Racism
By far the most dominant theme in Was the Cat in the Hat Black is racism. Nel argues that most children's books have at least some element of racism in them, and that it is important to expand beyond this artificial worldview. The Cat himself is viewed as a silly, easygoing character, but there is more to it than that. According to Nel and other sources, Seuss actually based the Cat on actual African American people that he knew, including the outgoing and carefree personality. Nel argues that, even though this is not obvious on a surface level, it is important to remember the motives of racism behind it.
Stereotypes
Tying in with racism, The Cat in the Hat also has a lot of stereotypes that are similar to an African American of the day. The carefree attitude and "foreign" way of dressing are all things that Seuss based on actual African Americans. Stereotypes are often harmful, and based on only what a handful of people do. Presenting the Cat in the Hat in such a way that these stereotypes are glorified is a bad thing that should be avoided in children's literature, Nel argues.
