breif outline
“The Man Who Planted Trees” is a French novel written by the author Jean Giono. It’s a story about a man on a hike through the hills of “an old region where the Alps penetrate into the Provence,” where he stumbled upon a man who spent his days planting trees. He sorts out one hundred good acorns every day, and plants them while walking his sheep. Slowly through years, the land changes. People and animals return, life is brought back to the area.
Socially, This story brings out the idea of selfless perseverance. Bloufer spends a whole year planting 10,000 trees, to only have them die. Although he had this major disappointment, he ploughed on. This kind of resilience is important, Everyone has experienced hits in life causing you to back down from a goal, dream or even a personal satisfaction. It shows and builds character to stand back up and continue on. For me this story really builds onto some quotes that I try to live by,
“Losers quit when they fail, while Winners fail until they succeed”
“The one who falls and gets up is so much stronger than the one who never fell.”
I would definitely recommend this text as it is an amazing story filled with French culture, old age dreams, and learning and change; such as resilience and hope. The Man Who Planted Trees might tell each and every reader a different story, based on what part they relate to. The short story has managed to talk about travel, war, history and friendships, all in the few pages it is. So I repeat myself again, read this book!