You see that? They are really similar.
My theory?
The Once-ler is Ted’s grandfather.
Grammy Norma is in a relationship with the Once-ler and she has a child—a beautiful little girl— with him very soon before the last Truffula Tree is killed.
When the last tree falls, Once-ler becomes depressed and tells Norma to leave him because he doesn’t deserve her. He slips farther and farther out of her reach, becoming more and more closed off and violent towards her. No matter how badly she wants to stay with him, she leaves, taking their daughter with her. She moves into Thneedville, far away from the factory, giving him the space and time he needs. She hopes maybe he’ll come find her, but he never does.
She never tells her daughter about Once-ler, but she never forgets him, hoping that one day he may come back to town. The girl asks about him from time to time, but Norma never tells her the truth, or she simply responds with “You’ll understand when you’re older.” She hopes every day that her daughter will show an interest in a real tree, so that she could find him and prove that people do care about trees. She never does.
Then, this daughter of hers grows up, starts a family of her own, and she has a son. Her daughter experiences the loss of her own husband, and Norma grieves with her. She debates telling her about her father, but decides that its too late. She’s too old to care much about him since he wasn’t there at all during her life.
Then, Norma’s grandson grows up a little, and one day surprises her by asking her about the one thing that may bring her love back to her. He wants a tree. She tells him eagerly how to contact him, and encourages him, even lies to her daughter so that he is able to talk to him.
She just waits for Ted to bring back her love, Ted’s grandfather, and Mrs. Wiggin’s father.
