green eggs and ham

Oh yes. This is happening.

In Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, Sam plays the role of a questioner, continuously asking his unnamed acquaintance whether or not he likes green eggs and ham despite refusal from his friend. However, on a deeper level, Sam can be seen as a character who achieves a sense of identity and can define himself, whereas his friend lacks such identity, seen as he isn't even given a name. In addition to acting as a work of self-discovery, Dr. Seuss' book also addresses prejudice and the pressures of society on behavior.

In the beginning of the work, Sam says, "I am Sam / I am Sam / Sam I am," showing that he is confident in his realization of self. On the other hand, his friend simply states "I do not like / that Sam-I-Am," indicating his inner frustration for his lack of self-awareness. He gives no reason as to why he dislikes Sam except that Sam is who he is.

The character expresses prejudice towards both Sam and the dish throughout the book in that he shows unexplained disdain for Sam-I-Am and the green eggs and ham. In reference to Sam, his indifference towards him could be due to Sam's ability to self-identify, as mentioned before when he refers to him as "Sam-I-Am." On the other hand, the character's hatred of the green eggs and ham is strange to Sam as he has not even tried them before. In this case, his feelings toward the dish are expressed simply through his belief that he will not like them; therefore, his expected hatred for the green eggs and ham becomes a self-fulfilled prophecy in that he hates them without even trying.

As Sam asks his friend whether or not he likes green eggs and ham, he projects his own appreciation of the dish onto him. By doing this, he's forcing his own identity upon his acquaintance, and though his acquaintance grows frustrated with Sam's actions, he does nothing to discover his own self. However, he also rejects any attempts of Sam to partake in his lifestyle, which shows that he doesn't want Sam's identity to become his own. His friend also represents a character who has not given in to societal pressures, making him isolated both in his lack of name and his refusal to try the green eggs and ham.

When the nameless friend finally refers to Sam as "Sam" rather than "Sam-I-Am," it's when he finally gives in to Sam's insistence to try green eggs and ham, symbolizing his acceptance of Sam's identity as well as his step into finding his own. With his mind made up to try the dish, the character is reuniting himself with society and what is considered the societal norm, also rejecting his previous views of prejudice against the green eggs and ham. 

While Green Eggs and Ham serves mainly as a promoter for children to try new experiences, Dr. Seuss' work also illustrates the imposing qualities that society holds over the individual as well as the struggle to find a sense of identity.