The Education of Little Tree

Paper 1: Book Summary Anthony Wilhelm 09/22/09

By: Forrest Carter

 he Education of Little Tree is a simple story that opens my imagination to a more simple time when the personal connection with the land was more intimate. The Education of Little Tree is the story of a young boy who is orphaned after his parents passed away and was adopted by his grandparents. His grandparents, both of Cherokee descent, were very elderly and took him in without any hesitation. Immediately after his parents funeral, Grandma, Grandpa, and the little boy head to their home in the backwoods of Kentucky. This is where his Grandma gives him the name Little Tree while singing him to bed. From this point on Little Tree begins his education of the world around him. His first lesson is The Way, where one should only take what is needed. This is shown to Little Tree in two ways. First, by watching the hawk catching a small quail to show that taking the smallest and weakest keeps the strongest and healthiest alive to reproduce. Second, Little Tree learns that the wild turkey trap provided them with more turkeys then they needed, so Little Tree made the decision to keep the three smallest. This is a lesson that todays culture of consumerism could greatly benefit from.

They now have sensed him coming The forest and the wood-wind Father mountain makes him welcome with his song. They have no fear of Little Tree They know his heart is kindness And they sing, Little tree is not alone. Even silly little Lay-nah With her babbling, talking waters Is dancing through the mountains with her cheer Oh listen to my singing, Of a brother come amongst us Little Tree is our brother, and Little Tree is here. Awi usdi the little deer And Min-e-lee the quail-hen Even Kagu the crow takes up the song Brave is the heart of Little Tree And kindness is his strength And Little Tree will never be alone.
Grandma sang this song to her grandson on their first night together, giving him the name Little Tree

Grandmas song to Little Tree

(2) Wild turkeys were caught by Grandpa and Little Tree, they only took what they needed and released the rest

(1) The Way is shown to Little Tree by the hawk catching the quail.

The Education of Little Tree

 randma would read to him at night, giving Little Tree his history and entertainment in one. Between grandpa and Little Tree, the fictional characters would be confused with real characters and would spark discussions of who is who and who did what. Grandpa and Little Tree would go to the library to pick out new books with the help of librarian who kept track of the books they read. Little Tree had the ongoing assignment of learning five new words every week from the dictionary, starting in the As. These were the most formal methods of learning that Little Tree received.

(4) Little Tree studied the dictionary by remembering words and how to use them in sentences.

Grandpa next taught Little Tree about how love, family and friendship are connected through kinship. To kin someone means that you understand them and that you have a love for them, loved folks as Grandpa saw it. You do not have to be related to kin someone and that is why it is so special of a word. But this meaning was changed to mean blood relatives which has more to do with an association rather than a relationship and it loses its intimacy.

(3) Little Tree bringing books back from the library

The Education of Little Tree

randma and Grandpa taught him of his Cherokee history and their mistreatment by the government. It is a story of the Trail of Tears, not named because of the tears of the Cherokee but because of the tears of the white man. This is an account of the forced migration of the Cherokee out of their mountains and valleys by the government to their new home in Oklahoma. All along this death march the Cherokee refused to ride on their horses or wagons because of pride, not selfish pride, but the pride of their ancestors and heritage. Along this journey many thousands of Cherokee people died, they were buried along the way. The Cherokee were not allowed to bury their dead every day and would have to carry the bodies of their dead loved ones. Despite all of this anguish and brutality, the Cherokee did not cry because they did not want the white man to see their soul. Little Tree found a place near the spring branch, up the side of the mountain that he liked to enjoy by himself. It was grassy knoll with a sweet gum. He thought it was very special, so special he wanted to share it with his Grandma. She convinced him not to tell her because all Cherokees have a Secret Place where they can go to be by themselves. Grandma had her special place, and so did Grandpa. She went on to teach Little Tree about how we have two minds: a body mind and a spirit mind. By living greedy the body mind would take over and shrink the spirit mind. When the body dies, the body mind dies with it leaving only the spirit mind. If a body mind took over completely the the spirit mind would disappear completely leaving dead people concerned only with greed. She encouraged him to grow his spirit mind as much as possible.

(5) The Trail of Tears was one of the many hardships the Cherokee people had to face. This history was important to Little Tree and his family.

(6) A secret place like this would have been where Little Tree liked to be by himself.

The Education of Little Tree

randpa though it very important for everyone to possess a trade, a trade gives a person self-worth, something to be proud of. Grandpas trade was whiskey-making. He made it his goal to teach Little Tree the trade of whiskey-making; from growing the corn, to distilling, to selling it. Grandpa even taught Little Tree the economics of the business based on what one could get for a raw bushel of corn versus how much whiskey one could make from the bushel of corn. Making whiskey was the only logical thing to do with corn. Grandpa took a lot of pride in making his whiskey from its purity to its red color. He despised other makers that stretched their whiskey with sugars and loathed people that insisted on aging their whisky in oak barrels. Grandpa made pure whisky and it was as good the day he made it as it was a month later. Grandpa and Little Tree were partners and the tomahawk mark partly belonged to Little Tree. From the profits Little Tree would receive ten cents, which begins his lesson in finance.

