What Is a Judas Tree?
A Judas tree is a redbud (genus Cercis), a shrub or small tree in the pea family. The flowers of the tree are red, pink, or reddish purple, and its leaves are green. Judas trees grow in the temperate zones of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is believed that Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus Christ, hanged himself from a Mediterranean variety of the tree, Cercis siliquastrum, causing its white flowers to turn red to signify shame. Click here for pictures of Judas trees. Fascinating Fact About the Author In an interview with Barbara Thompson (Writers at Work, 1963) Katherine Anne Porter said she always wrote the last paragraph of a story first, then backed up and wrote about all of the events leading up to the events described in the last paragraph. It was important for her to know the destination of her literary journey first so that she could set a course (like sailors and airline pilots) leading to the destination. Study Questions and Essay Topics • Write an outcome or resolut
