Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

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Max is an imaginative little boy that is always getting into trouble. After his mother sends him to his room without dinner, Max's imagination takes flight and he is soon the king of the land where the wild things are. Will Max stay in his new kingdom with his wild monsters, or will he get homesick and recognize how much his mother actually loves him?


Composition: Where the Wild Things Are - Has a very distinctive compositional style. Subdued shadowy color schemes are enhanced by sharp repetitive line shading to evoke the supernatural aspects of the story. As most of the story occurs at night, the art style supports this by showing the yellow eyes of the monsters and the ominous forest. Both the monsters and Max are shown with horns and sharp claws in a similar style which gives credence to him becoming their king. The texture and the color scheme dominate the story and give it a cohesiveness that brings Max from his bedroom to the land of the wild things and back in a circular narrative. 

Setting: Where the Wild Things Are - The setting for Where the Wild Things Are is Max’s bedroom where he is sent as punishment. The bedroom has a double nature as it transforms into the imaginary land where the wild things are. Time also has a dual nature as Max sails in his boat to his wild island over a lengthy span of time, and yet returns to find that his supper is not only waiting for him, but still hot. The art also depicts his bedroom’s transformation, the tall posters on his bed imply the tall trees in the forest. Max’s travel to, and adventures in, his imaginary land integrally ties the setting to the plot.

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. NY: Harper Collins.

-Ms. J