Who gave?
What is so arguable about The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein? There are plenty of things that anyone could argue about while reading any of Silversteins works. A person could argue that he is a children's writer and made his name known in Playboy Magazine, or that he publishes poems that have to do with the devil, sex, and drugs. This is very uncommon for a children's writer. If children know Silverstein for his works, and then see something with his name on it, they will think it is for them. When really, it could be something as disturbing as Uncle Shelby's Kiddie Korner. Everything being taught to a child can be argued. This book just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and got a bad interpretation. This book is simple; it is about a tree that loves a boy, and a boy that loves her back. I could argue with this book saying that the boy was selfish with the tree and that he killed her because of it. I don't feel this way though, some people would say that the only reason he kept coming back was when he wanted something. I don't think this is true. I think he came to visit, and he told his goals to the tree, and the tree said he could have her resources to help his goals become reality. He did not want anythin
Silverstein ended the book with the boy resting on the old stump that used to be a tree. I think he wanted to symbolize that nothing lives forever, and that the tree is going to die with the boy. The tree loves the boy, and wants nothing else but happiness for him. The tree gives the boy all of her resources, and she cannot continue to grow anymore, so they both die together. But "the tree was happy" and that is all that matters. This book can be very controversial, but only if you take it for what it does not mean. Silverstein very well may have written this book to be controversial, but I do not think that he did that on purpose, or even expect it to be recognized. His works in Playboy were never dubbed too risque for a children's writer, people that over analyze this book should be forced to read something that is worth arguing over. Not a story of a tree that loves a boy, and a boy that loves her back. This book has many points that a reader can sit and think about for years, but the only person who knows what it actually means is Silverstein himself. He may have seen the irony or the parts that he knew people would argue about, and he himself may not be quite sure of the meaning of the story, but he will be the only person who understands it the most for what it was written for. People in today's society over analyze everything. This book is better left alone for a reader to enjoy. Let the person reading make their own choice whether or not they think this book is too controversial for their child. No person should be kept from reading this book because a
Some common words found in the essay are:
Kiddie Korner, Ann Glendon, Gilbert Meilaender, Glendon Meilaender, Playboy Magazine, Shel Silverstein, Tree Money, tree loves, boy tree, tree happy, loves boy, children's writer, book controversial, boy loves, tree loves boy, , Mary Ann, loves boy boy, ann glendon, boy boy, boy selfish, mary ann glendon, boy boy loves,
Approximate Word count = 1060
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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