Title: The Giving Tree

Author: Shel Silverstein

PLOT:
The book follows the lives of an apple tree and a boy, who develop a relationship with one
another. The tree is very "giving" and the boy evolves into a "taking" teenager, a middle-aged
man, and finally an elderly man. Despite the fact that the boy ages in the story, the tree addresses
the boy as "Boy" his entire life.
In his childhood, the boy enjoys playing with the tree, climbing her trunk, swinging from her
branches, carving "Me + T (Tree)" into the bark, and eating her apples. However, as the boy
grows older, he spends less time with the tree and tends to visit her only when he wants material
items at various stages of his life, or not coming to the tree alone (such as bringing a lady friend
to the tree and carving "Me +Y.L." (Her initials, often assumed to be an acronym for "young
love") into the tree. In an effort to make the boy happy at each of these stages, the tree gives him
parts of herself, which he can transform into material items, such as money (from her apples), a
house (from her branches), and a boat (from her trunk). With every stage of giving, "the Tree
was happy."
In the story both the tree and the boy feel the sting of their respective "giving" and "taking"
nature. When only a stump remains for the tree (including the carving "Me + T"), she is not
happy, at least at that moment. The boy returns as a tired elderly man to meet the tree once more.
She tells him she is sad because she cannot provide him shade, apples, or any materials like in
the past. He ignores this (because his teeth are too weak for apples, and he is too old to swing on
branches and too tired to climb her trunk) and states that all he wants is "a quiet place to sit and
rest," which the tree, who is weak being just a stump, could provide. With this final stage of
giving, "the Tree was happy.
SETTING and CONTEXT: (Any town America, in the
present).The setting is in a forest, more towards the residential
side of the area.

TIME: Didn’t have specific time.

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT:
It also aims to improve the natural environment in the area where the
trees were distributed. But above all, this project strives to improve the
relationship between man and nature, like the boy and the tree.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT:
The Giving Tree could take place anywhere that a tree could
grow. And it could take place at pretty much any time in human
existence after the creation of overalls, money, and markets for
selling goods.

CHARACTERIZATION:
The Tree is very generous, because she always let the boy
take her materials, and use them. She is also very kind, because
she played with the boy, and again, let him take her materials. I
also think tree is also a little bit affectionate because she always
wanted the boy to be happy, and she really liked the boy.
NARRATOR AND POINT OF VIEW:
The narration is from the point of view of the narrator and
reader, as the tale of what happened is recounted to them.

IMAGERY:
The Boy puts the leaves on his head giving the image of a
crown. This is a game that he is playing all alone and so he is
proclaiming himself to be king of the forest, portraying the
image of a selfish king whose rule benefits only himself.

SYMBOLISM:
The Giving Tree is about a mother and son. The Giving Tree is
about the relationship between a mother and son. The
relationship between the boy and the tree is almost exactly like a
mother and son, or child. The son takes from the mother, and
she gives.

FIGURAIVE LANGUAGE:
 The tree is personified; (Personification)
It is introduced to us as a she and given emo- tions to love a
little boy. The book's illustrations, central throughout the story,
animate the loving relationship between the tree and the boy.
  The tree is a metaphor for perfect altruism; (Metaphor).
The man is a metaphor for perfect selfishness.

TONE and MOOD:

IRONY:
Material things providing happiness.
At one point in the story, the boy tells the tree, "'I want to buy
things and have fun. I want some money.'" This line can be seen
as ironic because a very common saying in life is, "Money can't
buy happiness." That line goes against this virtue. However, the
boy thinks he can have fun and ultimately gain happiness if he
has money. The tree doesn't have money but offers up her apples
so the boy can get money selling them. She goes on to say,
“‘Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will
have money and you will be happy.’” The tree too goes on with
the idea the money can bring the boy happiness. Throughout the
story, he continuously comes back to the tree asking for a house
and a boat and finally a place to rest. This all shows irony
because the boy thinks that these material things can give him
what he wants, but at the end of the book when he is an old
crippling man, he isn’t happy; He’s alone and too old to do
anything, showing that his initial desires of wealth and material
things did not bring him ultimate happiness.
Stripped of everything, but still happy.
As the boy grows older, he becomes more and more greedy. He
suddenly doesn’t want happiness and time with the tree but
rather wants material things. The tree cannot supply her beloved
boy with everything he wants, but she still wants to give
everything she can. She doesn’t have much—she’s a tree after
all. But when she happily gives all her fruit away to the boy, she
is happy. When she gives her branches and leaves, she is happy.
When she gives her trunk, she is happy. When she is just a
stump but can provide a comfortable seat to the boy, she is
happy. If looked at through secular eyes, it seems very ironic to
be happy when you have nothing and give everything you do
have away. But when analyzed with morality, it is easy to
understand and admire the beautiful, giving heart of the tree.
Old man still The Boy.
One of The Giving Tree's main characters is the boy. The boy is
a small child at the beginning of the story: young, carefree,
small, and happy. But soon the boy becomes a teenager, then a
man, then a grandfather, then almost unable to move on his own.
However, even as an old man, the tree still calls him "Boy".
That is his only given name in the story, but it is ironic how he is
still called a boy in his elderly years.

THEME:
 Unconditional Love Interpretations from the tree being a
symbol of the boy’s mother to the tree being a metaphor for
Christian charity are all applicable to the theme of unconditional
love. The tree consistently gives the boy whatever it asks for,
never asking for anything more in return than love. This fits in
well with a mother’s unconditional love and with the idea that
charity should be equitably delivered to all who need it,
regardless of their own character or lack thereoff.

GENERAL QUESTION:
 WHAT LIGHT IS THROWN ON THE STORY BY ITS TITLE?
 In an effort to make the boy happy at each of these stages, the
tree gives him parts of herself, which he can transform into
material items, such as money.

• Did you enjoy reading the book? What aspect of the book
gave you pleasure and why? Does the story chiefly offer
escape? Purpose?
 The story in every book is catching of my attention
and that’s why I love reading book.
 I really appreciate all story because of how the
author express the emotions and i notice in the
story is all the things we expect will never be sure
the better outcome, Be patient always and focus
on the goal.