--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When there is a big tree small ones climb…" description: "\"When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.\" — Chinua Achebe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png" --- # When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to… ![“When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png) > “When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.” [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smaller entities rely on larger structures to gain access to higher aspirations or resources. **In simple terms:** Small beings climb big trees to reach the sun. Key Takeaway Supportive foundations enable upward growth. Themes hierarchy dependence growth aspiration Mood inspirational thoughtful Type metaphorical didactic When to use this quote - career mentorship - education systems - ecosystem symbiosis - team projects Key Concepts social mobility ecosystem dynamics Practical Applications - identify supportive structures - leverage networks for advancement Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance dependence and self-reliance? - What risks arise from climbing only on existing giants? A Different Perspective Overreliance can limit autonomy and stifle independent innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [So if you are the big tree, we are the small axe. Ready to cut you down, to cut you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/so-if-you-are-the-big-tree-we-are-the-small-axe-ready-to-cut-you-down/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [You know a very small seed can grow into a very big tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-macdonald/you-know-a-very-small-seed-can-grow-into-a-very-big-tree/) [Kyle MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-macdonald/) > [The quickest way for anyone to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west, chasing after the setting sun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-lawson-sittser/the-quickest-way-for-anyone-to-reach-the-sun-and-the-light-of-day-is/) [Gerald Lawson Sittser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-lawson-sittser/) > [I come from Big Tree, and the people of Big Tree are Bannon Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caputo/i-come-from-big-tree-and-the-people-of-big-tree-are-bannon-republicans/) [Michael Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caputo/) > [Nothing grows well in the shade of a big tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantin-brancusi/nothing-grows-well-in-the-shade-of-a-big-tree/) [Constantin Brancusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constantin-brancusi/) > [When a big tree falls, the ground shakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-gandhi/when-a-big-tree-falls-the-ground-shakes/) [Rajiv Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-gandhi/) > [All religions are branches of one big tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/all-religions-are-branches-of-one-big-tree/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Just follow the day and reach for the sun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio-2/just-follow-the-day-and-reach-for-the-sun/) [R. J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio-2/) > [“Those who reach for the Sun, usually drop the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/those-who-reach-for-the-sun-usually-drop-the-world/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [I'm like a plant, I reach for the sun...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/i-m-like-a-plant-i-reach-for-the-sun/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [“If you don't lose your hope of reaching the sun, the sun will reach you even if you can't reach the sun!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-don-t-lose-your-hope-of-reaching-the-sun-the-sun-will-reach/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Big? Sure. But, he can't catch mice! So for your big tree. No use? Then plant it in the wasteland - in emptiness. Walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/big-sure-but-he-can-t-catch-mice-so-for-your-big-tree-no-use-then/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [“Summer is a period of luxurious growth. To be in harmony with the atmosphere of summer, awaken early in the morning and reach to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pitchford/summer-is-a-period-of-luxurious-growth-to-be-in-harmony-with-the/) Paul Pitchford > [“I reach out to the sun that blinds me to feel a warmth that reminds me of the love that unbinds me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-turk/i-reach-out-to-the-sun-that-blinds-me-to-feel-a-warmth-that-reminds/) Robert Turk > [The Big Tree is Nature's forest masterpiece, and so far as I know, the greatest of living things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/the-big-tree-is-nature-s-forest-masterpiece-and-so-far-as-i-know-the/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) ## More by Chinua Achebe > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/do-not-despair-i-know-you-will-not-despair-you-have-a-manly-and-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [My son even if you want to fall, at least fall where your bones can be gathered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-son-even-if-you-want-to-fall-at-least-fall-where-your-bones-can-be/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-have-learned-that-a-man-who-makes-trouble-for-others-is-also-making/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. But after a while, I began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-fact-i-thought-that-christianity-was-very-a-good-and-a-very/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I find Nigeria very frustrating. I am not alone in this. There are many Nigerians abroad. As you know, the brain drain is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-find-nigeria-very-frustrating-i-am-not-alone-in-this-there-are-many/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I do not actually see how art, literature can be anything other that being in that domain of trying to tell us, trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-do-not-actually-see-how-art-literature-can-be-anything-other-that/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Democracy is not something you put away for ten years, and then in the 11th year you wake up and start practicing again. 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LOVECRAFT, attributed, Telling It Like It Is Dancing is very important nowadays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-nobody-dances-sober-unless-they-happen-to-be-insane-h-p/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [This is why I find racism impossible, because this is against humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/this-is-why-i-find-racism-impossible-because-this-is-against-humanity/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Then listen to me,' he said and cleared his throat. 'It's true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/then-listen-to-me-he-said-and-cleared-his-throat-it-s-true-that-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What really worries me is that those who are in positions of power are not really affected by what we are writing. 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There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chinua Achebe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/chinua-achebe-781_bigs_when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-clim_98531.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.” — Chinua Achebe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chinua Achebe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When there is a big tree...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```