alexist

Everyone, I think, has a children's book that they really, really hate. Mine is Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. There's 2 interpretations of the story: one, that it's about completely selfess love, and two (my take) that it's a horrible story about someone who takes and takes until there's nothing left. One Amazon reviewer says that it's called The Giving Tree, not The Taking Boy, and that's true--but I think that a relationship is two-sided. Here, we have one side giving everything and the other never caring about the sacrifices that are made. Is that supposed to make us feel guilty about the selfless love our parents (are supposed to) show us?

There is a beauty and importance in selflessly loving someone and only wanting to give, but as a whole, I hate the story. I always have. Oddly enough I love Shel Silverstein's other work.

(I'm sure some of you will say I'm overanalysing the story, but if you've read it it's very obvious. It's not like the junk people spout about Goodnight Moon--which is one of my favourites.)