The Giving Tree (Silverstein) - Book Report/Review Example

Dawn Murray Mr. Pierce Module English 215-section -005 Module ID: November 14, The Giving Tree“The Giving Tree” (1964) is a very pathetic story by famous American poet, fiction writer and cartoonist Shel Silverstein. The short-story, in a highly morbid way, narrates the process of life from childhood to old age, in a powerful manner by depicting the alterations in the desires, interests, necessities and views of the individuals along with the growth of his age. The story also describes the selfishness of humans towards the selfless objects of nature, which are always ready to serve the humans even by undergoing pains and sacrificing their life too during the course of time.

The story also alludes to child-parent relationship, where the parents sacrifice their comforts and needs for the happiness of their children. The fiction begins with the encounter of a child with a lonely tree, where the child’s presence brings the message of joy to the tree. Being an entirely lonely creature perhaps for years, the tree considers the boy as his companion and associate, whose company will end his solitude. The boy plays round the tree, climbs over its trunk, swings with its branches, picks from its fruit and converses with it under the state of complete silence.

The tree offers the boy with delicious fruit to eat, thick shadow to take rest and sleep, and gorgeous entertainment opportunities of singing and dancing around it. It also offers its leaves to the boy, crown of which he wears to become the ‘king of jungle.’ In return, the tree demands nothing, but his company to get rid of the still and silent life. The changing life and growing years take the boy away from the giving tree, and now he visits the tree time and again only. However, the tree always welcomes him with utmost joy and enthusiasm.

He is always affectionate and sheltering, and enquires the boys of his needs and requirements, though it does not receive anything from him in return. The boy visits it after a long gap, and discusses his growing financial needs; in return, the tree offers him its apples to pick and sell to fulfill the needs. The years passed and the boy does not go back; somehow, his next visit takes place with the demand of material for building a house for his family. The tree bestows its branches upon him without having slightest gloom for deprivation of the leaves and branches.

On the contrary, it feels excited on being able to comfort the boy. Thus, tree renders unflinching services to his so called companion. The boy pays next visit in the state of sadness, and seeks the support of the tree for building a boat to sail towards the yonder lands. The sacrificing tree offers him to cut its trunk for constructing the boat. The boy acts upon accordingly and does not return for long. Somehow, he pays his last visit of the tree as an old man. The tree is extremely delighted to find him again, and offers him to come near it.

Instead of making any complains, the tree feels guilty on not being able to offer him fruit, shelter and joy. The boy informs it that being an old fellow, he does not need fruit to eat and branches to swing; rather, he just requires its stump to sit on and take some rest for the time being. The tree takes it as the token of honor and enthusiastically allows him to sit on the stump. Though apparently the story looks far from the realities of life, as the trees cannot speak to the humans, and hence are unable to convey their emotions and feelings to them; yet in an allegorical manner, the author has drawn out the relation of humans with the selfless objects of nature.

The story indirectly portrays the child-parent association too, where the children contact the parents only for their personal, financial and materialistic gains; in return, the parents are ready to sacrifice each and everything they possess to the children without having any hope of reward from them. They just want to see their children happy, blissful and close to their eyes. They have nothing to demand from the children, but to offer them food, clothing, shelter, comforts and best wishes for their social and economic uplift for the rest of their life.

The story is vehemently moving one, which reveals the author’s command over human nature and psychology.BibliographySilverstein, Shel The Giving Tree (Harper Collins 1964) 1-2 Retrieved from http://www.icpna.edu.pe/documentos/THE%20GIVING%20TREE.pdf