This newsletter will have some disclosures, and discussion, about a book (The Giving Tree) and a movie (What a Wonderful Life) that might allow you a different perspective on the works — and potentially ruin your enjoyment of them. So, if you think that might happen … stop reading.
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There is a book, a widely read and beloved book, called “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. It is known for its words, and its illustrations, and for the ideas of how giving is good and how a person needs different things at different times in one’s life. All those are good things and certainly many people can, and should, enjoy the book at that level.
But, examining further, we can read the book again at a different level. At first, the boy and the tree had fun together. The boy enjoyed the tree as it was and enjoyed the shade and played in the old leaves. The tree loved being able to provide enjoyment for the boy and loved being useful. There is no explicit acknowledgement, or thanks, from the boy about the tree.
The boy goes away. The next time he comes back, he wants money. The tree gives him its apples to sell. In the story, at least, the boy doesn’t even say thank you. Goes away, comes back. This time he wants a house and the tree gives him his branches. He goes away again and then comes back. Each of these intervals are longer and longer and the tree remains lonely. The next time, the man wants a boat to travel around — the tree donates his trunk to build the boat. The man goes away and, later, comes back tired and the tree offers his stump to sit on.
Not being privy to the author’s thoughts, he might very well have meant to convey the things that I came away with — or might not. Note, by the end of the story, the tree has given away everything (except his stump (and roots?)). In humans, this would be called martyrdom. The tree is left to be very lonely unless the human wants something. And the human shows no appreciation (and never says “thank you”). To my mind, this is a warning book showing the dangers of not maintaining one’s boundaries. (It would be an ecological message if the tree had been non-aware).
But, as stated in the beginning, a story (especially a well-written one) can be read at many different levels. A happy one or a warning one. And a well-written story can provide different depths of lessons as one experiences more of life and has that lens of history looking upon what one is reading.
Then there is the Jimmy Stewart movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It, too, has different levels to examine. For most people it is a heartening movie about how the wealth of friendship is the best wealth of all. And I don’t disagree with that message. But the premise of the movie is “what would his world have been like if he had never been born?” Note that it is NOT “what would his world have been like if he had made different choices?” but his absence — his inability to do the things he was able to do. And this lesson is very true — we can never know what effect our actions make upon others.
But, within that life, what do we see? We have many instances of self-sacrifice. It is not the same as The Giving Tree. His choices leave him alive and, perhaps, those choices led to a better life? Perhaps. But the movie clearly says that you must choose what you think is best for others, rather than for yourself, in order to help the world. It is such choices that are highlighted in the movie. Perhaps he did make other choices based on his own desires? Perhaps. Or perhaps making the more “selfish” choices would have led to an even better result? Perhaps. We won’t know because that is not the story. Self-sacrifice is the focus on the movie — and not doing that, because he had never lived, was a disaster.
Most well-written books and scripts have multiple levels. As we grow, and have more experiences, our interpretations change. They “deepen”. Perhaps we read into the words something that the author had no awareness of being done. Perhaps we find the golden nuggets that the author was trying to allow us to grow into. Sometimes, those essays assigned in school are a way to practice aspects of writing. Sometimes, they are ways for us to express things that are not easily expressed. For me, both the “The Giving Tree” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” give forth a much different message than that for most people. That doesn’t make me correct or make me wrong — it means that my life has given me a different lens with which to see the world.
How about you? Are there stories that you have seen with much different eyes as you have grown older?
