GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -Described by its author, Shel Silverstein, as a simple story of a relationship between two people, The Giving Tree reads like a children’s book while offering much food for thought.

Detailed explanation-2: -We don’t know what motivated Shel Silverstein to write “The Giving Tree.” In a rare interview, he said it was about “a relationship between two people; one gives and the other takes.” But we think it’s best read as a cautionary tale about love.

Detailed explanation-3: -On its face, the story is about a tree’s sacrificial love for a boy. They play together happily every day, but the boy grows up and pursues the trappings of adulthood: money, a house, a family, travel. So the tree gives the boy her apples to sell, her branches to build a house, and her trunk to make a boat.

Detailed explanation-4: -Written in 1960 and eventually published in 1964, The Giving Tree was a product of this turbulent period. A man of his time, Silverstein did not believe in cookie-cutter, happily-ever-after stories-especially for children.