The Giving Tree Theme of Love

You might think that with love as a theme, The Giving Tree would be a touchy-feely story full of kindness and generosity. If so, you'd be half right.

There's definitely kindness and generosity to be found here, but it's pretty one-sided. Sure, in the beginning, the tree loves the boy and the boy loves the tree, but things go kind of sideways from there. Which might make you wonder…

What is love? Can real love be one-sided? Is loving someone a choice, or does it just happen? If it is a choice, is it a good one?

There's lots of food for thought here. Get chewing!

1. The boy doesn't always treat the tree well. Does he really love the tree? Does he continue to love the tree throughout the story? Explain.
2. What about the tree? Is what the tree feels for the boy really love? Why or why not?
3. This relationship seems pretty one-sided. How could you interpret the story so that the relationship between the boy and the tree is a healthy one despite the unequal efforts of the two parties? Are there situations when it's okay for one person in a relationship to be more loving than the other? Explain.
4. Have you ever been in love—or maybe just seriously in like—with someone who didn't feel the same? What was that like? Or, if you haven't had that experience, what do you think it would be like? What would you do?

The tree is foolish to keep loving the boy when he gives her nothing in return.

The tree's love for the boy sustains her—she doesn't need anything from him in return.