The Giving Tree

  One of my favorite topics to teach, is teaching students about the different themes in stories. Sure, when we read stories, we usually look for problems and solutions, or discuss character traits, but to understand what the story is teaching is, is a hard topic for kids.

   One of my favorite books, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, was a book that I chose for this particular lesson. I felt that this book provided many different themes that could be argued with evidence from the story. Now, I haven't read this story is a long time, and little did I know that this would be a lesson for me too.

  So.... we started the lesson by discussing what theme is, and we talked about all of the different types of themes that books can teach us, and discussed examples of stories that we have read that might have had one of these themes. Then, we reviewed how to pick a theme and use evidence from the story to support that theme... you know how all of that teaching stuff goes.... but then I began to read the story...

  Well, if you don't know this story, I'll give you a bit of background:
          A little boy is befriends a tree, and he plays with the tree all the time as a child, and the tree loves the little boy. As he ages, he always visits the tree and asks for things, and the tree does its best to provide for the boy (or man). The tree gives everything it possibly can to the boy/man through its life and his life; each time it gives, it is still happy.

   At one point, during the story, a little girl raises her hand and says "Why is the tree still happy, even when he (the boy) takes her branches and her leaves? He's hurting her!!!"

  At that moment, I stopped, and really thought about what she said before I answered her. Hmmm.... then I had one of those really in depth thoughts and analyzed this story. This story has so much symbolism...I mean this tree could represent many things!! The tree could represent a mother, a teacher, GOD!!! WOW....why had I never thought about this before?

 So, then I answered her in my teacher voice, " Well, sometimes when you really love something or someone, you do everything in your power to help them and provide for them. Sometimes, making someone else happy, is all the happiness anyone or anything needs. In this case, the tree loves the boy so much, that giving everything to him, makes her the happiest because she knows that she is making the person she loves so incredibly happy. Like your mom or dad...see, parents do the same for us. They would do anything for you, they would give everything they could to see you succeed in life, and that is what the tree is like for that boy."
 
  The little girl looked at me and smiled, the reassuring smile of, "Okay, I understand that". After the story, we discussed the themes that this book represented: Love, friendship, kindness, being self-less.

 So, folks, I leave you with this:

If you are a parent, share this story with your babies. You are an amazing parent because you are self less, loving, and kind, like the tree.

If you are a teacher, share this with your class and teach them to be kind, teach them about friendship, and love. Tell them, that you are the tree, because we all know that teachers are self less, we love our "kids", and we provide them everything we can (within our means).

If you are a wife, share this with your husband. Share the love and passion of the tree because in a marriage you share the love of the tree...you both give without asking for anything in return, you always provide, and you both love unconditionally.