Self Care In Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree

Throughout “Love Should Grow up Like an Wild Iris in the Fields” Susan Griffin provokes the readers to think twice about why they consistently enslave themselves with the burden of daily monotony, instead of enjoying the simplicity of love. Griffin uses two metaphors in her poem when describing love, as a flower, as well as the iris of an eye. Her comparisons are both interesting as well as accurate.

“’The next time you work on your trees, don’t think about trees. Think about love, or hate, or joy, or pain – whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat, or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling.’”(122) In the book speak there are many examples of symbolism. The one that stands out the most is the tree as it is mentioned very frequently in almost every chapter of the book. It represents that growth that she goes through as a character from the beginning of the book to the end and her mental recovery after the traumatic event of being raped. The different representations we see of the tree correspond with the state she is in and the emotions she is feeling at that part in the book. When she is struggling with her life she

The speaker conveys family value is more important than any monetary value. The tree represents the growth of the family and how it is now intertwined with the house through the, "roots in the cellar drains" (Oliver 11). Nothing can replace the sentimental value the tree represents. There is a shift in the theme from the beginning. The speaker wanted to sell the tree for the money, demonstrating theme that sometimes things must be sacrificed in order to provide for practical needs.

The narrator's vision of her ancestors expanding a plentiful life is emphasized with the picturesque “blue fields…with leaves and vines and orchards.” This then strikes the narrator with the realization that cutting down the tree would be a betrayal to their ancestors, their dreams and the demise of the heritage of the

“I would hope that people, no matter what age, would find something to identify with my books…,” Shel Silverstein. (Ward 13) Throughout Shel Silverstein’s books he writes things that seem like a simple poem, but when the poems are deciphered they reveal a much deeper meaning. A situation may seem like a silly story about magic, but in reality it is a situation that encourages people to reach their full potential and take all they can from life. This also alludes to the fact that individuals can change the world by simply being themselves and portraying a positive image about themselves to the world. Furthermore, Shel Silverstein’s books encourage people to be themselves and to not let others influence how they think of themselves. Through Silverstein’s various works he has encouraged all age groups to embrace their individuality and he has taught people various life lessons through a more understandable medium.

Trees and plants represent life in the novel which ties into the overarching theme of the dehumanization that comes from slavery. Many of the characters in Beloved have been subjected to awful events causing them to feel as if they were worse than animals. Because of this, many characters look to the beauty of nature and trees in particular, to help them heal from their time in slavery. For example, Baby Suggs decided to preach in a place called The Clearing, which is surrounded by tall trees. "In the Clearing, Sethe found Baby's old preaching rock and remembered the smell of leaves simmering in the sun, thunderous feet and the shouts that ripped pods off the limbs of chestnuts. With Baby Suggs' heart in charge, the people let go." (Morrison 94) Another example of trees bringing healing to the characters in the novel is the arrival of Beloved. “A fully dressed woman walked out of the water. She barely gained the dry bank of the stream before she sat down and leaned against a mulberry tree.”(Morrison 60) This tree represents a chance at a new life for Beloved and also offers Sethe a chance to heal. Ever since killing her child, Sethe has been haunted over her decision and she is finally able to confront her past with the appearance of

The novel, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, is an everlasting story that shows the importance of individuality. This novel is about a young boy named Jonas who was elected as the Receiver of Memories, a person who is given the memories from the world that existed before their current society, Sameness. In this society there is no individualism. People can not choose who to marry, or what they want to do for a living. Over time Jonas becomes more and more wise, and realizes that the supposedly perfect community actually has some very dark and negative aspects. The author, Lois Lowry is a 76-year-old writer who focuses her writing on helping struggling teenagers become individuals. Lowry had a very tragic childhood. After both of her parents were

In Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the concept of love is explored through several of Janie’s relationships which define not only how societal-cultural norms affect relationships, but also how emotionally fulfilling love ascends over the bounds of society into its own basis. The setting of the book is the early 20th century in the South of America, which spawns Janie into a society of inequalities: primarily generation, gender (along with race), and class. Amongst the obstacles of inequality, Hurston establishes Janie’s idea of a perfect love symbolically with her moment under the pear tree: “She saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!” (11). Although one might initially believe the metaphor serves to mirror the cultural norm that the (female) tree waits for the aggressive (male) bee to penetrate its blossoms, the careful wording “arch to meet the love embrace” indicates that Janie’s idea of love is actually reciprocal and mutual. The choice to have Janie make this belief involving two different species suggests that within this mutual love, there should be no barriers in terms of race or class, for both the bee and the tree possess neither

