The poetic fragment, “And afterwards we climbed a tree, she said, / Not very tall, but full of leaves / Like those of a fig tree, / And we were very innocent about it,” is deceptively simple, yet it brims with profound thematic implications, drawing upon universal human experiences of childhood, memory, and the complex nature of innocence. At first glance, the lines evoke a serene, almost idyllic scene of youthful escapism and unburdened joy. The act of climbing a tree, an almost archetypal childhood pursuit, immediately grounds the reader in a realm of simple pleasures and the unadulterated wonder that often defines early life. However, a deeper reading reveals layers of symbolic resonance and narrative subtlety, particularly through the potent imagery of the “fig tree” and the retrospective framing of the memory through “she said.”
This seemingly straightforward recollection subtly introduces a poignant tension between the remembered state of pure innocence and the implied awareness of its transience, as perceived by the narrator in the present moment of recounting. The choice of language, particularly the comparative “Like those of a fig tree,” is crucial, inviting an intertextual dialogue with ancient myths and religious narratives concerning knowledge, the Fall from grace, and the very definition of human experience. The fragment thus transcends a mere description of an event, transforming into a meditation on the liminal space between pre-lapsarian purity and the burgeoning complexities of consciousness, all framed within the reflective lens of memory.
The Archetype of the Tree and Childhood Innocence
The central image of the tree is profoundly resonant across cultures and mythologies, embodying a myriad of meanings from life and growth to wisdom and connection. In the context of childhood, climbing a tree is an almost universal symbol of freedom, adventure, and the creation of a secret, elevated world. It represents an escape from the mundane, a vantage point from which the world can be viewed differently, and a personal fortress for imaginative play. The tree, in this sense, becomes a silent witness and a participant in the child’s unfolding discovery of self and environment. The phrase “Not very tall” is significant; it suggests an approachable, perhaps even humble, tree, indicating that the adventure was within reach, not daunting or perilous. This detail reinforces the sense of safety and ease, contributing to the overall impression of an unthreatening, contained world in which innocence can flourish. This particular tree is not the towering, awe-inspiring World Tree or the forbidden Tree of Knowledge in its most intimidating form, but rather a more intimate, accessible space, perhaps mirroring the early, less complex stages of the lives being lived within its branches. Its manageable height implies that the “climb” was less about conquest and more about simple enjoyment and exploration, fitting perfectly with the theme of unburdened innocence.
Furthermore, the tree is described as “full of leaves,” which immediately evokes a sense of lushness, privacy, and natural abundance. The density of the foliage provides concealment, transforming the tree into a secluded sanctuary. This verdant canopy could symbolize a protective embrace, shielding the climbers from the world below and perhaps from the dawning awareness of complexities that lie outside their innocent sphere. The abundance of leaves also speaks to life and vitality, reinforcing the sense of burgeoning life and unadulterated purity associated with childhood. It is a natural haven, a place where secrets can be whispered, dreams can be spun, and the rules of the adult world temporarily suspended. This sensory detail enriches the setting, making the act of climbing not just a physical activity but an immersive experience within a vibrant, living entity. The fullness of the leaves implies a lack of barrenness or decay, further emphasizing the flourishing, nascent stage of life depicted.
The Loaded Symbolism of the Fig Tree
The most striking and symbolically charged detail in the fragment is the comparison: “Like those of a fig tree.” This seemingly innocuous simile immediately introduces a profound layer of meaning, particularly for readers familiar with Abrahamic religious narratives. The fig tree holds a pivotal place in the Book of Genesis, where fig leaves are famously used by Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness after eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3:7). This act marks the “Fall” of humanity from a state of primordial innocence into a state of self-awareness, shame, and a burgeoning understanding of morality and sin. Consequently, the fig leaf has become an enduring symbol of lost innocence, the acquisition of knowledge (often painful knowledge), and the subsequent need for concealment or redemption.
