Overview of the Chapter
Introduction to the Story
“The Selfish Giant” is a heartwarming tale written by Oscar Wilde. The story revolves around a giant who learns the value of love and kindness through his interactions with children and the transformation of his garden.
Summary of the Chapter
Detailed Summary
The Giant’s Beautiful Garden
The story begins with a description of the Giant’s beautiful garden, which is filled with lovely flowers, green grass, and singing birds. Children love to play in this garden after school.
The Giant’s Return and Selfishness
One day, the Giant returns after a long visit to his friend the Cornish Ogre. Seeing the children playing in his garden, he becomes angry and drives them away. He builds a high wall around the garden and puts up a signboard that reads, “Trespassers will be prosecuted.”
The Consequences of Selfishness
With the children gone, the garden falls into perpetual winter. The flowers and birds disappear, and the trees forget to blossom. Only frost, snow, hail, and the North Wind roam in the Giant’s garden.
The Children’s Return
One day, the children find a hole in the wall and sneak back into the garden. As they play, the garden begins to bloom again, and the winter leaves. The Giant awakens to the sound of birds and sees the children playing, with a little boy who he later discovers is special.
The Giant’s Realization
Seeing the children, the Giant realizes how selfish he has been. He knocks down the wall and invites the children to play in his garden forever. The garden flourishes as the children return every day, and the Giant becomes kinder and happier.
The Special Little Boy
The Giant takes a special liking to a little boy who he finds struggling to climb a tree. The boy has nail marks on his hands and feet. The Giant helps the boy, who then kisses the Giant. The boy is a representation of Jesus Christ.
The Giant’s End
As time passes, the Giant grows old and weak. One day, he sees the same little boy in the garden. The boy tells the Giant that he is taking him to his garden in Paradise. The Giant dies peacefully and is found covered in white blossoms by the children.
Themes of the Story
Transformation
Personal Growth: The story highlights the Giant’s transformation from selfishness to kindness and love.
Symbolism: The garden’s transformation from winter to spring symbolizes the Giant’s internal change.
The Power of Love
Redemption: The Giant’s redemption is brought about by his love for the children.
Innocence and Purity: The children’s innocence and purity have a profound impact on the Giant.
Spiritual Elements
Representation of Christ: The special little boy symbolizes Jesus Christ, bringing a spiritual dimension to the story.
Paradise: The story ends with the Giant being taken to Paradise, symbolizing eternal peace and reward for his transformation.
Literary Devices
Imagery
Descriptive Language: The story uses vivid descriptions to bring the garden and its transformation to life.
Example: The detailed depiction of the garden in both its blooming and withered states.
Symbolism
The Garden: The garden symbolizes the Giant’s heart, reflecting his emotional state.
The Wall: The wall represents the barriers the Giant puts up against love and kindness.
Personification
Seasons: The story personifies seasons like Winter, Frost, and North Wind, giving them human-like characteristics and actions.
Important Examples and Cases
The Giant’s Selfishness
Example: The Giant’s decision to build a wall and keep the children out, leading to the garden’s perpetual winter.
The Children’s Return
Example: The children finding a way back into the garden, causing it to bloom and bringing joy back into the Giant’s life.
Character Analysis
The Giant
Background: A selfish and solitary figure who undergoes a profound transformation.
Development: The Giant evolves from being selfish and angry to loving and kind through his interactions with the children.
The Little Boy
Role: A special child who represents Jesus Christ.
Characteristics: Innocent, pure, and loving, he plays a crucial role in the Giant’s transformation.
Notable Observations
Social Commentary
Selfishness and Isolation: The story critiques selfishness and isolation, showing the negative consequences of these traits.
Community and Kindness: It emphasizes the importance of community, kindness, and the joy that comes from sharing and caring for others.
Empathy and Understanding
Humanizing the Struggle: By focusing on the Giant’s personal journey, the story fosters empathy and understanding towards those who undergo significant personal growth.
Vocabulary from the Chapter
Trespass: Enter someone’s land or property without permission.
Prosecute: To take legal action against someone.
Perpetual: Never ending or changing.
Redemption: The action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
Blossom: A flower or a mass of flowers on a tree or bush.
Key Terms and Concepts
Selfishness: Lack of consideration for others; concern chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure.
Transformation: A thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.
Redemption: The action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
Innocence: Lack of guile or corruption; purity.
Paradise: An ideal or idyllic place or state.
Additional Value Addition
Real-life Applications
Personal Growth: The story can inspire readers to reflect on their own actions and the importance of kindness and community.
Empathy Building: It helps build empathy towards others and highlights the impact of love and kindness.
