MovieChat Forums > The Lorax (2012) Discussion > So, let's analyze the dynamics of that t...

So, let's analyze the dynamics of that town

posted 12 years ago by uruseiranma
12 replies | jump to latest

We see the Once-Ler go into a town to begin selling thneeds, though it seems like the only town built within the realm of the Truffula trees.

Later on (I had to watch this a second time before I caught it), The Once-Ler is sitting at his desk, with a model of Thneedville on the table. So, did he buy up the town and just rename as a giant promotional stunt?

As well, one has to wonder just what the town did for business, as the Thneed factory seemed the biggest place around. Once it closed down, what else was there for the townspeople to thrive on?

Ted's Grandma claims to recall trees, yet it seems so many of the townspeople are oblivious to them, with the exception of Grandma and Audrey. One would assume if someone found out that trees provide 'free air,' they'd try to find a way to get in O'Hare's way sooner (then again, the townspeople fit into that overall mob mentality that seemed prevalent on shows like 'The Simpsons').

One has to wonder when did the walls around Thneedville go up. I'm guessing it was a measure put in by O'Hare, but it still seems odd that noone would ever talk about a time before the plastic/artificial world.

O'Hare's air scheme seemed rather flimsy. If the air is polluted outside, it doesn't really look that way. I don't recall people coughing or seeming sickly. I would assume with an air problem outside, the majority of people would be inside just plugging into their clean air.

Just some things to consider. Anyone else notice anything about the town that seemed odd?

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] bing-57 12 years ago

Thneedville is just one of those Hollywood constructs that exist simply to make the movie work. No one knows or cares how it works or where it came from. It exists to show us the conversion from bad to good that all kid's movies require.

The people of the town never think of planting trees because they don't need to. People seem to be happily paying the money for bottled air and no one seems poor or starving because of it.

The town is doing extremely well with the way things are. There is actually no need to knock down the walls and plant trees.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] uruseiranma 12 years ago

Yes, it did seem odd that the entire town quickly rallies around the planting of this seed so quickly.

They definitely have that mob mentality that if you said, 'Look, squirrel!' everyone would turn and look.

As well, noone takes much notice when one of O'Hare's goons straps that flying helmet on him, and sends him rocketing out of the picture.

The one thing that bugged me was the little boy who glows swimming and then starts to glow, and his parents reaction to this change in their son is to scoop him up in their arms, and smile mindlessly. It's only after talk about the trees comes up, do they think, 'hey, maybe it isn't such a good thing that our son 'kinda' glows.' If it was my friend's son that started to glow, they'd have rushed him to a hospital asap.

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] bing-57 12 years ago

> They definitely have that mob mentality that if you said, 'Look, squirrel!' everyone would turn and look.

Yup. That town seemed like a place that didn't need saving. They were mindless sheep that followed whatever new fad came along. They went nuts for Thneeds 30 years ago and it resulted in the destruction of the forests. And they did go nuts. It looks like you could make 20 or 30 Thneeds from each tree and there were millions of trees. And yet, no one in town was wearing one.

Then they all went nuts over a seedling. Six months from now they'll be suckered into the next big thing and will forget about the trees.

The town's people are useless and if they ruin themselves, no big loss.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] uruseiranma 12 years ago

Supposedly, there are other towns outside of this one, but it seems hard to believe.

Then again, O'Hare claims his selling of air has made him a zillionaire. So, how does one gauge value in this town? Are the citizens just being weighted down by billions of dollars in debt that they just stopped caring about?

Plus, how is it noone else seems to consider what or know what a tree is besides the Grandmother? And for that matter, how did Audrey know what Truffula trees looked like? Did another elderly citizen give her the 4-1-1, and was then 86'ed by O'Hare's goons?

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] bing-57 12 years ago

> Then again, O'Hare claims his selling of air has made him a zillionaire.

And that seems strange because the normal air in town looks fine.

> So, how does one gauge value in this town? Are the citizens just being weighted down by billions of dollars in debt that they just stopped caring about?

I have no clue. Only a very few people even seem to have jobs.

> Plus, how is it noone else seems to consider what or know what a tree is besides the Grandmother?

It was never stated that no one else remembered. I think some of them do, but they don't care. New plastic trees are better and less dirty.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] uruseiranma 12 years ago

> Then again, O'Hare claims his selling of air has made him a zillionaire.

"And that seems strange because the normal air in town looks fine."

Yeah, another nitpick I had for the film: justification for clean air. Like you, I also didn't see any need for it. It looks like Thneedville is climate-controlled, given that they have artificial snow right next to an artificial beach.

The Nostalgia Chick in her review even asked, 'where is O'Hare getting his clean air?' That brings up a good point too.

One theory I just thought of, was maybe O'hare just got on the train of something really big in the wake of the smog, but then, people got so used to his air, that it acts as a placebo to the people. They just keep buying the stuff, even though there's no need for it.

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] uruseiranma 12 years ago

Cosmo-

To me, if a film does its job well, I can gloss over logic flaws. However, The Lorax is one if those films that turns me into Neddy McNitpick.

My over-analyzing reminds me of my questions I had about the society aboard the Axiom in 'Wall-E.' There are questions there that bug me too.

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] jjuergen 11 years ago

Thneedville is an example of isolationism. Since the town is walled off from the outside world, they have become totally self sufficient. They manufacture all the goods they need, and all the services they use.

I noticed in numerous instances, they just all seem to be walking around, shopping, and using the services provided. Not sure exactly what the chief source of employment would be, other than manufacturing air.

O'Hare, or town leadership, must really enforce the "don't go passed the wall". Normal human nature would have drove some to try to find out what on the other side of the wall.

I realize that this is completely fabricated, but it still causes you to wonder.

I know where I've been shot, dammit, I'm a doctor!

[–] asprettyasme 10 years ago

If you pay attention the Once-ler was an inventor. The town was made up of plastic and was no longer the town we saw in the beginning which means the Once-ler designed the town and built it. Before the last tree was cute down you can see the design of the town on the Once-ler desk and he must of built it around that time before he went into solitude.

I doubt Ohare built the town, he just came up with bottled air. However, he knew about the Thneed guy (due to the poster) and I find it possible that he did his research and maybe even went to go meet the Once-ler himself. Granny did say the Once-ler got a few visitors. The grandma seems to be the oldest person in town. I didn't see any other people her age and so its possible that she could be the last generation to have ever seen the trees.

Just like we have rumors of things that use to be in this world, Audrey could of heard a rumor or folktale about the trees and took it very serious (for example if right now I decided to paint a picture of mermaids on my house or better yet some extinct animal and tell people how they use to exist before my time).

If you look at the town from outside you can see that it looks like a dome and there are lights shining on the town people almost like a baseball stadium. I think the environment was blocked off from the outside world. The town was completely made up of plastic.

[–] armourereric 8 years ago

Granny Norma was one of the small few renewed at carousel when she turned 30. That's why Ted has no dad.

[–] jasminenicolec 7 years ago

Now if only more people realized why that is hilarious...;; sigh