THE GIVING TREE
BY: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Vanessa Burdiek, Jordan Kennedy, Kristin
Showalter, Laura Staab, Sidney Westervelt
GENRE
•
•
Narrative Poetry – It tells a long narrative poem through the setting,
character, and plot
•
Setting: Outdoors/Nature
•
Characters: Tree, Boy, Girlfriend
•
Plot: There is a life cycle of the boy and the tree
Shows sign of fantasy – Tree is personified by it being able to talk and given
a gender
•
Example: “And then one day the boy came backed and the tree shook with joy and
she said…”
VB
THEMES
Selflessness/Selfishness
•
The Tree  Selfless
Gives without question:
•
Apples
•
Branches
•
Tree Trunk
•
Stump
•
The Boy  Selfish
Only visits when:
•
Needs Money
•
House
•
To Travel – Boat
•
Lonely
JK
THEMES
Environment
•
We rely on the environment for all aspects of life/take
advantage of the environment
•
Entertainment
•
Gives us shelter
•
Gives us transportation
•
Provides materials/goods
LS
THEMES
Religion
•
The tree symbolizes The Savior by giving selflessly even when we are
unappreciative
•
The tree sacrificed her body for the betterment of the boy in the same way
that Jesus gave his life for mankind
•
Example: Tree could represent Jesus
•
Example: Boy could represent mankind
SW
GENDER ROLES
•
•
•
The tree is a girl and is very nurturing and giving towards the boy
In return he gives her nothing!
Young boy  Tree nurtures him in the same way a mother
nurtures her son
•
•
“And they would play hide-and-go-seek.”
Older Man  Tree gives sacrificially in the same way a wife gives
to her husband to maintain the relationship
•
“And the tree was happy… but not really.”
KS
FUN FACTS
•
The dedication of The Giving Tree, “For Nicky”, turns out
to be one of his old girlfriend’s
•
Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education
Association named The Giving Tree one of its “Teachers’
Top 100 Books for Children”
WORKS CITED
WEB RING: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
HTTP://SHELSILVERSTEIN.TRIPOD.COM/DEDICATI
ONS.HTML
WIKIPEDIA: “THE GIVING TREE”
HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/THE_GIVING_TREE