The Giving Tree Women and Femininity Quotes

There it is. The first "she." Right away, Silverstein indicates that this is no gender-neutral tree—it's female. Why do you think he makes this choice?

Knowing that the tree is female and that when the boy is tired he falls asleep "in her shade" makes the tree seem very maternal here.

This is a little disturbing even without the added layer of gender. Sure, we've all been apple picking, but it seems particularly brazen of the boy to take all of the tree's apples in one fell swoop. And since the tree is female and he's taking her fruit, we can't help but see a little sexual imagery here. It's consensual, sure—she agreed, and she's happy. But somehow, it still feels wrong. Why is that?

Whether the tree is a mother figure, a wannabe girlfriend, or a representative of the natural world here, we can't help but feel a little sorry for her. The boy has been off doing his thing, and she's been alone, pining for his return. And, of course, you know that he's going to (a) not take her up on the climbing offer and (b) make another selfish demand. Sigh.

This is another one of those quotes that makes you really uncomfortable when you focus on the gender aspect of the story. Again, it seems to show a male (the boy) who has the freedom to seek his fortune while a female (the tree) depends on his return for her happiness. Granted, the boy never seems happy, but at least he's able to come and go as he pleases.

This quote appears throughout the book, but it's the very last one we're concerned with here. The tree, who has been reduced to a stump, is happy when the boy, now an old man, decides to use her as a stool. Some people see the boy sitting on the tree's stump as a final insult. Others see this last action, and the tree's resulting happiness, as an indication that generosity and selflessness have always been reward enough for the tree and that she really is happy. What do you think?