How we cite our quotes: (Page Number)
Quote #1
Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy. (6-8)
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?
Quote #2
Illustration: The boy is nestled into the tree's trunk, sleeping. (24)
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.
Quote #3
And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away. (38)
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?