(8) This image may be similar to the still that Grandpa had.

(9) Some of the tools used to make whiskey.

(7) Red corn is what gave Grandpas whiskey its original color. (10) Maybe what the jars of whiskey looked like that Grandpa and Little Tree sold to Mr. Jenkins.

The Education of Little Tree

up money with him when He and Grandpa would take their wares to Mr. Jenkins store to sell the whiskey. Outside of Mr. Jenkins store a man convinced Little Tree that he should buy his calf, and that he would sell it for the one dollar and fifty cents that Little Tree had on him. The man made Little Tree feel that he was getting a great deal, that the cow was worth a 100 times more than what he was selling him for. Little Tree was proud; Grandpa more or less ignored the calf. The walk from the settlement to the cabin was slow because the calf could not keep up. With its head drooping, the calf finally collapsed and died. Little Tree had been swindled out of his savings and had only a carcass of a calf to show for it. Grandpa was able to skin the calf, which Little Tree sold to his Grandma, but the rest of the organs were diseased and they could not eat them. Little Tree learned his lesson in trusting strangers and how to spend his money wisely.

Little Tree would take his saved

(11) Little Tree learned his lesson when he gave a man all the money he had to buy a cow he wasnt really interested in buying.

(12) Little Trees calf never looked this good, but this is how I pictured him.

The Education of Little Tree

randma and Grandpa were experts at living off of the land. They knew all of the fruits and greens that the mountains provided without any agriculture. They would gather acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, dandelion greens, fireweed greens, poke salad, nettles, mustard, wild onions, bitterroot, blackberries, dewberries, elderberries, red bearberries, and cherries to name a few. These foods provided them with food from spring until fall by living a gatherers lifestyle. They taught Little Tree how to listen to the birds and what they had to say. Each bird had its own queue, message, and fortune. One of the easiest ways to live off of the land is through fishing. Grandpa taught Little Tree how to hand-fish in the spring branch. Laying on their stomachs on the banks of the river, they would reach their arms in the water feeling around for fish holes. While doing so, Little Tree did not pay close attention to where he decided to lay on the bank, right next to a rattle snake. The snake was ready to strike Little Tree in the face. Grandpa came to his rescue, and put his hand in between Little Tree and the snake. The snake latched onto Grandpas hand, with his other hand Grandpa grabbed the rattler behind the head and squeezed the snake to death. Grandpa lay on the ground with the venom running through his body while Little tree ran back to the cabin to get Grandma to help him. They worked through the night and brought him back to health. This was a close call, but was not Little Trees fault. This showed Little Tree how much his Grandpa loved him, he knew that his Grandpa kinned him.

(13) Acorns gathered and ground into meal.

(14) Walnuts

(15) Blackberries

(16) Polk Salad

(17) A rattlesnake almost took Grandpas life. Little Tree learned to be more careful, but more importantly he learned how much Grandpa loved him.

The Education of Little Tree

fter Grandpa regained his health, they started another run of whiskey. While at the crossroads store, Mr. Jenkins informed Grandpa that there were two men from the city interested in talking to Grandpa, wanting to hire him to come and make whiskey for them. Grandpa headed home immediately to go hide the still as soon as they got back to the cabin, and it was Little Trees job to distract the men to not allow them up to the still. When the two city men got to the cabin they asked to see Grandpa. Little Tree, playing dumb, took the ill equipped men on a trail far from where Grandpa was busy at work hiding the still. The two men thought that they were going to take advantage of these simple people but ended up wandering blindly into one mishap after another. Ultimately they spent a night in the mountains without any provisions. In the morning Grandpa and Little Tree decided to go direct the men back to the cabin, but the men kept on walking. They did not want to even talk to Grandpa any more. Little Tree learned about how city people think about and treat country folk because of the stereotype that they are backwards, slow and stupid.

(18) Little Tree led the two men into the mountains to go meet Grandpa.

(19) A night in the moutains may have looked like this.

(20) Little Tree, Grandpa, and Grandma watch the two men leave with out talking to Grandpa. They had learned their lesson and were going to leave them alone.

The Education of Little Tree

Little Tree made friends with some of his

grandparents friends: Pine Billy, Mr. Wine, and most importantly Willow John. Willow John became very near and dear to Little Tree and the feeling was mutual. Willow John was a Cherokee; he was tall with dark eyes and silver hair. He did not say much, but when he did it was very important. His dark eyes were very deep, they told the story of the Cherokee people with a sad and distant feeling. The four of them would meet outside of church on Sunday mornings and would sit together. After church they would have lunch. Not much was talked about but they enjoyed each others company. They were kin. Little Tree did not have a lot of friends or family, but they made up for it with quality. These friends, especially Willow John, taught Little Tree about many things in the world, especially about friendship.

