The Selfish Giant – Oscar Wilde

• Author: Oscar Wilde
• Genre: Short Story, Allegory
• Class: 11
• Book: English

Introduction

Oscar Wilde, a renowned Irish writer, is celebrated for his wit and moral tales. "The Selfish Giant" is a classic short story included in the NEB Class 11 English curriculum for its universal themes of kindness, transformation, and redemption. The story’s simple language and profound message make it ideal for students to explore moral lessons and literary symbolism.

Short Summary

"The Selfish Giant" tells the story of a giant who, after selfishly banning children from his beautiful garden, experiences endless winter. Only when he welcomes the children back does spring return, teaching him the value of love and generosity.

Detailed Summary

The story begins with a group of children who love to play in a beautiful garden that belongs to a giant. When the Giant returns after a long absence, he is angry to find the children there and builds a high wall to keep them out. As a result, spring refuses to come to the garden, and it remains cold and lifeless while the rest of the land enjoys sunshine and flowers. The Giant’s selfishness brings only winter to his world.

One morning, the Giant hears lovely music and discovers that the children have found a way back into the garden through a hole in the wall. With the children’s return, spring also comes back, and the garden bursts into bloom. However, in one corner, winter still lingers. There, the Giant finds a small boy who is too tiny to climb a tree. Moved by compassion, the Giant helps the boy up, and that part of the garden blossoms too. The Giant realizes how wrong he was to be selfish and knocks down the wall, inviting the children to play freely.

The Giant becomes kind and loving, and the garden is always filled with children and happiness. Years pass, and the Giant grows old. One day, he sees the little boy again, now with wounds on his hands and feet. The boy tells the Giant that these are the wounds of love and invites him to his own garden—Paradise. When the children come to the garden that afternoon, they find the Giant lying peacefully under a tree, covered in white blossoms, having found eternal happiness. The story beautifully illustrates the rewards of kindness, the pain of selfishness, and the hope of redemption.

Narrative Structure Breakdown

• Exposition: The Giant returns and finds children in his garden.
• Rising Action: He builds a wall, causing endless winter.
• Climax: The Giant sees the small child and helps him.
• Falling Action: The garden blooms, and the Giant welcomes the children.
• Resolution: The Giant finds peace and spiritual fulfillment.

Themes & Meanings

• Selfishness: The Giant’s initial actions bring misery to himself and others.
• Redemption: The Giant’s change of heart leads to happiness and spiritual reward.
• Forgiveness: The children forgive the Giant, showing the power of compassion.
• Transformation: The story illustrates how kindness can transform lives.

Character Sketches

• The Giant: Initially selfish and unkind, he transforms into a loving and generous figure.
• The Little Child: A Christ-like figure who inspires the Giant’s redemption.

Important Vocabulary

• Allegory: A story with a hidden moral or spiritual meaning.
• Redemption: The act of being saved from sin or error.
• Paradise: A place of perfect happiness, often used to mean heaven.
• Compassion: Sympathy and concern for others’ suffering.
• Transformation: A thorough or dramatic change in form or character.

Exam-Style Q&A

• Q: Why didn’t Spring come to the Giant’s garden?
  A: Because the Giant’s selfishness kept the children out, and without their presence, the garden remained in winter.
• Q: Describe the Giant’s transformation.
  A: The Giant changes from selfish and lonely to kind and loving after realizing the joy of sharing his garden with children.
• Q: What is the moral lesson of the story?
  A: The story teaches that generosity and kindness lead to true happiness and fulfillment.
• Q: Who is the little child, and what does he symbolize?
  A: The little child is a Christ-like figure symbolizing innocence, forgiveness, and spiritual salvation.
• Q: How does the story use symbolism?
  A: The garden represents the Giant’s heart, and the changing seasons reflect his emotional state.

Related Stories (Cross-Linking)

• A Respectable Woman
• God Sees the Truth But Waits
• The Oval Portrait

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