Philosophy in The Giving Tree

Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. New York: Harper & Row, 1964. Print

Shel Silverstein wrote a children’s book that can have multiple meanings. He refused to tell the real purpose of writing The Giving Tree. There are many different interpretations of the story. Some may say that the relationship between the tree and the boy is that of a relationship between a parent and their child. Also, another interpretation is that the tree is God and the boy represents humanity.

Overall, the book tells a story of a boy that keeps going back to the tree for material items for things that he wanted to be happy. The tree is happy when the boy is with her and the boy is happy when the tree gives him a part of it. The boy did not thank the tree for giving up everything she had.

The illustrations in this book are very simple and black and white. Throughout the story the boy ages and the tree slowly loses the parts that make it a tree. For example, the boy takes the apples, the branches, and the trunk in order for him to be happy.

And the tree was happy…but not really

In the book, a literary element that exists is repetition. Repetition is present when the book read “and the tree was happy”.

Questions that can be raised from this story are what is happiness, what is a relationship, and what is the purpose of life.