consistently move forward to cultivate a fruitful life.
