"The Giving Tree" banned for self-sacrifice, sadness
In honor of Banned Book Week, I have taken it upon myself to review one of the most infamous banned books: Shel Silverstein’s masterpiece, “The Giving Tree.”
For those unaware, this is a children’s picture book that, despite its innocent nature and benign facade, has caused quite a bit of controversy.
It follows a tree and the many sacrifices it makes for a young boy who grows into a man; as whimsical as it sounds, the story seems to have caused quite a bit of trouble for itself.
“The Giving Tree” has been banned for its alleged treatment of women, promotion of unhealthy relationships,environmental exploitation as well as themes of self-sacrifice and inherent sadness. Now, anyone who knows anything about the banning of books knows that to do so says more about those supporting the ban and not the banned book itself. Because of this, I would venture to say that those who sought to ban this classic understood the book, but only on a surface level.
“The Giving Tree” is short and deceptively simple. Contrary to popular belief, one’s interpretation is not the default for everyone else, and the story is just vague enough to leave room for interpretation and analysis.
As far as practicality goes, it could do wonders for teaching young children the innate skill of reading comprehension. Nevertheless, there is more to it than that; “The Giving Tree” has the power to promote deep contemplation in not only children, but adults, as well.
As someone who did not read Silverstein growing up, I have a different relationship to his work than someone who did, and that is the beauty of it. His writing is so powerful on an innately subjective level, and that really cannot be said of most modern adult fiction writers.
If it were up to me, “The Giving Tree” and most of Silverstein’s other works would be revered on the same level as Hemingway. They resemble each other greatly; they both value concision over great detail.
To find a way to say the most with as few words as possible is an artistic feat in itself. It is because of this simplicity that I say “The Giving Tree” is a perfect book; there is depth and enjoyment in so little.
Perhaps because of their influence on such a vulnerable demographic, children’s books are often banned for their perceived influence, but those in support of these bans fail to realize that children are not always as easily swayed as one may think.
Children are just as capable of intelligent thought as adults, just on a different level and in a different way. Those searching to ban books for the preservation of innocence in children fail to realize that a child’s innocence is usually unwavering. A book like “The Giving Tree” will not sway them; it will only encourage them to read more and discover mysteries and answers for themselves. There is nothing more innocent than safe exploration.
The banning of books is a symptom of an overly protective culture. Instead of allowing freedom of choice and thought, it is simpler to keep unique ideas and perceptions out of the hands of the masses.
As someone whose life revolves around literature, I strive for the right to read whatever I please, and I encourage others to do the same; a precedent should be set so future generations can enjoy books like “The Giving Tree” and hundreds of other titles and to preserve the ability to view other perspectives and walks of life with empathy.
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