Unconditional Giving in Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree"

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The act of unconditional giving is an attribute that many cultures hold up as the highest form of love. The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein, is a classic childhood book that illustrates the selfless act of unconditional giving which manifests as unconditional love, between a tree and a boy. Giving by the tree, to the boy, begins in the boy's childhood and continues on until he is an old man. This story is representative of the relationship between mother and child.

The story opens with the young boy playing while the tree "gives" to the boy her shade and branches. Later, when he is a bit older, she gives him her apples to sell. After that, when the boy is a young man, she gives him her wood so he can build a house. Then as an older man, he returns and she gives him her trunk so he can build a boat. The tree gladly gives to the boy every request and she is happy. However, her happiness does not last, and she is left sad and alone in between visits. Finally, when the boy is an elderly man, he returns to the tree. The tree is sad because she believes she has nothing left to give. How...

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