The deliberate choice of the “fig tree” simile, therefore, creates a powerful tension with the explicit statement, “And we were very innocent about it.” On one hand, the comparison could be purely descriptive, referring to the large, lobed shape of fig leaves. On the other hand, given the profound cultural weight of the fig tree, it is highly probable that the simile serves as a subtle, perhaps even ironic, foreshadowing or a retrospective commentary on the nature of their innocence. The narrator, in the act of recounting, may be implicitly acknowledging that this state of “very innocent” being was destined to change, or that the seeds of future knowledge, akin to the forbidden fruit, were already present, albeit unrecognized at the time. The very innocence they describe is framed against a symbol of its eventual loss. This creates a compelling dramatic irony, where the speaker’s present knowledge infuses the past recollection with a bittersweet awareness of time’s passage and the inevitable acquisition of experience. The fig tree here functions less as a direct representation of the forbidden tree itself and more as an analogy for the nature of their innocence—an innocence so complete and unblemished that it stands in stark contrast to the symbolic implications of the very leaves that resemble those of the tree of knowledge. It is as if they were in paradise, unaware of the serpent that might coil nearby, their vision not yet sharpened by the fruit of discernment.
The Nature of Innocence: Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives
Innocence, as portrayed in the lines, is a state characterized by a lack of experience, particularly a lack of knowledge of evil or the complexities and moral ambiguities of the world. It is often associated with purity, guilelessness, and an uncorrupted view of reality. Psychologically, this corresponds to early developmental stages where cognitive frameworks are still forming, and concepts of good and bad are relatively simple, often externally imposed rather than internally processed with nuance. The statement “And we were very innocent about it” underscores the depth and totality of this state. It implies a complete lack of awareness regarding any potential implications, moral ramifications, or even symbolic significance of their actions. Their innocence is not merely a passive state but an active filter through which they perceived the world and their place within it. This purity is presented as intrinsic to “them” and their understanding of the moment.
Philosophically, innocence can be explored as a pre-lapsarian state, analogous to Adam and Eve’s condition before the Fall—a state of blissful ignorance where distinctions between right and wrong, shame and pride, simply do not exist. This contrasts with a post-lapsarian innocence, where an individual, having gained knowledge of evil, consciously chooses to reject it and maintain a moral purity. The lines clearly point to the former, an innocence born not of choice but of undeveloped consciousness. This fragile, beautiful state is inherently transient. The acquisition of experience, the inevitable encounter with the darker aspects of life, and the development of self-awareness invariably lead to its erosion. The speaker’s present reflection, marked by the past tense (“we were”), subtly acknowledges this loss, implying that “they” are no longer “very innocent about it,” whatever “it” precisely entails. This shift from an unblemished past to a more knowing present infuses the recollection with a sense of nostalgia and the quiet sorrow that often accompanies the retrospective realization of what has been lost.
Narrative Voice and the Act of Memory
The phrase “she said” is crucial in framing the entire fragment as a piece of recounted memory. It immediately introduces a narrative voice that is distinct from the past experience being described. This “she” is looking back, performing an act of reflection and interpretation. The memory is not a raw, unmediated experience but a carefully selected and articulated past event. This act of recounting imbues the description of innocence with a new layer of meaning: the narrator’s present consciousness, inevitably shaped by subsequent experiences, is now coloring the portrayal of the past. The “she” knows more now than “we” did then. This temporal distance creates a poignant resonance, allowing for dramatic irony and a subtle lament for a state that has passed.
Memory itself is a reconstructive process, not a perfect recording. The way “she” chooses to articulate this memory, particularly the emphasis on “very innocent about it,” suggests a significant contrast between her past self and her present understanding. Perhaps the current “she” is no longer innocent about whatever “it” refers to, or about the broader implications of life, connection, and the human condition. The very act of stating their past innocence implies a present awareness of its opposite, or at least a more complex understanding. The fact that the statement is attributed to “she” also creates a layer of removal, as if the speaker is observing this past self from a distance, perhaps even with a touch of wistful detachment. The memory is shared, perhaps to an interlocutor, adding an element of vulnerability or confession to the scene. The “afterwards” also invites speculation: what event or experience preceded this tree-climbing? The absence of this preceding context is as significant as the stated content, suggesting that the innocent act was a response, a refuge, or a direct follow-up to something else, the nature of which remains tantalizingly unrevealed, yet possibly crucial to understanding the full weight of their subsequent innocence.