Chronology of Key Events
| Event |
|---|
| Giant’s Return: The Giant returns and drives the children away. |
| Garden’s Winter: The garden falls into perpetual winter without the children. |
| Children’s Return: The children find a way back into the garden, causing it to bloom again. |
| Giant’s Realization: The Giant realizes his selfishness and knocks down the wall. |
| Special Little Boy: The Giant helps a special little boy, who symbolizes Jesus Christ. |
| Giant’s Transformation: The Giant becomes kind and loving, allowing children to play in his garden. |
| Giant’s End: The Giant is taken to Paradise by the special little boy. |
Detailed Insights and Examples
The Giant’s Selfishness
Insight: The Giant’s initial selfishness leads to isolation and unhappiness.
Example: Building the wall and prohibiting the children from playing in his garden.
The Children’s Return
Insight: The return of the children symbolizes the return of joy and life.
Example: The garden blooming again when the children find a way back in.
The Special Little Boy
Insight: The special little boy symbolizes divine love and redemption.
Example: The boy’s nail marks and his role in the Giant’s journey to Paradise.
FAQs on Chapter 3: The Selfish Giant
1. Who is the author of “The Selfish Giant”?
Oscar Wilde.
2. Why does the Giant build a wall around his garden?
To keep the children out and stop them from playing in his garden.
3. What is the Giant’s reaction when he first sees the children in his garden?
He becomes angry and drives them away.
4. What season remains in the garden after the children are driven out?
Perpetual winter.
5. What change occurs in the garden when the children find a way back in?
The garden begins to bloom, and the winter leaves.
6. Who does the Giant see struggling to climb a tree?
A special little boy with nail marks on his hands and feet.
7. What transformation does the Giant undergo in the story?
He changes from being selfish and isolated to kind and loving.
8. How does the Giant realize his selfishness?
By seeing the joy and life the children bring to his garden.
9. What does the little boy symbolize in the story?
Jesus Christ, representing love and redemption.
10. What does the Giant do after realizing his mistake?
He knocks down the wall and invites the children to play in his garden forever.
11. What happens to the Giant’s garden when he allows the children back in?
The garden flourishes and blooms with flowers, and the winter leaves.
12. How does the story end for the Giant?
The Giant is taken to Paradise by the special little boy and is found covered in white blossoms.
13. What moral lesson does “The Selfish Giant” convey?
The importance of kindness, love, and sharing with others.
14. How do the children feel about the Giant after he changes?
They are happy and play joyfully in his garden.
15. What does the garden symbolize in the story?
The Giant’s heart, reflecting his emotional state and transformation.
16. What role do the seasons play in the story?
They symbolize the Giant’s changing emotions and the state of his heart.
17. What is the significance of the nail marks on the little boy’s hands and feet?
They symbolize Jesus Christ and his crucifixion, adding a spiritual dimension to the story.
18. Why does the Giant take a special liking to the little boy?
Because the boy is struggling and symbolizes innocence and purity.
19. What does the Giant’s garden initially look like?
It is beautiful with lovely flowers, green grass, and singing birds.
20. What happens to the garden after the children are driven out?
It falls into perpetual winter with frost, snow, hail, and the North Wind.
21. How does the Giant’s attitude change after he invites the children back?
He becomes kinder, happier, and more loving.
22. What does the story suggest about the consequences of selfishness?
It leads to isolation, unhappiness, and a lack of growth or joy.
23. How does the little boy reward the Giant at the end of the story?
By taking him to Paradise, symbolizing eternal peace and reward.
24. What does the wall in the story symbolize?
The barriers the Giant puts up against love and kindness.
25. How does the story highlight the power of love and community?
By showing how the children’s presence brings life and joy back to the Giant and his garden, transforming him into a kind and loving figure.
MCQs on Chapter 3: The Selfish Giant
1. Why does the Giant build a wall around his garden?
2. What season remains in the garden after the children are driven out?
3. Who does the Giant see struggling to climb a tree?
4. What does the Giant do after realizing his mistake?
5. What is the main theme of the story?
6. What change occurs in the garden when the children find a way back in?
7. How does the Giant feel when he first sees the children in his garden?
8. What does the little boy symbolize in the story?
9. How does the story end for the Giant?
10. What happens to the garden when the children are driven out?
11. What literary device is prominently used in the story?
12. How does the story depict the Giant’s transformation?
13. What does the garden symbolize in the story?
14. What moral lesson does the story convey?
15. Why does the Giant take a special liking to the little boy?
Discover detailed short notes for all chapters of Class 8 Geography, from the NCERT book ‘Resources and Development,’ designed for CBSE students in India. Click here to access the complete collection.
