Stereotypes In Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree

Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree illustrates the relationship between a personified tree and a man as he grows up. This relationship is characterized by a clear hierarchy in that the tree is willing to do anything for the boy. Although the tree is gender-classified one can further assume it is female by examining the steretoypes Silverstein replicates throughout the story. Once it has been determined that the tree is female and child male, it is simple to find the correlation between their relationship and that of men and women throughout history. Silverstein uses two of his most well-known characters in order to make a subtle social commentary on gender equality. In order to understand the point Silverstein is trying to make, it is necessary to determine with certainty that the tree in the story represents all females. While the tree is referred to by female pronouns throughout the story, this is common in writing about nature and is not definitive. Examining how both characters in this story exemplify the stereotypes associated with their gender

Although The Giving Tree was published after women were ruled to be people and given the right to vote, females continue to be disadvantaged by society in modern day. Silverstein's writing was and remains to be relevant. The entire chronicle is about the man finding a void in his life and then proceeding to harm the tree in order to fill it. Originally, he harmlessly plays on her brances. While this leaves no lasting harm, when he comes next the boy takes her apples to sell for money. It is clear that he prioritizes himself over the tree as some men felt towards women throughout history. By the end of the story the man has taken everything from the tree and simply uses the tree as “an old stump... good for sitting [on]” (2). The man shows no remorse in destorying the tree for his own