Self-Sacrifice
If you were given the choice, would you give up your entire world just for the happiness of one person? Sacrifice is a simple word but with a broad meaning. An ordinary living, breathing soul can sacrifice everything just for the well-being and happiness of another. In the story, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, the Tree dedicates her life to making a little boy happy. She sacrifices her entire form just so he can feel complete, which in the end leaves her alone and hollow. When giving up all that a person has to benefit someone’s welfare is a positive gesture, but if they never receive anything in return, there will not be anything left to give.
One of the most prominent examples of sacrifice is the relationship between mother and son, which is illuminated through the tree and the little boy. Every day, the little boy visits the tree, and each day, their bond grows into love. “He swings from her long, towering branches, eats her delicious apples, plays hide-and-go-seek, and when he is exhausted, he falls asleep in her shade” (Silverstein 16-20). The boy loves the tree and his
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There has been a point in each person’s life where he or he have either been the little boy or the tree in a relationship. It is necessary to view the story in both points of view to be able to appreciate the eloquent message it presents. In the case of the boy and the tree, she gave up all she had, including her own physical form, just to make the boy happy, and as a result, she was happy. The tree’s sacrifice may seem unreasonable, but to her it was worth it. When a simple being aspires to make someone’s life healthier and happier, no matter the consequences that may occur, his or her actions should never be seen as pointless attempts. It takes genuine courage and a profound love to be willing to give up everything for something better in