Today we will be viewing The Man Who Planted Trees.

 

It is a short story published in 1953 by French author Jean Giono. An allegorical tale, it tells the story of one shepherd's long and successful single-handed effort to re-forest a desolate valley in the foothills of the Alps in Provence throughout the first half of the 20th century. It was written in French, but first published in English.

 

It was adapted as an animated short by Frédéric Back and released in 1987. It earned a number of awards including an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

 

Watch the animated short, and thoughtfully answer the following questions in complete sentences. You will be marked on the quality of your written expression. Each question will be worth two marks.

 

1. Who was Elzéard Bouffier?

 

2. What was his character like?

 

3. What did he do in his life?

 

4. What obstacles did he have to overcome?

 

5. After planting acorns, what did Elzeard do with his time? 

 

6. Are “trees” used metaphorically in the story?

 

7. Write a theme statement for the film. What can we learn?  

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTvYh8ar3tc