MovieChat Forums > How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) Discussion > The Untold Story of the Grinch?

The Untold Story of the Grinch?

posted 17 years ago by macraig-2
4 replies | jump to latest

I wonder if the dear old Grinch was somewhere on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum? At the beginning of that classic Seuss animated special, we hear the Grinch mourn how much he hates all the noises and sounds - and oh that horrid singing! - that accompanies the Whoville Christmases. Coincidentally, one of the trademark symptoms of autistic traits is an overpowering fear of loud or distracting noises. Hmmmm... could it be that the real story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas was actually WHY the Grinch Stole Christmas? Could it be that the Grinch got treated like crap for being different, couldn't get tolerance for his need for quiet, had an uncomfortable life in exile trying to get that quiet, got bitter and cynical, and then decided to make those intolerant Whos pay for their noisemaking and conformist bigotry? I wonder....

[–] donkeykongconker 17 years ago

There were two other specials of the grinch one as a Halloween special and Halloween being "Grinch Night" and another in which he faces off against the Cat (in the hat) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinch

[–] azzabar2003 17 years ago

You are hysterical!!!! I like the way you joke around. LOL

[–] rms2007 17 years ago

I always thought that the switch from the "bad" Grinch to the "good" Grinch is more like depression switching into mania. This would suggest bipolar disorder. I think you could indeed see the sort of large scale personality changes that the Grinch exhibits. There's even the line "The strength of ten Grinches, plus 2", which kind of sounds delusional.

But hey, I'm not a doctor...and I'm sure the "Dr." himself did not intend it this way.

[–] 17 years ago

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