Have you ever woken up and thought to yourself, "Oh, man, I've changed!" We're willing to bet almost everyone has, and almost everyone is surprised by it. That's because change is subtle. And subtle change is what Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! is all about.
Well, mostly subtle. Seuss displays the change in both the Narrator and Marvin K. through details in the drawings and words. The drawings change both of the characters in size even though they stay in roughly the same position. The size difference suggests changes in their attitude as well as their relationship. Words can develop in size, too, to notify the reader of the Narrator's emotional state. Even something as simple as a verb tense change can show us that something major has happened.
Keep your eyes open to the subtlety, and you'll see all sorts of Seussy changes.
Questions and Answers
Q: Why does the Narrator change the way Marvin can go on each page?
A: He's trying to convince Marvin to leave by giving him a lot of options. It's like when you want your friend to play video games with you, and you give them different options of games you can play. It's not the game that matters; it's the hanging out.
Q: Do you think Marvin changed at the end of the poem?
A: Oh, that's a tough one. Maybe… maybe not. It could go both ways. Mind if I ask you the same question?
Q: Marvin definitely changed at the end. Why do you think he might not have?
A: It's possible that Marvin only left because he felt it was time. Maybe next time, he'll be just as stubborn if he doesn't want to go.