I remember the first time I finished reading this book to my children. I would give commentary while reading books to them. It’s giving, very much same energy during movies. My children loved the way I would discuss or give a little extra expression during the story.
The Giving Tree is an award winning, classic American children’s book who’s intention is to convey a mother’s love and sacrifice for her child or children in general because the tree is representing a woman and there is an actual small male child character.
The boy first comes to the tree and enjoys the splendor of its protection. He’s shaded from the sun, fed from her apples and finds comfort under her branches.
The boy leaves for a while. When he returns, he’s no longer a child he’s a young man. The young man has even met someone and needs to make money to start his life, so he asks the tree for a way to make money. Did the tree not have to come up with the idea of giving the young man its apples to sell. The tree shakes free its apples and give them to the young man to sell.
He leaves AGAIN for a while. When the boy who is now a man returns, he doesn’t even ask how the tree has been doing. He doesn’t even care that she no longer bears fruit. He now needs a place to stay. He asks the tree how he can get shelter for himself and that beautiful tree figures out yet again another solution for this man boy. She says, “I’ll give you my branches.” The man boy without hesitation, limb by limb, cuts down her beautiful branches and leaves.
He’s gone even longer this time. No post cards or flowers.
The tree has no shade and bears no fruit, and it still wasn’t enough. The man boy felt entitled to more. The audacity! He returns after he continued to screw his life up, wanting to escape. So he asks for a way to get away from it all. This poor tree, tired and not as vibrant as she once was, solves yet ANOTHER problem for this blood sucking pathogen. She gives the man her trunk for him to make a boat and sail off. He expectantly cut down her beautiful trunk and did what man boys do.
Now the tree is merely a stump.
She gave and gave and gave without a single return. He didn’t have to ask about her. If he cared, it was not shown. He took as long as she was willing to give. He returns one more time. They both are old. The stump is older. The man boy STILL NEEDED HER. He wanted to rest, and this selfless thing provided it.
Why do we condition women to give until they have nothing left?
When I finished reading the last page to my then, small children. I said I’ll never be this tree! It was very hard to conceptualize the messaging in the story. I already gave so much of myself as a mother. As a Wife and Mother! So give when it’s all that I have then give more. Nope!
At the very least, I will raise my children to be capable adults, and they will not be succubus’s to me. I will not be this never-ending supply of whatever they want from me. I will continue to parent them in a more advisory role when they become adults. Birdies gotta fly.
Something About Stephanie 