Melinda’s art class is the only class that she enjoys because she feels that it is a way to show her emotions and to describe what she’s feeling. "I see a girl caught in the remains of a holiday gone bad, with her flesh picked off day after day as the carcass dries out.The knife and fork are obviously middle class sensibilities. The palm tree is a nice touch. A broken dream, perhaps?" (Anderson; 64) This piece of art shows how she feels. Her art teacher understands her emotions. However, she fails many times attempting to create a tree sculpture, but then finally succeeds. This represents how she fails to face the fact to understand that she was sexaully assaulted but then finds the answer. “This looks like a tree, buts it’s an average,everyday,boring tree. Breath life into it. Make it bend- trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch - perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree.” (Anderson;153) Melinda’s art teacher wants her to connect with the tree, he wants the tree to represent her. When Melinda finally understands and comes out to what happened to her; the tree comes to life. Art makes Melinda understand, art makes her have

Through our society we are all raised up to be independent and unique individuals such as being ourselves and expressing who each of us are to the world. However, in the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, everyone is raised to count on one another and everyone must look and act the same. Our society differs from Jonas’s in many ways, such as the family units, birthdays, and the way we each learn about our past.

"Blessed is the mother who is able to help her child, at whatever age. This truth about parental happiness is surly known by any loving parents who has been compelled to watch impotently while his child is suffering." The example to prove this statement can be seen all through the story. "The forest is my house, but you may cut of my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy. And so the boy cut of her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy." On the other hand, the boy still stays inconsiderate and selfish. He never even once mention to the tree how thankful he is or even a simply "thank you". "The love of the tree for the boy or the man is a selfless love, while the love of the boy for the tree is a selfish love. The boy never tries to help the tree (by pruning, feeding it, et cetera), while the entire being of the tree is devoted to helping the boy meet his most recent need, whether trivial or essential."

The true nature of human action remains as an enigma for many and it is question whose answer is everywhere in the civilization that we have all collectively built. The author Jane Austen in persuasion believes that each person is self serving and kind when it 's in their best interest. Contrary to Austens’ belief, Mark Twain with“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” shows a more optimistic view of human nature where the guilt and sense of sympathy are the driving emotions behind every action. Similarly, in the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith identifies the empathy and duty as a primary cause for the kindness in each person. Every person is hardwired to be a social and inherently good person driven by the emotional consequences and

Lois Lowry’s novel, The Giver, offers a thought provoking, well written story, because it changes the perspective of anyone who dares to read it to. Lowry places her novel, at some point in the future when mankind has gone away with changes and choices in life. She forces readers appreciate, or at least re-think the world they live in today. Her novel presents a fully human created environment where people have successfully blocked out conflict, grief, and individuality. Each person follows the same routine every day. Failure comply with standards, to be different, means death. Jonas, the main character, finds himself trapped in this world.

The Giver shows us that love is an essential part to this world. The Giver shows Jonas the memory of pain and suffering and reacted in a way that made him upset, expressing love to Jonas as well as regret. Jonas was “no longer enjoying the freedom but instead, terrified…”(137). The Giver knows what Jonas is experiencing and regrets it although it is what he is told to do. The Giver took a liking to Jonas but couldn’t bare to watch him in pain. Jonas sacrificed his own comfort so the Giver could be relieved of these memories for himself. These same memories were given to the Giver because it was his job. The Giver of each generation feels love toward the new Receiver because the Giver knows what pain is like. Love is essential in this moment, especially for Jonas, because he needs a person to help him to start a new, more utopian society. People show love by sacrificing themselves for

In the sixth paragraph we are introduced to the old woman’s neglectful and abusive husband and son, undoubtedly the embodiment of the worst traits in all of us. They treat her with complete disrespect, and yet expect her to continue serving their endless needs. For instance, if the old man were to come home and find no food on the table, “…the old man gave his old woman a cut over the head” (25). Of course, she continues to feed them, and every other mouth on their pathetic farm. Interestingly enough, if they would only give her more to work with, (i.e., more money, more hens, more love, more respect), she would undoubtedly be able to provide much more for them in turn. The men are hurting their own cycle of sustenance. This is so painfully symbolic of our relationship with our caretaker, Mother Earth. Even though we repeatedly abuse the source of our nourishment, she continues to provide for those that give so little back.