"The Giving Tree" book -- what am I supposed to make of this?

[Anonymous]

I like The Giving Tree! The tree is selfless. The boy and tree do bond, and are friends at the end of the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The tree is gendered, folks. It's not just about a tree/parent, it's female. And the kid/taker is male. BIG problem.

Isn't that often true? The story never says that relationships should be that way. The tree is not a hero.

[Anonymous]

The Giving Tree, otherwise known as "How to be masochistic in 5 easy lessons."

[Anonymous]

My husband thinks this book should be retitled "The Selfish Boy"

[Anonymous]

The simple child's book can be interpreted in so many different ways which makes it very powerful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like The Giving Tree! The tree is selfless. The boy and tree do bond, and are friends at the end of the book.

You be the tree (as that great sage, Ryan Gosling, said).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The tree is gendered, folks. It's not just about a tree/parent, it's female. And the kid/taker is male. BIG problem.

Isn't that often true? The story never says that relationships should be that way. The tree is not a hero.

i always thought the tree was male, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The tree is gendered, folks. It's not just about a tree/parent, it's female. And the kid/taker is male. BIG problem.

Isn't that often true? The story never says that relationships should be that way. The tree is not a hero.

i always thought the tree was male, too.

The tree is referred to as "she" throughout the book, so.....

[Anonymous]

I also can't stand this book. I also hate that one where the mother bunny is always trying to out-do the baby bunny by saying she loves him more. Like he poor little bunny is just trying to be sweet to his mother and say something nice, and she can't just say "Thank you" -- she's got to one-up him and prove that no matter how much he loves her, she's always going to love him more. What a jerk of a mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The tree is gendered, folks. It's not just about a tree/parent, it's female. And the kid/taker is male. BIG problem.

Isn't that often true? The story never says that relationships should be that way. The tree is not a hero.

i always thought the tree was male, too.

Sorry. I'm the "The tree is not a hero" poster. I think I explained it badly.

The tree is definitely female. The opening ,I've is something like "Once there was a tree and SHE lived a little boy".

My points were 1) I know lots of relationships that fit this mold and the "tree" person is almost always female.

2) I think you can read the book 2 ways. One way is that the tree is the hero and we should emulate her. I think this gives a very warped message.

I also think that you can read it as "Sometimes people are like this. Discuss. . . ". And then I think it's a really fantastic book because it lets you have deep conversations. Of course that also means it's not really a book for 3 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Hey 10:28 -- In the book Guess How Much I Love You, I think that Big Nutbrown Hare is a male rabbit, not a mom rabbit. But your point stands - I always hated the competiveness aspect to that book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had to hide this book from my kids because I would sob in the bathroom every damn time after reading it.

The old tree giving selflessly, the man coming back to die, I can't even. It kills me.

Same. Tried to read it to my son when I was pregnant with my daughter. Nope. Tears streaming down my face. Never again.