The Selfish Giant

-by Oscar Wilde

What is the summary of The Selfish Giant story?
Ans:- Certainly, here is a summary of “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde:

“The Selfish Giant”

-by Oscar Wilde:

“The Selfish Giant” is a heartwarming tale about a giant who owns a beautiful garden. Initially, he is selfish and refuses to allow children to play in his garden, erecting a high wall to keep them out. This act of selfishness plunges the garden into eternal winter, while the rest of the world enjoys spring.

Years pass, and the giant returns home after spending seven years with a friend. He discovers children playing in his garden and chases them away, reaffirming his ownership. However, he soon realizes the consequences of his selfishness as the garden remains in perpetual winter.

One day, a miraculous transformation begins when a little boy enters the garden. The boy is Christ, but the giant doesn’t recognize Him. This boy’s presence heralds the arrival of spring, and the garden slowly awakens to life. The trees blossom, the birds return, and flowers bloom. The giant decides to make amends by assisting the boy and other children in the garden. However, the other children disappear over time, leaving only the little boy, who represents Christ’s love.

Eventually, the giant takes this little boy to Paradise, and when the children return to the garden, they find the giant lifeless under a tree, covered in blossoms. The story teaches a powerful lesson about kindness, selflessness, and the transformative power of love, symbolizing the Christian message of redemption and salvation.

Answer the following questions.

a. Where did the children use to play?
Ans:- The children used to play in the giant’s garden.

b. What did the Snow and the Frost do to the garden?
Ans:- The Snow and the Frost had a significant impact on the garden. They covered the grass with a layer of snow, turning it into a wintry landscape. The Frost coated the trees with ice, giving them a silver appearance. The North Wind blew fiercely through the garden, causing a cold and chilling atmosphere, while the Hail added to the garden’s icy conditions. Collectively, these elements of winter created a stark contrast within the garden, where it remained in a perpetual state of cold and frost, in contrast to the rest of the world experiencing the arrival of spring. This description serves to emphasize the harsh and unyielding winter that the giant’s selfishness had imposed on his garden.

c. What did the giant hear when he was lying awake in bed?
Ans:- When the giant was lying awake in bed, he heard lovely music. At first, he believed it to be the King’s musicians passing by, but it was, in fact, the sound of a little linnet singing outside his window. The sweet and melodious song of the linnet was so enchanting to the giant’s ears that he considered it the most beautiful music in the world. This was especially significant as he hadn’t heard any birdsong in his garden for a long time due to the perpetual winter. This event marked a turning point in the story, signaling the beginning of a transformation in the giant’s heart.

d. Why do you think spring season never came to the giant’s garden?
Ans:- The spring season never came to the giant’s garden because the giant was selfish and didn’t allow children to play there. His selfishness created an eternal winter in the garden, symbolizing the absence of love and kindness. It’s only when the giant’s heart changes, and he shows kindness to a little boy, that spring returns, teaching us that kindness and selflessness can bring warmth and renewal to our lives.

e. How did the giant realise his mistake?
Ans:- The giant realized his mistake when he woke up one winter morning and heard the sweet, melodious song of a little linnet outside his window. This song was so beautiful and filled with joy that it touched the giant’s heart deeply. For a long time, he had been living in isolation and selfishness, not allowing the beauty of nature and the laughter of children into his life. But as he listened to the bird’s song and looked outside, he saw the world awakening to spring, with trees blossoming and children playing in the garden.