Stories are stories and will never be reality. When the tree was giving, did it not make the tree happy? So the tree got something too. If giving to the little one and the old didn't make the tree happy, it wouldn't give. Anyway, my point is that people do talk about a mother's unconditional love, but if you look at it in perspective, then the mother gets happiness back too. So it's pointless to think that the tree just gave and gave and the boy just had it made and made. Or in other words, if our parents didn't find pleasure in giving us, no matter if they inconvenienced themselves in doing so, they would not do so. People just naturally assume that with giving the giver is not receiving!
Beena - how appropriate your thoughts about giving - especially consider the time of year. Everyone should give like the tree - out of love and with no strings attached.
So what do you guys believe is the moral for the children? That its ok to take until there is nothing left? Is that what we want to teach our children? Some of you view it as a "mothers" unconditional love. Don't fathers have this as well? Don't we need to teach our children that they too must give at times and not only take until there is nothing left?
Just askin
Thanks Linkat.
ralpheb,
You have a very strong point there. But in regards to the tree, what could the boy really give to the tree except come there, which is what the tree liked. And, I would not take its branches away if I loved the tree, so if the boy did that it means that he never loved it but came there only to use it. So the tree just gave. As for a mother's unconditional love, I think in general people say that, but there are fathers out there I'm sure who even surpass that. As to giving in return, yes you're right that children should learn to appreciate and give when they take and not take too much. But in the case of the tree and the person, the person never really loved the tree I believe. And in the world it comes to this - some people just like to use others whom they don't love, which the person in the story did at every stage of his life.
He gives the tree love. Just like a child. Giving is not always something material like apples or branches.
But a book can have different meaning to different people. It all depends on how you present and what you focus on. Focus the meaning on the positives of giving and love between the two and that is what you can get from the story. Focus on the negative and that is what you will take away from the story. Either way it can be a great learning tool for your child. As they age and possibly ask those questions - is it right the boy takes and takes and never gives? Then you have another topic to discuss with your child. Whether the meaning is negative or positive - you can still discuss and talk about what is right and wrong.
No, he does not love the tree or he could never cut its branches, but he finds solace in it at times. A little child loves his mother and so would not ever even think of harming his mother.
The boy did not ask to cut her branches, the tree offerred. Also this is a tree - you can trim branches without harming a tree. In addition this is supposed to be symbolic, not reality - symbolic of giving something person - it really has nothing to do with harming.
However, in any story, the reader may interpret as they feel. I feel this is symbolic in giving and loving. The name of the story is the giving tree - not the taking boy - thus the focus is on giving, not taking.
So if someone who loves you offers you something at his own disadvantage, you would take it? If you did, then would that show love from your part for that person? NO! So the boy never loved the tree, only the tree did and that is why - The giving tree. But just because the focus is on giving does not mean that we overlook the unmerciful or opportunistic taking by the boy. How can you be so selective in reading I wonder? I've heard of selective listening where you only listen what you wish to hear and nothing other but this is my first experience of seeing selective reading.
Beena - I don't think that you throughly read all my posts as far as selective reading. Basically you get out of a book what you want and this book can be read and interpreted in different ways. For a young child you interpret and explain as is appropriate for example as it being a loving positive relationship. As the child grows and may begin to ask questions about giving so much then it becomes a learning tool for would it be right to ask for so much? Etc.
I pretty much said this book is great in that it has ample learning tools in it.
Unfortunately we will never get to know what the author's true meaning is of the book as he never would get involved in explaining - seemed the book caused so much controversy he didn't want to participate.
