Stand Tall

Twelve-year-old Tree struggles with his exceptional height, as well as with his parents’ recent divorce. Standing at six feet three inches tall, Tree is self-conscious and dwells on the challenges his height presents: “Airplane seats were misery. Mattresses were never long enough. Regular clothes didn’t fit” (15). In addition to these physical challenges, Tree grapples with societal expectations that he be a star basketball player, even though his skills are lackluster, making him the target of bullies. As a result, Tree keeps to himself and rarely speaks up. Moreover, his parents’ split weighs heavily on him. Holding a variety of school forms to be completed, Tree thinks, “There it was in black and white, just how complicated his life had become” (3). The labyrinthine logistics of staying in different houses mirrors the complex emotions swirling inside of Tree. Furthermore, the divorce caught him by surprise, as he failed to see the warning signs. When his parents split, Tree felt completely surprised: “It was like watching floodwaters burst through a dam he’d always expected to hold” (11). The dangerous rush of floodwater symbolizes the force of his own emotions. Because he always expected his family to remain intact, he is devasted by the grief accompanying the rift.