Tree: "I am sorry, I wish I could give you something, but I have nothing left."
Man: "I don't need very much now. Just a place to sit and rest." *falls asleep/dies*
Tree: "Finally. Time to give back"
*Night time with tree roots around skeleton and new growth from trunk*
*strangetrek*
Related:
CMV:The Giving Tree is a story with horrible morals. : changemyview
"I am currently having this discussion with my wife. Both of us had the book read to us as children and my wife now reads it to our 2 year old. I can't stand this book. I believe it to be the personification of entitlement. For those unfamiliar, a tree (most likely signifying parents) provides a boy with anything he needs until he takes everything the tree can give leaving only the stump. The boy is absent when he doesn't want things and openly complains about what the tree offers. There is no thanks given by the boy at anytime and no acknowledgement that he is damaging the tree beyond repair.
I get the notions of self sacrifice that go into being a parent. I understand that I would probably do the same to make sure my own child lived a happy life. But I don't want to encourage this notion of desecration without though for stewardship or appreciation for the gifts being given."