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The Giving Tree
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jadelennox, I learn that The Giving Tree, one of my beloved books from childhood, has a great deal of controversy around it and is actually reviled by some children's literature scholars, herself included.
I find the controversy both surprising and interesting, but I think this is the first time I've seen a book I hold so dear (there are very few) get attacked like this. I put up a little defense for it in that thread, but seeing all the other commenters pour righteous scorn on it makes me feel queasy, as if all these people were rushing in to talk about how my Aunt Jan was actually a pirate who molested them as children or something. Bad news.
jadelennox, I learn that The Giving Tree, one of my beloved books from childhood, has a great deal of controversy around it and is actually reviled by some children's literature scholars, herself included. I find the controversy both surprising and interesting, but I think this is the first time I've seen a book I hold so dear (there are very few) get attacked like this. I put up a little defense for it in that thread, but seeing all the other commenters pour righteous scorn on it makes me feel queasy, as if all these people were rushing in to talk about how my Aunt Jan was actually a pirate who molested them as children or something. Bad news.
There is value in service
I strongly oppose the reading of this work as a gender study. Not only is that too facile to be meaningful, it's not well supported by the actual book. The reader must bring a world of baggage to manuscript to milk a misogynistic message out of the manuscript. Frankly, I'm pretty tired of criticism that illuminates "hidden" messages of hate in works of art when real examples of unambiguous bile are plentiful. But, each will have his own hobbies.
Silerstein's work illustrates a value that has been pretty well eroded by modern culture: the value of service to others. It may well be that you and I are not comfortable to the degree that the tree is prepare to go to pursue this goal of service, but in other contexts, this is extraordinary act of sacrifice is accepted and often expected. Imagine if the tree were cast as a doctor administering to the poor for his entire life. In old age, he would be poor and probably alone, but his life's goal would still have been achieved. His service, if fully pursued, would use up all of his resources, physical and otherwise. Silverstein's story can also be cast into military terms very easily, where the sacrifice of the tree is lauded as heroic.
To me, the Tree is the kind of everyday hero who is all around us, invisibly doing what they can for the rest of us without waiting for a "thanks."