The story’s allegorical qualities can be read one of two ways: either as an environmental story that functions as an antiwar allegory, or as an antiwar story that functions as an environmental allegory. Under the first interpretation, the surface story concerns a shepherd who engages in proactive environmental stewardship to revitalize a barren tract of moorland. Underneath that surface, Bouffier’s reforestation efforts represent a path forward out of the physical, spiritual, and moral devastation caused by World War I. That path involves a move away from misplaced faith in industrialization and government institutions toward a looser, more communal existence in a bucolic setting.

Under the second interpretation, the story is chiefly about a World War I veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who finds peace through the inspiring works of a tree-planting shepherd. As an environmental allegory, this interpretation emphasizes nature’s power to heal in numerous contexts while communicating what is lost when natural green spaces no longer exist.

In truth, both interpretations are deeply intertwined, as the author intends to put forth a universal message of hope, whether in the face of environmental ruin or postwar disillusionment.