Shel Siverstein's The Giving Tree.

[Monster2]

After doing a bit of cleaning, I just revisited my copy of this book. Honestly, I haven't looked at it in years, but after only examining it a few times, I have the story and most of the illustrations stuck in my head. I am not a genius, but because I found this book so strikingly and profoundly moving and sad, it just got stuck up there. When I first encountered the book as a kid I was so perplexed by it that I just couldn't believe that anything could ever be so selfless, or selfish.
The story is so simple, but so powerful, that i still have trouble fathoming how anyone could have written such a thing without soaking every page in tears.
(I am not a guy who takes crying lightly)
I guess I never really had any conversations about this book because I guess I felt that the story didn't really need any further discussion. As I've become older though, I have more appreciation for the position of the tree that it I understand more about why it actually is happy at the end.
That,.. and my family (sadly) wasn't the type of family that discussed emotions very much.
So what I am trying to say? I dunno. Just thought I'd throw some random emotional thoughts out there to see what you guys think.

 

[Kreamie]

Thats one of my favorite books My mom use to read it to me constantly, It reminds me of my mom.

 

[Nostalgic]

Never heard of it but just read the plot summary on wikki Sounds sad.
Why would the tree be happy at the end. I'm curious.

I need to read this
Hers what wikki says
Plot summary
The book follows the lives of a female apple tree and a male human who are able to communicate with each other; the tree addresses the human as "Boy" his entire life. In his childhood, the boy enjoys playing with the tree, climbing her trunk, swinging from her branches, and eating her apples. However, as time passes he starts to make requests of the tree.
After entering adolescence, the boy wants money; the tree suggests that he pick and sell her apples, which he does. After reaching adulthood, the boy wants a house; the tree suggests he cut her branches to build a house, which he does. After reaching middle age, the boy wants a boat; the tree suggests he cut her trunk to make a boat, which he does, leaving only a stump.
In the final pages, the boy (now a shriveled old man) wants only "a quiet place to sit and rest," which the stump provides. The story ends with the sentence "And the tree was happy.

 

[Monster2]

Why would the tree be happy at the end. I'm curious.

That is the question, isn't it?
If you look at the tree as a mother, you can see why the tree would be happy.
But that's the easy answer, isn't it?
Maybe because at the end of his life, after giving and giving, the man was not able to use her, but he was able to be near her as well. And maybe that's all she wanted all along.
It's easy to read, but difficult to understand.
I'm not even sure why a parent would give this book to a child.
But there it is.
And the book itself isn't much longer than the plot summary, just add a few words, and a lot of pictures, and there you have it.

 

[Monster2]

as read by Shel himself.