2007-08-17 Many Layers to This Story, Just Like a Tree's Many Rings

Stories are one of the oldest and most intense forms of human learning. The Giving Tree has all of the elements of the kind of mythical story that provides sustenance to all who tell and listen to the story throughout their lives. A person aged 93 can enjoy it as much as a 3 year old, yet in a totally different way.

The story begins like this:

"Once there was a tree . . .

and she loved a little boy."

At the most obvious level, then this is a story about the joys of love . . . and the pleasures of being loved. The experience is clearest when the boy is youngest.

"And every day the boy would come . . . ."

Whenever the boy came when he was little, that brought the tree happiness.

"And the tree was happy."

The tree shares many resources with the boy, and takes back companionship as her reward. This message is reinforced by the fact that the tree is always happy when the boy (now a man) returns less often) . . . except when he takes the tree's trunk.

As a literal object, the tree obviously also stands for nature's bounty . . . as long as we don't take too much, it will continue to provide for us. But calling the tree "she" also suggests that perhaps the tree stands for a metaphor for a mother or grandmother, either in the family or as Mother Nature.

The story is obviously written from the tree's perspective. All the scenes have the tree in it. So we are to learn from the tree's experiences.

The tree always gives the boy what he wants. But is it always good for the boy? It's hard to tell, but we have a clue that it may not be. The boy who wanted branches for a house to have a wife and family, later just wants a boat to leave. This suggests that something went wrong with his plan. But nature and your family will always take you in, subject to the resources they have remaining.

But what is the message for the little boy? He is happiest when with the tree while small. When older, he wants many things, but they don't seem to provide him with happiness that lasts. Although he gets all the material possessions the tree can give, it helps him less than the tree's companionship.

Clearly, the little boy is hardly a noble character except when pure in his devotion to the tree. If you are like me, you will have a negative reaction to the boy man taking the tree's trunk for a boat. That's just asking too much. But unconditional love provides it, as undefended nature cannot deny humans either.

At another level though, the balance is redressed by the aged man's physical decline.

"I am very tired."

"Sit down and rest."

"And the boy did."

Even as a stump, the tree can help the boy old man. The boy old man can no longer chew apples, nor build houses, nor make boats. They are at one again.

"And the tree was happy."

Perhaps one of the greatest messages of the tree is that there is such a thing as unconditional love. Children are often not sure about their parents in this regard. The parent who reads this story to a daughter or son will have gone a long way toward sending the message that he or she is loved . . . unconditionally.

The book has much to recommend it for beginning readers. Most of the words are short, repeated, and relate closely to the line drawings. Thus, most children can memorize long sequences and begin to decode words to match their memories. Before long, they can begin to recognize the words.

The Shel Silverstein line drawings have a unique charm to them, often cropping the tree and the boy in unusual ways . . . suggesting motion. My only regret is that there is no color used with the stories. I think that color would have deepened the impact, especially for young children.

After you have finished reading and enjoying the story, I suggest that you ask yourself what should be the limits of giving based on love, if any. Also, what is the responsibility of the recipient of unconditional love? Beyond that, what is each person's responsibility to nature?

Look for the circles within the circles.