(21) The church where Grandma, Grandpa and Little Tree would meet Willow John on Sunday.

(22) Little Tree and Willow John embrace each other becuase of their kinship

The Education of Little Tree

woman came to the cabin and informed Grandma and Grandpa that they were going to take Little Tree away from them and put him in an orphanage. This came about because they saw that Little Tree was being neglected because he was not in school, not being properly educated. Grandpa took a letter to a lawyer to have him review it. The lawyer sadly had to tell Grandpa that there was nothing that they could do; Little Tree was going to be taken from them. The forest wept and cried when Little Tree was taken by the man and woman to be put in a Christian orphanage. There they treated him as a savage, as a bastard, and as someone that could not be saved. He was punished continually for saying the wrong thing and for knowing things that he shouldnt know. They viewed him the same way the two whiskey-men viewed him, as ignorant and stupid. Eventually Grandpa rescued him from the orphanage, probably much to the pleasure of the orphanage. Upon his arrival home the forest rejoiced, the animals sang; they were happy that their Little Tree had returned home.

Unexpectedly one day, a man and a

(23) Little Tree was taken from his family and put in an orphanage.

(24) Grandpa took Little Tree from the orphanage.

The Education of Little Tree

fter returning home, Little Tree started to learn one of the hardest lessons in life: the death of loved ones. Mr. Wine had passed before Little Tree was sent to the orphanage and upon his return Willow John became very ill. Grandpa and Little Tree took care of him for a while before he died. They buried him near his cabin, under a tree. Grandpa, Grandma and Little Tree had two more years together in which time they didnt leave each others sides. Grandpa died first, then Grandma soon after. She left Little Tree a note telling him to listen for her and Grandpa and they would wait for him. Little Tree was now on his own, he had learned all he could from his family and friends. He was in a good place. While still young, he had learned more about life and living than many people would ever know. His life was not a normal one, but a good one. Although this is a fictional story, the main lesson I take away from it is a way to live a more simple life. Todays standards of living are completely different from theirs and yet they were happy and fulfilled. Is it possible for us to live simply like the characters did, putting more emphasis on family and friends while respecting mother nature and learning from her? I think so, as long as we choose to grow in that direction.

(25) Grandpa and Little Tree buried Willow John under a tree near his house.

Grandmas Farewell to Little Tree Little Tree, I must go. Like you feel the trees, feel for us when you are listening. We will wait for you. Next time will be better. All is well. -Granma.
Grandma left these words for Little Tree when she died.

The Education of Little Tree

Bibliography
Carter, Forrest. 1976. The Education of Little Tree. Albuquerque, NM. Univresity of New Mexico Press.

Images

(1) Drawing by Anthony Wilhelm

(2) www.terrierman.com/ turkeyswarentonva.jpg (3) Drawing by Anthony Wilhelm (4) http://www.eugenegordin.com/wp-content/uploads/dictionary.jpg (5) http://www.nativevillage.org/Archives/2009%20Archives/APRIL%20News/April%202009%20News%20V4/Cherokee.jpg (6) http://images-1.redbubble.net/img/art/size:large/view:main/1927180-2-autumn-in-rhode-island-the-old-tree-on-beaver-riverroad.jpg (7) http://www.melissas.com/_resources/img/MediaCache/1fd8023d672446588e930ce889 6d2525/128654885173794298_400_0_0_0_False_Color%20%5BEmpty%5D.jpg (8) http://www.magma.ca/~smiley/Main.h1.jpg (9) http://share.triangle.com/sites/share-uda.triangle.com/files/images/Java55_WestPointStill_06-July-08.preview.JPG (10) http://biggerthanyourhead.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/corn4_01.jpg (11)http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_maobB6EI9eM/SbG5d_2JXCI/AAAAAAAAAh8/f8gBnm5ml80/s400/loose+change. (12) http://farm1.static.flickr.com/33/49525211_98c1e6980a.jpg (13) http://www.grit.com/uploadedImages/GRT/blogs/Lori/acorns.jpg (14) http://www.blogcdn.com/www.slashfood.com/media/2008/07/food-walnuts.jpg (15) http://altnature.com/gallery/images/blackberries3721L.jpg (16) http://z.hubpages.com/u/1241974_f520.jpg (17) http://www.botswanagallery.org/thesis/A/img2/rattlesnake.jpg (18) http://www.coerealty.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/foggy-woods.jpg (19) http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/moon-orange-full-moon-blue-twilight-mountains-giclee-art-prints-baslee-troutman-fine-art-prints.jpg (20) http://sinemabed.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/treemovie2.jpg

(21) http://lordoftheflies.org/img/LT18.JPG (22) http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMjAzMjE4MzAxNV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwOTg1NTE3._V1._SX439_ SY400_.jpg (23) http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ote/orphans/loyal-true-blue-orphanage.htm (24) Drawing by Anthony Wilhelm (25) http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2397/2191077713_bf3c8f125e.jpg?v=0

The Education of Little Tree