The Implied "It": The Source of Innocence and its Fragility
The pronoun “it” at the end of the fragment—“And we were very innocent about it”—is deliberately ambiguous, adding to the poem’s depth. “It” could refer simply to the act of climbing the tree, implying a lack of awareness of any danger, symbolic meaning, or social impropriety associated with it. However, given the preceding imagery of the fig tree, “it” takes on a much broader and more profound significance. “It” might encompass the totality of the experience: the shared moment, the blossoming awareness of companionship, the beauty of nature, or even the burgeoning complexities of their own nascent identities and relationships. The ambiguity suggests that their innocence was not confined to a single action but permeated their entire perception and engagement with that moment and perhaps with their world at large.
This vagueness amplifies the power of the statement, transforming it from a mere observation into a sweeping declaration of a state of being. The very act of declaring their past innocence implies its fragility and eventual loss. The current “she” is no longer “innocent about it,” suggesting that knowledge, experience, and the inevitable passage of time have intervened. This transformation might be gentle or abrupt, a gradual accumulation of understanding or a sudden disillusionment. The lines leave this trajectory open to interpretation, making the fragment a poignant meditation on the ephemeral nature of pure innocence and the bittersweet journey of human growth, where every step towards knowledge is simultaneously a step away from a state of unburdened simplicity. The absence of specific detail about the “it” allows the reader to project their own experiences and understandings of lost innocence onto the scene, making the fragment universally relatable.
Intertextual Connections and Broader Context
The fragment resonates with a rich literary tradition that explores childhood, nature, and the loss of innocence. Romantic poets like William Wordsworth, in his “Intimations of Immortality,” lamented the fading of the “celestial light” of childhood, mirroring the implicit sorrow in “she said” looking back at a past state of “very innocent.” William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience directly juxtaposes these two states, with “innocence” often depicted through pastoral scenes and uncorrupted perspectives, much like the tree-climbing described here. The fig tree’s symbolic weight also echoes themes found in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, where the Fall is central to the human condition. In a broader sense, the fragment taps into archetypal narratives of paradise lost, the journey from simplicity to complexity, and the formative power of early experiences.
Literary works often use the natural world, particularly trees, as settings or metaphors for innocence and growth. From the “Boo Radley’s tree” in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, which served as a source of innocent gifts and a symbol of protection, to the secret garden in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel, which acts as a sanctuary for healing and rediscovery, trees frequently embody spaces of childhood wonder and transformation. The fragment’s tree, “full of leaves,” evokes a similar sense of sanctuary and natural abundance, a haven where innocent activities unfold. This connection to a larger literary canon amplifies the fragment’s universal appeal and its capacity to evoke profound reflections on the human journey from a state of guileless wonder to one marked by the accumulation of knowledge and experience.
The poetic fragment, despite its brevity, thus functions as a powerful meditation on the ephemeral nature of innocence, the enduring power of memory, and the complex interplay between pristine experience and retrospective understanding. The simple act of climbing a tree, situated within a setting reminiscent of paradisiacal abundance and subtly tinged with the symbolic weight of the fig tree, becomes a rich tableau for exploring profound human themes. The remembered innocence, expressed through the retrospective lens of “she said,” underscores the delicate balance between the joy of unburdened youth and the bittersweet awareness of time’s passage and the inevitable acquisition of experience.
The tension inherent in the comparison to the fig tree is paramount, transforming a seemingly straightforward description into a nuanced commentary on the human condition. It suggests that even in moments of profound simplicity and purity, the seeds of future knowledge, the very elements that will eventually erode that innocence, might be implicitly present. This dramatic irony imbues the fragment with a depth that transcends its few lines, inviting contemplation on the nature of purity, the processes of human growth, and the subjective reconstruction of personal history through memory.
Ultimately, the lines serve as a potent reminder of the precious, yet fleeting, state of unadulterated innocence. They highlight how moments, seemingly ordinary in their unfolding, can acquire immense significance when viewed through the filter of time and accumulated wisdom. The “not very tall” tree, “full of leaves / Like those of a fig tree,” becomes a microcosm of life itself: a place of shelter and simple joy, yet one implicitly linked to the grand narrative of human self-awareness and the inevitable journey from unknowing to knowing, from pure innocence to the intricate tapestry of experience.