The Education of Little Tree

Whereas the first four chapters focus on the physical and traditionally educational elements of Little Tree’s learning, this set of chapters takes readers into the boy’s need to understand and respect people on a different level. It is no longer enough to simply know someone; instead, as Granpa explains, it is necessary to understand them on a much deeper spiritual level. Chapter 5 therefore introduces the concept of “kinning” another person, and true to his serious and studious nature, Little Tree comprehends this concept easily and works not only to love his grandparents, the natural world, and the people he meets, but to truly “kin” them and forge close, personal bonds of understanding and universal acceptance. While the inclusive values outlined here are in line with those frequently valued and taught, there is a certain irony in Carter’s stance in this particular novel, for he also wrote other nonfiction works that championed and supported the now-outlawed practice of segregation. Perhaps the most notable of these was a speech delivered by George Wallace, which included the line “Segregation now…segregation tomorrow…segregation forever” (“George Wallace ‘Segregation Now, Segregation Forever’”). Whereas the alias Forrest Carter wants people to work towards mutual understanding, the man behind the name openly supported practices that perpetuated prejudice and outright racism. Given the problematic context of Carter’s own history and beliefs, the message of (ostensible) universal acceptance and inclusivity in Granpa’s lesson for Little Tree is somewhat tarnished at best.

Carter’s bias becomes even more apparent in Chapter 6 as Granpa tells Little Tree the “history” of the Native Americans and outlines the extreme hardship imposed upon the Cherokee people when the United States government forced them from their ancestral lands. However, Granpa’s presentation of the story does not reflect any depth of understanding or compassion for his own people. Instead, Carter’s own voice comes forward as he discusses the Trail of Tears from a distinct “outsider’s” perspective. Although he acknowledges that the displaced individuals showed strength in their morals by refusing to ride on wagons and choosing instead to walk, the narrative’s tone shows more sympathy and understanding for the soldiers who compelled the Native Americans to follow the trail. Granpa’s story provides more description of the soldiers’ taunts, jeers, and irritation that the people would not ride in the wagons and insisted on walking to maintain their spirits. Thus, what could have been a moment of true education about the history of the Cherokee tribes instead points to the author’s own internal bias.

Another deeply problematic character who misrepresents the Cherokee people is the near-caricature Pine Billy, whom Carter introduces in Chapter 7. With his tales and misadventures, Pine Billy immediately becomes symbolic of an assumed lack of education among the Cherokee people. For example, Pine Billy helps catch a criminal because the criminal says that he’s from Chicago, but Pine Billy reads that the license plate says Illinois. As neither the sheriff nor Pine Billy recognize that Chicago is indeed a part of Illinois, the man is arrested for providing “false information” that is not actually false. Additionally, Pine Billy is obsessed with tobacco usage, even going so far as to write an essay to a tobacco company, praising their product in the hopes of getting a longer supply of tobacco. These two stories offer Pine Billy’s only defining characteristics—ignorance and tobacco addiction—and thus, Carter continues to show his own failure to “kin” the very people whom his narrative voice claims as his own.

The final chapter of this section is the only one that offers a much more neutral and universal lesson for the character of Little Tree, for his grandparents teach him that understanding the inner self is just as important as, if not more important than, understanding the people who make up the community. Little Tree’s secret place is therefore not merely a special location; it is instead a spiritual place where he can exist as the purest form of himself, explore the different aspects of who he is, and work to integrate each new lesson into his sense of self. This practice, perhaps one of the most important elements of his Coming of Age, helps him to grow what Granma calls his “spirit mind,” or the mind that allows him to later connect to his grandparents and Willow John through the symbolic Dog Star that symbolizes interconnection between people. By growing his spirit and being able to kin not only his grandparents and Willow John, but himself as well, Little Tree becomes capable of connecting with them on a much deeper level because he can show them his true self and allow the people around him to understand him as profoundly as he wants to understand them. Thus, with this array of daily lessons in both the physical world and the spiritual world, Little Tree has officially learned the basic lessons he needs before he can successfully leave the mountain as a whole person. Physically, he has learned how to navigate and take care of himself and others in the wilderness, and he knows the importance of recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of all plants and animals. Mentally, he has learned to work towards knowing and accepting others for who they are, and he recognizes and learns from past mistakes so as to improve the quality of his future decisions. Most importantly, he knows the importance of taking time for himself to understand who he is. From this point, the novel shifts gears significantly as Little Tree must actively put these lessons into practice.