The Giving Tree By Shel Silverstein Sparknotes

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The title of my book is The Giving Tree, written by Shel Silverstein. The story takes place in a forest, where a little boy visits the tree throughout his life, asking the tree for materials he needs as he grows older. The tree gives and gives until he is of only a trunk, and can not give the boy who has grown to an old man nothing but a trunk to sit on. The boy gladly takes the offer to sit on the trunk as he is too old to play, climb or do anything else but rest. The place is not described in any way or form other than being a forest, probably because the author wants the reader to focus on the deeper meaning of the book, therefore giving the book an easy and plain setting.

The Giving Tree and the boy are the main and only characters of the book. They change shape and form throughout the book, the boy grows older and comes back, again and again, asking The Giving Tree for things he needs. Like a house, so the tree gives away his branches, money for things, so the tree gives his apples for the boy to sell and everything left but his trunk to sail away when he gets old, grim and sad. From the beginning of the book, it is clear that The Giving Tree loves the boy, every time he gives the boy something of himself he is happy. The boy loves The Giving Tree …show more content…

The Giving Tree has a motherly role providing the boy everything he asks for, asking nothing in return, her reward is a selfless love, but you can ask the question of where"s the line? She literally destroys herself to give the boy what he asks for, is it her only purpose, to serve the boy? The boy seems unaffected by The Giving Trees efforts to make him happy, not thanking or ever showing gratitude for her actions. The book"s climate is the power of unconditional love, how it can destroy someone and still make them happy, and how it can be abused by someone

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