Shel Silverstein The Giving Tree Analysis

The Giving Tree, written by Shel Silverstein in 1964, is a poem that starts off with a little boy who’s best friend is a tree that plays with him, gives him apples, and provides him shade when he gets tired. As the story goes on, the little boy grows up and stops playing with the Tree. He returns after a while and asks the Tree for money but she can’t so instead she gives him all her apples to sell for money. He gladly takes them without saying thank you. After a very long time, he comes back again to ask the Tree if she can give him a house. She tells him she cannot. Instead she gives him all of her branches so he can built himself a house. The Boy leaves the Tree once again for a very long time. When he returns, he asks the Tree for a boat
He writes in this poem about needing money, a house, and transportation. In the poem when the Tree asks the Boy to come climb her trunk and play with her, he says, “I am too busy to climb trees…/ I want a house to keep me warm…/ I want a wife and I want children,/ and so I need a house./ Can you give me a house ?” (line 44-48). With his use of words children can understand having a family and living together in a house. But children don’t think of wanting those things, adults do. A child cannot relate to wanting a loved one, child, or a house. Silverstein’s use of diction shows that children should not ask to receive in such demanding ways. He writes the questions the Boy asks in a way of disrespect. He writes, “I want some money?”, “Can you give me a house?”, and “Can you give me a boat?” (line 27, 68, 48). They are simple, but meaningful because they are demanding in tone. “Writers choose words to create and convey a typical mood, tone and atmosphere to their readers.”(literary.net) The diction of the questions showing a very demanding tone is to give the reader a sense of sadness that The Boy is so selfish. He wants money to “buy things and have fun” which shows he's in the teenage stage where children ask their parents for money to spend (line 25). He then asks for a house but his reasoning is so he can get a wife and have children. This shows the Boy is in the Early Adulthood
“All literature creates some sort of feeling in the reader, whether it is positive, negative, or neutral.” (.com) In this poem Silverstein gives different moods straight forward word for word. He tells us when the Tree is sad or happy, which helps the reader connect with the Tree. For example, after the Boy had been gone for a very long time and returns to ask for more, the Tree doesn’t think of how much he has taken from her. She is just over come with happiness as Silverstein describes, “the tree shook with joy” (line 41). This gives the reader the mood of happiness because the reader can feel the Tree’s enjoyment of reuniting with the Boy. Although there are also times where the mood is sad and depressing. Every time the Boy leaves the Tree is happy she can give him something that makes him happy, but after a while the reader can feel the Tree feeling used. When the Boy asks for the boat and she is left as a stump all alone instead of the normal line Silverstein uses; “And the Tree was happy.” He says, “And the tree was happy/ …but not really,” which shows how sad the Tree is that every time she gives the Boy something he ends up leaving her (line 76-77). The mood is also very sad when the Boy returns as an old man and the Tree says, “I wish that I could give you something…/ but I have nothing left./ I am just an old stump./ I am sorry…” (line 95-98). Silverstein uses diction to help