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Sacrifice In Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree

Decent Essays

Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” describes a mother’s love. In the book, the tree represented a mother who would willingly do anything to keep their child happy—even if that made her slightly unhappy. And the boy represents a selfish, oblivious child who cares for no one’s happiness but his own. He took what he wanted and whatever was offered to him without even giving anything back. The story portrays love and sacrifice and relies on three literary tools: Character, plot, and tone. These literary tools will analyze the situation.

The Giving Tree focuses on a boy and a tree. They are able to communicate with each other and the boy would always visit the tree. Silverstein does not give away the boy’s age but he did give away the tree’s gender by using the pronoun “her.” Silverstein also gave the tree human-like abilities. The tree could talk and feel—physically and emotionally. Which means Silverstein used personification in his story. While reading through the story, it seemed …show more content…

As he grew older, the boy and the tree became very close friends. The tree was extremely fond of him. The boy would always visit the tree, and the tree would provide the boy with whatever it is he needed. The tree gave him vines to swing from, shade to rest in, apples to eat and sell, branches to build a house, her trunk to build a boat, and her stump to sit on. Over the years, the tree gave the boy all of what she had just to make him happy. As a result, the boy was never happy or contented, and would always want more. He came back to her in the end when the tree was nothing but a stump, and he was all old and alone. And still, the tree offered him what was left of her without any hesitation. This again symbolizes what a mother does for their child; no matter what happens, no matter it is her child did, she would gladly welcome her child back with open arms. They give almost whatever they can even if it means they would have to sacrifice for

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