Baobabs.
At first, they grow quietly and obediently like any other plant, but if the baobab grows without attention or close care, it will mature into an enormously stubborn tree that will be impossible to cut down. The colonies were similar to this kind of growth, as they started out as loyal territories for Great Britain. However, the Americans began creating their own personalities and minds with growing patriotic thoughts. Slowly, they built up the sturdy trunk of the American Baobab, leading to the nation’s great independence. Because Baobabs are seemingly indestructible, given its persistence and durability, people have called it the Tree of Life, as people would call America the Land of the Free.
No matter how much you deprive the tree of, how many times you try to strike it down, how hard you attempt to cover and ignore it, the baobab will always find a way to fight back. When America was simply viewed as colonies of ragtime dumpsters for the British, a tiny seedling, no one could have ever predicted or imagined how they would coalesce to become an incredibly powerful tree. In this piece of art, Each branch and twist to the tree stretching towards the sky represent an American who fought for their independence. Ben Franklin was one of the many strongest who made up the tree’s base for branches, other encouraged patriots, to sprout out on. He was smart, cunning, charming, and a great asset to the massive revolution. His writings and witty thoughts have brought patriotic spirit to the colonies, slowly driving the momentum of America towards independence. This drawing, in its bright and inspiring atmosphere, shows what Ben Franklin, with the help from many others, had achieved for the new nation’s glory.
|
Of course, everything comes with two sides. Through an American’s eyes, this tree represents life, strength, and freedom. However, the British would glower at these obnoxious Baobabs for they caused a disaster and now the problem they once tried to force away will forever be clasping onto them like a shadow. In this drawing, taken from the book The Little Prince, the man on the planet represents Great Britain who, in consequence of neglecting the colonies, ended up with an empire broken down into new independent nations, including the US. Thomas Paine, in his pamphlet Common Sense wrote, “Monarchy is ranked in scripture as one of the sins of the Jews”; social classes and authorities were manmade precedents that cursed the world. In correlation, the British attempted to rip out the roots of baobabs for their own good as well as showcase their tyranny over the US. However, their greediness would challenge the course of nature, and as a result of failing to see the power of God, the British crumbled in misery on American soil.
|
" The Baobabs stretch and begins to sprout, quite timidly at first, a charming, harmless little twig ... but if you attend to a baobab too late, you can never get rid of it again ... It overgrows ... Sometimes there's no harm... but with baobabs, it's always a catastrophe ... The dangers of baobabs is so little recognized. "
From The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupéry, Pages 14-16
Little by little, the patriotic spirit overpowered the gluttony of the tyrant empire; that spirit will grow and grow until it cannot be taken down by anyone in the world. The Declaration of Independence was the last blow that took down the king and ended this grueling revolution. Written by Thomas Jefferson, it jabbed at all of Britain’s wrongdoings, from depriving the colonies of freedom to abusing its authoritative powers for its own benefits. For the British, this war ended in a ‘catastrophe’, with Jefferson’s document forcing them to collapse in rage. The power of this historical revolution sparked others across the world, and the Declaration of Independence was deeply admired by all colonies who felt inferior to their king. In this way, it was now impossible for the British to take down this dominating yet influential tree that gave life and hope to others. The dangers of Baobabs have indeed, been overlooked.
On the outside, Baobab seedlings are no different from other ones, just as no one thought twice about the American colonies from others around the world. But as they grew older, obtaining their own mind and thoughts, the contrasting characteristics of the American Baobabs became clear that this was not a normal tree.
It was the Tree of Life; the Land of the Free.
It was the Tree of Life; the Land of the Free.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- The Baobabs. Digital image. Ryerson.ca. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <http://www.ryerson.ca/childrenslit/images/Baobabs.jpg>.
- Tree of Life. Digital image. S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/43/d1/17/43d1173d8a415f6d4089e5ff04f5bc7e.jpg>.
- Baobabs. Digital image. S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f2/98/b7/f298b788d47c24f8ccf755b036afa25b.jpg>.
- Saint-Exupéry, Antoine De, Antoine De Saint-Exupéry, and Katherine Woods. The Little Prince. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1943. 14-16. Print.
- Paine, Thomas, and Isaac Kramnick. Common Sense. Harmondsworth Middlesex, England: Penguin, 1986. Print.
- "Amazing Life Story of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1776) - Documentary." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2w-5WZl8-o>.
- Jefferson, Thomas, and Sam Fink. The Declaration of Independence. New York: Scholastic Reference, 2002. Print.