How did we manage to miss this totally awesome quote from Ryan Gosling? In an interview with New York magazine about his upcoming movie BLUE VALENTINE (opening later this year, it’s a portrait of a marriage, co-starring Michelle Williams), he’s asked about his character’s tattoo of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree on his arm, and replies: “That book is so fucked up; that story’s the worst. I mean, at the end the tree is a stump and the old guy just sitting on him — he’s just used him to death, and you’re supposed to want to be the tree? Fuck you. You be the tree. I don’t want to be the tree.” Now we can’t decide which we love more — Silverstein’s book or Gosling’s quote about it.
And now the YouTube character “Sassy Gay Friend” has jumped in to set the Giving Tree straight, with a little advice about how to get out of the “abusive relationship.” In case you’re at work, read some of our favorite quotes after the jump.
I completely agree with RG and Shewolf’s comments. I was recently reminded of the plot of the Giving Tree a couple weeks ago, and after some reflection, could really not understand its appeal to me as a child.
Hahaha, if only we all had a Sassy Gay Friend to set us straight from time to time.
RG is right…I always felt the same way about that story.
I always thought that that kid in the story was totally selfish…I hated the kid and felt bad for the tree who gave everything and the kid only wanted more! It is a strange and eff’d up story and yet it’s my favorite kid story EVER!