47 pages • 1 hour read
Joan BauerStand Tall
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2005A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Adversity takes many shapes: war, injury, broken relationships, or natural disaster. Despite the magnitude of these challenges, people can persevere and emerge stronger, which the Benton family demonstrates in Stand Tall.
Grandpa shows resilience both in Vietnam and in his life afterward as an injured veteran. The war itself was challenging, and Tree’s grandfather candidly reflects on being shot in the leg:
I wasn’t strong enough to handle it […] Then a chaplain came over, asked how I was doing. I told him […] He grabbed my hand and said the shortest prayer: ‘Lord, let this man’s best years be ahead of him.’ […] That prayer just stuck. I couldn’t shake it. I got home a month later. I’ve never had much luck with the leg, but I say that prayer close to every day (43).
Initially, he believes that he is incapable of handling such a severe injury. However, with the chaplain’s support, he learns a strategy to cope. Through prayer, the chaplain instills optimism, for the “best years” are yet to come. Repeating this prayer daily allows Grandpa to cope his challenges. This optimism is coupled with a sense of humor, as Grandpa often jokes about his situation. When Grandpa relishes that he no longer needs to find matching socks in the laundry, Tree notes, “You’ve got to love a man who can teach you to laugh at war” (73). Grandpa is not making fun of the war, but, rather, using humor to maintain a positive outlook. Instead of dwelling on what is missing, he focuses on the benefits of his situation. By utilizing positive thinking, Tree’s grandfather is strong enough to handle the challenges he encounters.
The rest of the Benton family, specifically the boys, demonstrate resilience as well. As Tree observes his brothers, he wonders “if divorce was like war and always had a lasting effect on the people who went through it” (49). Although not physically dangerous, his parents’ split inflicts emotional pain on the boys. Tree and Curtis grapple with this inwardly, while Larry exhibits reckless behavior like misusing alcohol. With this and the aftermath of the flood, Grandpa reminds them that “you’ve got to take a thing apart before you can fix it” (169). Although he is referring to the water damage to the house, his words also suggest that with any problem, one must reflect and struggle to move forward. In the aftermath of the flood, the boys band together to repair the house and in doing so, can persevere through their grief about the divorce. Later, after Tree gives his brothers their restored awards, “Curtis put an arm around Tree, an arm around Larry” (175). This moment represents how far the boys have come. Before they often fought, especially Larry, but now they are connected because they have faced challenges together. Additionally, Tree tells his mom that he wishes they never got divorced but then adds, “I’m okay, Mom. I’m okay” (175). This admission proves that Tree is healing and getting stronger. Although his family lives under different roofs, Tree realizes that he can manage.
The Power of Community
There is strength in numbers, for having the support of a community can encourage and inspire in even the direst circumstances. Whether enduring grief, calming fears, or working to rebuild, characters in Stand Tall shed light on the power of connecting with others.
Having support while grieving is comforting, as the collective experience can lessen the pain. When the Bentons take Bradley to the vet, worrying that they will have to put him down, they opt to do it together even though Tree’s mom and dad live separately: “They drove to Mom’s house. She got in the backseat and started to cry. This helped all the men to be stronger” (134). When Tree’s mom cries, they recognize they need to support one another. The prospect of ending Bradley’s life takes a toll on all of them, but by being together, they are better able to endure their sorrow. Similarly, when Sophie shares that Lassie, her iguana, died, “Tree [takes] her hand” and says, “You were good to her [...] You gave her a good life” (161-62). Tree’s words and actions represent the sympathy and comfort people seek in the company of others. Physical touch and comforting words are often what people need to begin the grieving process.
In addition to providing an emotional lift, a community can also accomplish more together, which is evident after the flood and at the Memorial Day parade. After the Benton boys help Grandpa knock down walls in their water-damaged house, their dad remarks, “You guys did all this?” (171). This question insinuates that they made tremendous progress in just one day, a testament to the power of collaboration and teamwork. Although the task ahead of them—to rebuild their home—is a large one, together they can accomplish things effectively and efficiently. The benefits of community are also on display at the Memorial Day parade. With the support of Tree, his fellow veterans, and his physical therapist, Grandpa knows it is okay to stop walking and get in the Jeep—as the Trash King reminds him, they are “all just ordinary heroes [...] no supermen allowed” (179). Because they have each other’s backs, there is no need to overdo it and have Grandpa take a step backward in his physical therapy. Furthermore, when lighting a candle of hope becomes a problem due to wind during the ceremony, Tree steps up to shield the taper with his body. As Tree realizes “everything’s got a purpose” (182), so too does everyone, and when the collective efforts of a community come together, very little is impossible.
The Impact of Expectations on Identity Development
Expectations, whether from society or individuals, influence how people perceive themselves. Tree feels this as he grapples with stereotypes about his height but also receives positive affirmations from loved ones.
Tree endures stereotypes from society that negatively impact his self-perception. Despite his struggles on the basketball court, his coach insists that the boy has hidden talent. After this,
Tree so wanted to tell him that being big didn’t mean being talented. Being big didn’t mean extra special or superhuman or athletically gifted.
It just meant large.
Every coach Tree had ever known believed that somewhere he had athletic ability (24).
The beliefs of “every coach” mirror the societal expectations that tall people, like Tree, should be great basketball players. Also implied within this assumption is that the only value of great height is athletic ability. The result is that Tree thinks negatively of himself—as not “extra special” and “just” large. Even though he practices, often in the dark so no one can see, he fails to live up to these expectations. Furthermore, Tree notes that “if [he] could have changed one thing about himself, it would have been that he was better at sports” (63). He views his inability to excel in athletics as a flaw, as it is something he wishes to change about his identity. As a result, the societal expectations embedded within stereotypes leave a lasting negative impact on Tree’s self-perception.
Positive expectations, however, counter stereotypes and foster confidence and self-worth in Tree. Grandpa sees Tree’s strengths, noting that his pulley system is ingenious, and his compassion is world-class. He even presents Tree as a model when they demolish walls in the house: “‘Watch how your brother does it.’ Grandpa motioned to Tree. ‘He hits it just right. Swings easy, keeps up a steady rhythm’” (170). Although this is an observation, by asking Larry and Curtis to watch and do as Tree does, the man validates Tree’s efforts. Grandpa’s words affirm that Tree is a hard worker who does things correctly. Consequently, these words boost Tree’s belief in himself, for he “liked hearing that” (170). Receiving positive validation from Grandpa counteracts the negativity Tree faces from society. Sophie, too, contributes to Tree’s growing confidence with her frequent reminders to stand tall. She pushes him to see the value in his size—strength to be a hard worker or a physical blockade—so that by the end of the Memorial Day celebration, Tree recognizes that “a tall boy can stop the wind so a candle of hope can burn bright” (182). He literally blocks the wind, but this statement also affirms that he can do hard things, which gives him confidence and optimism. Tree’s realization highlights just how powerful positive expectations can be in shaping a person’s perception of their identity, for he understands that he is much more than a tall person who plays basketball.
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