The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: A Book Review

Aside from the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry( 5 stars ), this is another book influenced me to read children books. Besides, had my nun student not hyped it up on Facebook, my interest in reading children books would not have erupted more from its dormant state. This experience is sort of juvenile recidivism.

What I like about reading children books is their colorful illustrations. In its case, I was like a child fascinated by its thinly green- shaded apple tree laden with one apple while the cute boy is extending his hand up to the tree.

Alas, my parents were not educated enough to encourage me to explore the library of children books.

While reading this book, I was thinking of that the story might be about the relationship between a mother and a child. But after doing research, particularly in Wikipedia, I have found out that the relationship could be interpreted in four situations (some kinda hermeneutic):

(a)The tree represents God or Jesus and the boy represents humankind.

(b)The tree represents Mother Nature and the boy represents humankind.

(c) The tree and the boy are friends (i.e., “the message of the tale is seen as a relation between adults”).

(d)The tree and the boy have a parent-child relationship.

I would absolutely agree with the second, third, and fourth ones. ^^

This is the kind of short story I enjoy much. No need unnecessary embellishments to impress a reader like me. Telling the story point-blank , seething with moral lessons ,will do. ^^

Rating: 4/ 5 stars ( I really liked it. )