The book I read is Education of Little Tree, written by Forest Carter and published in 1976. It is a fictional story about a young Cherokee boy named Little Tree and his childhood in the mountains with his Native American grandparents. The overall theme of the novel is that when one is educated to be self-sufficient, one can overcome all obstacles in life. At the age of 5, both of Little Tree’s parents died so he ends up living with his grandparents in the mountains. They are both Cherokees and live off of the land there.
After Little Tree’s parent’s death, he moves in with his grandparents, in the mountains. Since they are Cherokees, they have much knowledge about nature and teach Little Tree everything they know about how to thrive and live in balance with it. He learns many things every day including farming, mountain life, love, community, self-sufficiency, and so much more. He is then one day taken from his grandparents by the law and forced to go to an orphanage. There, he learns how racist some people are and how you are treated differently based on what you look like. Soon after he is let free from the orphanage, many loved ones pass away, telling him that they will see him in the next life, and it will be a better life.
In my opinion, the book was very memorable because it taught me many life lessons too, and how living a simple life is sometimes a better life. Little Tree was thought to be getting a poor education from his grandparents, but I believe that he had a superior education than most and he was more intelligent than even some adults. This book also really showed me how important nature is and what it can do for you. I feel that I can relate to the love of nature but now I am even more grateful for the lessons it teaches you.
In the end, I enjoyed reading about Little Tree and his journey living with his grandparents. I believe that because of all of these things that he learned, he became self-sufficient and gained the confidence to do anything he wanted to, which is the best education you can get. My advice to future readers is to think beyond what they are saying at times and think of it in your own life too.
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