The Apple-Tree by Leo Tolstoy
This work is a novella that explores the relationship between a young man and his family's apple tree. The story revolves around the boy's fascination with the tree and his attempts to understand its significance in their lives. As he grows older, he comes to see the tree as a symbol of his own mortality and the fleeting nature of life.
By Leo Tolstoy · Genre: Allegory, Fable, Philosophical Fiction · 517 words
First lines
I set out two hundred young apple-trees, and for three years I dug around them in the spring and the fall, and in winter wrapped them with straw against the hares. On the fourth year, when the snow melted, I went to take a look at my apple-trees. They had grown stouter during the winter: the bark was glossy and filled with sap; all the branches were sound, and at all the tips and axils there were pea-shaped flower-buds. Here and there the buds were bursting, and the purple edges of the flower-leaves could be seen. I knew that all the buds would be blossoms and fruit, and I was delighted as I looked at the apple-trees. But when I took off the wrapping from the first tree, I saw that down at the ground the bark was nibbled away, like a white ring, to the very wood. The mice had done that. I unwrapped a second tree, and the same had happened there. Of the two hundred trees not one was unharmed. I smeared pitch and wax on the nibbled spots; but when the trees were all in bloom, the blossoms at once fell off; there came out small leaves, and they, too, dropped off. The bark became wrinkled and black. Out of the two hundred apple-trees only nine were left. On these nine trees the bark had not been gnawed through all around, but strips of bark were left on the white ring. On the strips, where the bark held together, there grew out knots, and, although the trees suffered, they lived. All the rest were ruined; below the rings there came out shoots, but they were all wild.
What this Textopian page supports
The Apple-Tree is listed on Textopian as a fable by Leo Tolstoy, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Allegory, Fable, Philosophical Fiction, Nature Writing, Short Story
- Length: 517 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for The Apple-Tree by Leo Tolstoy
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Apple-Tree?
- How does this fable by Leo Tolstoy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Allegory first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Allegory — The narrative uses the apple-trees as a metaphor for human life and resilience, illustrating deeper philosophical themes.
- Fable — The story conveys moral lessons through the fate of the apple-trees, akin to traditional fables that teach through nature.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text explores existential themes related to life, growth, and the impact of external forces on existence.
- Nature Writing — The detailed descriptions of the apple-trees and their conditions reflect a strong connection to nature and its processes.
Tags
Fiction · Novel · Russian Literature · 19th Century · Realism · Philosophical · Psychological Insight · Family Drama · Social Commentary · Morality Tale · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery