The Giving Tree Short Story

In the short story “The Giving Tree,” you will find many meaningful quotes, so much so that scholars have long debated the true meaning behind the story. As a reader, this book becomes open to the individual reader’s own interpretation. Someone once said, “Running away from your problems is a race you will never win.” I believe this quote is true to this story and to life in general. About halfway through the story, the boy is old and has been beat up by life and just wants to run from his problems. However later in the story, he comes back to the tree, the place that has always been there, helped him and made him happier. So no matter how unpleasant life gets, there is always someone or something that is available to run back to, always someone that loves you. The author reinforces the idea of the boy’s ungratefulness with the quote, "I want a boat that will take me far away from here,” showing he doesn’t appreciate how the tree has always been there for him. …show more content…
In the story, the boy was happiest when he was younger and running and playing in and with the tree. As the boy grew older, he began to need things that everybody needs like money and a house, but those things never made him happy, he always wanted something else. “Everyday the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. The boy loved the tree.... very much. And the tree was happy.” I think this is how our society should work and happiness shouldn’t be based solely on objects but on relationships. Some objects bring momentary joy, but it usually doesn’t last because the way that everything works is stressful. Another meaning could be that while you're young take advantage of all the time and freedom that you have because once you get older you are held back by money and life, and then eventually