The Tree
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but this tree? We're pretty sure she's not that simple. She, Her, HersFor one thing, if Shel Silverstein had wanted the tree to be "just a tree," he probably woul...
The Boy
As a symbol, the boy is a little more straightforward than the tree. Regardless of how you choose to interpret the book, the boy pretty much always represents the same thing: man, or humanity. Exac...
The Carved Initials
When the boy is young, he loves the tree so much that he carves initials into the tree's bark as a tribute to their relationship (28). It's a nice gesture (if a little abusive—the tree certainly...