The Giving Tree is an American children's picture book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. One popular suggestion is that humans should regard themselves as stewards of a world that ought to remain intact as it is for our descendants. As the boy grows up, he gets a job, becomes busy, wants a wife and home, and eventually decides to travel the world. THE GIVING TREE is a fable about giving (not always wisely, but deeply) and taking (often without thought but almost always with profound consequences). Early in the book, we read that the tree loved the boy. Is there a word for someone who keeps on giving without thinking about themselves or expecting something in return? Find tips for leading a philosophical discussion on our Resources page. When he was young, the boy played in the branches of the tree. Why hadn’t anybody beaten my ego down sooner? Read aloud video by Storytime with Miss Jeannie. And when I reflect on how I behaved in the past, how entitled and self-assured I was, I am horrified that, like the boy in “The Giving Tree” I hadn’t stopped to consider the sacrifices that I was asking of the people around me. Do you treat people that you love differently from the ones that you don’t? Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree tells the story of a boy who kept on asking the tree for something. The goal in discussing this book with children is to get them to think about how humans should treat natural objects by focusing on how the relationship that the boy has with the tree at different stages of his life changes. The terrible thing about The Giving Tree is that its message is fundamentally problematic. Would you give something you really need to someone you love if they really need it, too? In the end, I did give my friend a copy of “The Giving Tree”. Some have understood the story as one cautioning against environmental destruction. The repeated refrain after each of these events is, “and the tree was happy”. The Giving Tree is a story about the value of generosity and forgiveness, as well as the dangers of greed and ambition. August 2020 Trendsetters Survey Giveaway Offical Rules, Escapism and Dialing-in: October Book Recommendations, Caitlin's Pop of Culture: "Twilight: New Moon", Time Off: 5 Books That Are Perfect To Relax From College And Work, 6 Reasons You’re Not Doing Well in Your Classes, 5 Decor Looks for Less That Your Apartment or Dorm Needs Immediately, The ‘Hustle’ Lifestyle is Secretly Toxic – Here’s Why, 8 Easy Halloween Costumes You Can Make With Things You Already Own, 10 Scarily Easy Treats You'll Be Dying to Make this Halloween. I was taken aback. What is the moral lesson of Hansel and Gretel? Obviously, we don’t want our future children to take after either character by constantly acting selfishly or constantly sacrificing themselves. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave. When the boy returns as an old man, he takes up a less invasive relationship with what remains of the tree–its trunk–and simply sits on it and rests. Can you be angry with someone and love them at the same time? Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal Questions about the appropriate way for humans to treat natural objects are cogently presented by The Giving Tree. When the boy is young, he plays with the tree and cares for her. For those of you who didn’t have the book shoved down your throats throughout your childhood, the plot is fairly straightforward. For me, I realized that this recent re-reading of “The Giving Tree” had served as a reminder of the selfless love that others have demonstrated towards me. Later, when I told another friend my intention to give “The Giving Tree” as a gift (the birthday girl is an aspiring elementary school teacher who has picked up the habit of collecting picture books), she warned me that there were conflicting views about the moral message behind the story. The tree is not really happy after giving the boy her trunk. The Giving Tree is not actually a happy book about giving, but a meditation on longing and the passing of time. For a long time, following the lead of the Bible, philosophers believed that humans had dominion over the natural world. Once there was a tree who loved a little boy. “It’s about a boy and a tree,” Silverstein once said, “it has a pretty sad ending.”, https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/giving-tree-50-sadder-remembered, https://observer.com/2017/03/why-the-giving-tree-makes-you-cry-books-culture-love-life-lessons/, https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2jj6fx/the_moral_behind_the_giving_tree/. Left on its own, the story doesn’t amount to much beyond a story of the boy that takes and the tree that gives and what is left when we grow old. Is it easier to give something away if the receiver truly appreciates the gift? Free, fun, and packed with easy-to-understand explanations! However, it didn’t take long for me to understand where the controversy lay. There’s nothing wrong with this understanding, but again, this isn’t the type of behaviour that we want to be teaching our kids. It reminded me of all the times that the people around me -my parents, my mentors, my teachers- have put up with my selfish behaviour. After all, the boy does cut down the tree to build himself a house and a boat. All rights reserved. Once there was a tree who loved a little boy. The Giving Tree considers the nature of altruism and the obligation to give of oneself in a relationship. Have you ever done something just to make someone happy? As the boy grows older, time and time again, he returns to the tree to ask for things to help him get a foothold in the adult world: from wooing his future wife to building a house to traveling the world, the tree willingly offers what she can to help him. The tree keeps on giving to the boy until it has nothing left to give. Services, Working Scholars® Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. This isn’t exactly the stuff that healthy relationships are made out of. Have the students draw or write something that they think the old man could have done with the stump that would have been better than just sitting on it. At first, although the boy uses the tree and its various features as a source for his enjoyment, he does so in a way that does not harm the tree. Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk… and the tree was happy. Have you ever given something away and later wished that you hadn’t? What is the moral lesson of The Giving Tree? When you give something to someone, do you expect something in return? The book opens with scenes of childhood happiness. Evaluate \lim_{n \to \infty} n^2}{\ln n. Evaluate the limit: limit as x approaches 0^+ of... "Seat belts save lives." In her free time, she enjoys reading, sampling poutine restaurants, and taking pictures of flowers. We might characterize the relationship this way: The young boy respects the tree and its integrity. Greencastle, IN 46135 Become a Study.com member to unlock this The boy plays with the tree every day: running, climbing, swinging, pretending. Her Campus may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. We have a selfish boy who only knows how to take, and the selfless tree who only knows how to give. Why or why not? The Giving Tree is a story by Shel Silverstein about the friendship between a boy and a tree. But in the three next stages–that is, as a young man, a young adult, and an adult–the boy’s relationship takes a more and more destructive course as he first takes the tree’s apples to sell, then cuts down the tree’s branches, and finally takes its trunk. However, there was no part in the story that the boy ever said “thank you” and “please” to the tree. Each stage of this transformation process represents simultaneously a stage of human growth and the resources available to fulfill the human needs and desires of that stage. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Boy befriends tree. Do you think the boy is selfish? Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk… and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave. 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