Lately, I’ve been on a tree hunt of sorts. I searched out a few of the largest trees in Arkansas to write THIS article about Arkansas Champion Trees for OnlyinArkansas(dot)com. My tree journey led me to think about my favorite trees in literature. And thinking about my favorite trees in literature made me realize how these particular trees likely influenced my overall love of trees. At least partially.
I bet some of these are your favorite trees, too.
The Giving Tree – Once there was a tree, and she loved a boy. That first sentence gets me every time. Shel Silverstein’s classic provides the ultimate story of unconditional love and selflessness. The older I get, the more poignant this book becomes.
morgueFile
Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree – This little green one here seems to need a home, Linus said as he pointed out the scraggly tree to Charlie Brown. Sniff, sniff, it tugged at our heartstrings and taught us that beauty lies beneath the surface.
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Truffula Tree – Three cheers for the Lorax who spoke for trees because trees have no tongues. Truffula trees are just plain groovy, and Dr. Seuss certainly had it going on.
Attribution: slworking2, Flickr (CC License), cropped
The Tree of Life – The centerpiece of Disney’s The Lion King symbolizes the circle of life, something I’m reminded of daily as I walk the same path as my ancestors. Those carvings on the trunk? I think the Lorax would say, “hakuna matata.”
attribution: Jonathan, Flickr (CC License), filter added
Boo Radley Tree – Boo Radley’s tree with a knothole for hiding treasures symbolizes the mysterious side of trees. I’ve already penned an entire post to this tree, which you can (re)read HERE.
Whomping Willow – J.K. Rowling’s magical whomping willow reminds us of that old adage “things aren’t always as they seem”. When I was a kid, a willow shaded the playhouse in our backyard. Rather than whomping, ours was of the weeping variety and most certainly magical. On the occasion of my fifth (or sixth?) birthday, Momma decorated its branches with long, wavy balloons. Magical and dreamy, indeed.
Once upon a time there was a girl, and she loved a tree.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]My favorite Trees in Literature. Which are yours? [/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Mama Cass, Dream a Little Dream of Me
Loved this. I planted a “Weeping Willow” in 1997, but it never weeped. Oh, well, I still love it. I have loved Thomas’ Heart Tree that he planted in 1980, the year of over 100 degrees for days on end, even though it is a Cottonwood. The man who trimmed my trees a few years ago, suggested I have the Cottonwood and a Hackberry cut down. No way, I don’t cut down trees! “In a bad storm, those trees are going to fall on your house one day,” he said. I’ll take my chances.
When that happens, it’ll just be one more Bat Cave adventure.
I really enjoyed reading this blog. I also thought of your Dad’s heart tree that Barbara mentioned. Our house is surrounded by old cedar trees and even though they are not the prettiest trees they offer lots of cover for the birds. Owls roost in them at night.
Thank you, Colene. Providing homes for birds – that’s one of their best jobs:) I miss our owls from Munger Place.
Clearly your mother fed your sense of wonder and your imagination! I’ll have to reflect on literary trees…great blog!
Thank you, Lyn. I probably should have added the tree from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and the tree in the 100 acre forest:) So many great trees!
“The tree loved the boy . . .” My father was a biology/botany teacher, and his love of trees spilled over into my life and he passed that love over to me. We live in a forest, and I thank God every day for this place of solitude, greatness, and wonder in the midst of trees.
Blessings, Talya!
“Wonder in the midst of trees” – lovely, Martha. Thank you.
Lovely post. Thanks for the reminder of literary trees. I’ve read and recognize most of the one you mentioned. My dad loved trees and planted lots in our yard, which made me appreciate them, too. We grew up with a big pecan tree out our back door that’s still produces peans for the current owners. We had plum trees and redbuds, but he could never seem to get a dogwood to live. I remember his sadness when he lost two elms to Dutch Elm Disease. I think he replaced them with some kind of oak. Love the opening line of The Giving Tree and your closing line.
Absolutely THE GIVING TREE and certainly Boo Radley’s tree. What a creative post.
One of my playmates, when I was growing up, had a big magnolia tree in his yard. It had not been pruned, so grew in the way of magnolia trees: the lower limbs drooped down and (nearly) touched the ground. There was a wonderful “tree cave” under there that reminded me strongly of the literary tree caves made by yew trees in L. M. Boston’s Green Knowe series of books (there are six, total).
Those have always been my favorite, even though I’m fairly sure I’ve never seen a yew tree in the ‘flesh,’ as it were. 🙂
I’m not familiar with those books, but Staci and I always played underneath the branches of a mimosa tree than had heavy hanging limbs. The best sort of play!