Enjoyed your article, thanks.

To me, eating of the "fruit of the tree" is symbolic, possibly even an idiom.

The point is Eve, then Adam, gave in to temptation and in doing so suffered consequences; as we all do.

We have choices in life, if we make bad ones then too there are consequences.

Interesting too, doesn't the Bible also not call the tempter a snake but rather a serpent? Not that it matters either.