Classification

Our minds are always classifying and categorizing information, to see where things fit in and belong. We identify with groups and want to categorize others. Politically, there are Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, etc. Political alignments are influenced by economics, social issues, religious or philosophical views, and attitudes toward political activism.

Young people, with identifies still taking shape, focus and even obsess about their group connections. How they are defined by others matters a lot. The movie The Breakfast Club highlights this, as does S.E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders.

Edward Lear's poem called The Scroobious Pip (finished decades later by Ogden Nash) is a fun example of this need to categorize. It's categorized as nonsense verse, but it really has a meaningful message. A curious creature called the Scroobious Pip gently but persistently resists being classified, much to the consternation of the mammals, birds, fish, and insects, who each express their frustration at not knowing what kind of creature he is. He speaks in ways that seem part mammal, part fish, part bird and part insect! I highlighted the rhythm to make it easier to read in a choral style. (Some of the visuals that are included are album covers from a United Kingdom rapper, Dan Le Sac, who identifies himself by this name.)

The Scroobious Pip1

The Scroobious Pip went out one day

When the grass was green, and the sky was grey.

Then all the beasts in the world came round

When the Scroobious Pip sat down on the ground.

The cat and the dog and the kangaroo

The sheep and the cow and the guinea pig too--

The wolf he howled, the horse he neighed

The little pig squeaked and the donkey brayed,

And when the Lion began to roar

There never was heard such a noise before.

And every beast he stood on the tip

Of his toes to look at the Scroobious Pip.

At last they said to the Fox - "By far,

You're the wisest beast! You know you are!

Go close to Scroobious Pip and say,

Tell us all about yourself we pray-

For as yet we can't make out in the least

If you're Fish or Insect, or Bird or Beast."

The Scroobious Pip looked vaguely round

And sang these words with a rumbling sound-

Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

The Scroobious Pip from the top of a tree

Saw the distant Jellybolee,-

And all the birds in the world came there,

Flying in crowds all through the air.

The vulture and eagle, the cock and the hen

The ostrich the turkey, the snipe and the wren;

The parrot chattered, the blackbird sung

And the Owl looked wise but held his tongue,

And when the Peacock began to scream

The hullabaloo was quite extreme.

And every bird he fluttered the tip

Of his wing as he stared at the Scroobious Pip.

At last they said to the Owl- "By far,

You're the wisest Bird -- you know you are!

Fly close to the Scroobious Pip and say,

Explain all about yourself we pray-

For as yet we have neither seen nor heard

If you're Fish or Insect, Beast or Bird!"

The Scroobious Pip looked gaily round

And sang these words with a chirpy sound-

Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

And when the Whale began to spout [They all gave a bubbly, gubbly shout.] And every fish he shook the tip

Of his tail as he gazed on the Scroobious Pip.

At last they said to the Whale- "By far

You're the biggest Fish - you know you are!

Swim close to the Scroobious Pip and say-

Tell us all about yourself we pray!-

For to know you yourself is our only wish;

Are you Beast or Insect, Bird or Fish?"

The Scroobious Pip looked softly round

And sung these words with a liquid sound-

Pliffity Flip; Pliffety Flip;-

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

The Scroobious Pip sat under a tree

By the silent shores of the Jellybolee;

All the insects in all the world

About the Scroobious Pip entwirled.

Beetles and bugs with purple eyes

Gnats and buzztilential flies-

Grasshoppers, butterflies, spiders too,

Wasps and bees and dragon-flies blue,

And when the Gnats began to hum,

bouncing like a dismal drum,

And every insect curled the tip

Of his snout, and looked at the Scroobious Pip.

At last they said to the Ant - "By far

You're the wisest insect, you know you are!

Creep close to the Scroobious Pip and say-

Tell us all about yourself we pray,

For we can't find out, and we can't tell why-

If you're Beast or Fish or a Bird or a Fly."

The Scroobious Pip turned quickly round

And sang these words with a whistly sound

Wizzeby wip - wizzeby wip--

My only name is the Scroobious Pip.

Then all the beasts that walk on the ground

Danced in a circle round and round-

And all the birds that fly in the air

Flew round and round in a circle there,

And all the fish in the Jellybolee

Swum in a circle about the sea,

And all the insects that creep or go

Buzzed in a circle to and fro.

And they roared and sang and whistled and cried

Till the noise was heard from side to side-

Chippetty tip! Chippetty tip!

Its only name is the Scroobious Pip.

-- by Edward Lear and Ogden Nash, from Teapots and Quails

How do the animals react to the Scroobius Pip? How do they go about trying to categorize him?

Why do you think they make an appeal to the "wisest" or largest creature in their group or category?

What happens in stanza 5? How do the beasts, birds, fish, and insects seem to regard this news?

In stanza 5, what do you think the collective moving in circles suggests? Has their attitude changed?

Can you draw an analogy or find a similar situation where humans go through this process?

3 The Scroobious Pip went into the sea

By the beautiful shore of Jellybolee-

All the Fish in the world swam around

With a splashing, squashy spluttering sound.

The sprat, the herring, the turbot too

The shark, the sole and the mackerel blue,

The flounder spluttered, the porpoise puffed,

[The tarpon tacked and the sailfish luffed.]