Comparison Between 'Tuesdays With Morrie And' In The Giving Tree

In the course of life, one will cross into people (or things) that have an impact that no one else can fulfill. For Mitch Albom, in Tuesdays With Morrie, this person was none other than Morrie Schwartz. Morrie gave Mitch, the author, life lessons that thoroughly changed the way Mitch lived. Not only did Mitch give all of his attention to Morrie, but Morrie provided Mitch with all of his attention as well. On the other hand, the little boy in The Giving Tree, written by Shel Silverstein, did not fully comprehend the tree’s love for him. The boy collected several items from the tree while all the tree wanted was some appreciation and affection. After all of that, the boy would finally realize the affect the tree had on him. In the two stories,

When the relationship started, the two of them both gained enjoyment from the little boy climbing on the tree. As it further progressed, the boy needed money and other items. So the tree told him to take the apples off of it’s branches to earn a few dollars. The boy immediately took without thinking of the tree’s well-being. Also, the boy took the branches to build a house and the trunk to construct a boat. After these acts, the story said, “And the tree was happy… but not really” (Silverstein). This induced a sense of heartbreak in the reader as the tree sat lonely for an extraneous amount of time. In a similar type of way, this heartbreak was displayed in Tuesday’s With Morrie. The boy, unlike Mitch with Morrie, did not care for the tree’s prosperity. He was focused on doing the things he wanted in life and was unable to foresee the true meaning of life. The story says, “And after a long time, the boy came back again” (Silverstein). Mitch was with him all along, unlike the boy. Also, Mitch was able to discover the true meaning of life by showing Morrie appreciation for his teachings. The boy went his entire life without thanking the tree for what it had done for him. It wasn’t until the end of the story when the boy sat and thought about his life and the tree’s teachings. All the tree wanted was some attention and appreciation for the goods it provided, and sometimes life can be just that simple. Some people just need a, “How are you?” or a simple, “Hello!” to feel worthy of life. This is what Mitch provides Morrie with. Just by simply keeping Morrie company, Mitch is one of Morrie’s favorite people in his world. By containing a simple yet hurtful conflict, a character who does what is best for him, and a way of seeing life in a new perspective, Shel does a superb job of illustrating the objective of this short