History Literature / GreenEggsAndHam

This 1960 book was written as the result of a friendly bet: Seuss's publisher was impressed that ''Literature/TheCatInTheHat'' was written using fewer than 300 different words, and bet Seuss that he couldn't write another one with a coherent plot [[UpToEleven using only 50 different words]]. Seuss hit it right on target.

* AnAesop: Don't be afraid of trying new things.

For such a simple book, it's received a surprising number of adaptations: the first was as a segment in ''Dr. Seuss on the Loose''[[note]]retitled ''Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories'' on home video[[/note]], an animated package film TV special hosted by The Cat In The Hat (the second and final time he would be voiced by Creator/AllanSherman) which also adapted ''The Sneeches'' and ''The Zax''. It's had two musical adaptations, first as {{Funk|rock}}/RapRock song by Canadian band Music/MoxyFruvous and another by Music/WeirdAlYankovic as a parody of Music/{{U2}}'s "Numb" which he'd occasionally perform in concert (due to [[ScrewedByTheLawyers push back from the Seuss estate]], he's never recorded a studio version). Tangentially, it inspired the title of the beginner snare drum solo, ''[[PunnyName Green Eggs and Flam]]''. It also has a ''VideoGame/LivingBooks'' adaptation.

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: As the train goes through a tunnel, we only see Sam-I-Am and the man’s eyes and nothing else.

The story follows a [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} nutty]], but [[{{Determinator}} persistent]] character named Sam-I-Am, who hangs around a tall cranky, unnamed, dog-face man. Throughout the book, Sam pursues his neighbor around, asking him if he would like to eat the eponymous foodstuff? No? How about ''this'' way, or ''that'' way...? His increasingly exasperated victim denies his offer each time, until finally he gives in just so that Sam will leave him alone...

For such a simple book, it's received a surprising number of adaptations: the first was as a segment in ''Dr. Seuss on the Loose''[[note]]retitled ''Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories'' on home video[[/note]], an animated package film TV special hosted by The Cat In The Hat (the second and [[AuthorExistenceFailure final]] time he would be voiced by Creator/AllanSherman) which also adapted ''The Sneeches'' and ''The Zax''. It's had two musical adaptations, first as {{Funk|rock}}/RapRock song by Canadian band Music/MoxyFruvous and another by Music/WeirdAlYankovic as a parody of Music/{{U2}}'s "Numb" which he'd occasionally perform in concert (due to [[ScrewedByTheLawyers push back from the Seuss estate]], he's never recorded a studio version). Tangentially, it inspired the title of the beginner snare drum solo, ''[[PunnyName Green Eggs and Flam]]''. It also has a ''VideoGame/LivingBooks'' adaptation.

* NoNameGiven: The grumpy man Sam-I-Am keeps unintentionally annoying. Some sources give his name as "Joey" or "Sam-I'm-Not." Eventually averted through the Netflix animated series, which officially names him Guy-Am-I.

* RhymingList: The list of all the places that the man won't eat green eggs and ham.

* TalkingIsAFreeAction: The unnamed protagonist recites his longest list of places he won't eat the food while falling through the air.

* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: The protagonist finally agrees to try the titular food just so Sam-I-Am will stop pestering him.
* TastesBetterThanItLooks: The protagonist refuses to try green eggs and ham, but he eventually gives in. He takes a bite and realizes that he really, really likes it.

* RhymingList: The list of all the places that what's-his-name won't eat green eggs and ham.

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: As the train goes through a tunnel, we only see Sam-I-Am and the nameless guy's eyes and nothing else.
* HandcarPursuit: The nameless guy uses a handcar once the train goes into the tunnel, just to get away from Sam-I-Am.

The story follows a [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} nutty]], but [[{{Determinator}} persistent]] character named Sam-I-Am, who hangs around a tall cranky dog-face whose name is never given. Throughout the book, Sam pursues his neighbor around, asking him if he would like to eat the eponymous foodstuff? No? How about ''this'' way, or ''that'' way...? His increasingly exasperated victim denies his offer each time, until finally he gives in just so that Sam will leave him alone...

-->--The protagonist, [[NamedByTheAdaptation known as]] '''Guy-Am-I''' from [[WesternAnimation/GreenEggsAndHam2019 2019 onward]], stating his dislike of the titular food to Sam-I-Am

* DoesNotLikeSpam: The unnamed guy does not like green eggs and ham. At least, not at first.

* NoNameGiven: The grumpy guy Sam-I-Am keeps unintentionally annoying. Some sources give his name as "Joey" or "Sam-I-Am-Not." Eventually averted through the Netflix animated series, which officially names him Guy-Am-I.

* SelfImposedChallenge: Reportedly, the publisher wagered $50 that Dr. Seuss could not write a story using only 50 different words. The result? One of the most popular children's books of all time. Even better, the publisher reportedly never upheld his side of the bet.

The story follows a [[ScrewySquirrel nutty-but-persistent character]] named Sam-I-Am, who hangs around a tall cranky dog-face whose name is never given. Throughout the book, Sam pursues his neighbor around, asking him if he would like to eat the eponymous foodstuff? No? How about ''this'' way, or ''that'' way...? His increasingly exasperated victim denies his offer each time, until finally he gives in just so that Sam will leave him alone...

* ScrewySquirrel: Sam-I-Am is rather nutty, but he's determined to get the unnamed guy to eat the green eggs and ham.

For such a simple book, it's received a surprising number of adaptations: the first was as a segment in ''Dr. Seuss on the Loose'', an animated package film TV special hosted by The Cat In The Hat (the second and [[AuthorExistenceFailure final]] time he would be voiced by Creator/AllanSherman) which also adapted ''The Sneeches'' and ''The Zax''. It's had two musical adaptations, first as {{Funk|rock}}/RapRock song by Canadian band Music/MoxyFruvous and another by Music/WeirdAlYankovic as a parody of Music/{{U2}}'s "Numb" which he'd occasionally perform in concert (due to [[ScrewedByTheLawyers push back from the Seuss estate]], he's never recorded a studio version). Tangentially, it inspired the title of the beginner snare drum solo, ''[[PunnyName Green Eggs and Flam]]''. It also has a ''VideoGame/LivingBooks'' adaptation.

In 2019, it received [[WesternAnimation/GreenEggsAndHam2019 a second animated adaptation]] in the form of a Creator/{{Netflix}} series starring Creator/AdamDevine and Creator/MichaelDouglas on .

In 2019, it received [[WesternAnimation/GreenEggsAndHam2019 a second animated adaptation]] in the form of a mini-series starring Creator/AdamDevine and Creator/MichaelDouglas on Creator/{{Netflix}}.