The Selfish Giant Summary By Oscar Wilde Analysis and Explanation

Students can also check the English Summary to revise with them during exam preparation.

Short Summary of The Selfish Giant By Oscar Wilde

About the Poet Oscar Wilde

Poet Name Oscar Wilde
Born 16 October 1854, Westland Row, Dublin, Ireland
Died 30 November 1900, Paris, France
Spouse Constance Lloyd (m. 1884–1898)
Movies Wilde, Dorian Gray, An Ideal Husband, A Good Woman
Oscar Wilde - Short Summary Of The Selfish Giant Class 8
Oscar Wilde

The Selfish Giant Story Summary In English

The Selfish Giant Introduction
Oscar Wilde wrote a simple and interesting story of divine intervention in Nature. Coexistence and spreading love is the message of the story. The young boy was a messenger of God. He made the cruel Giant repentant.

Because he was not allowing his creations to blossom. When he broke the wall. Happiness and beauty surrounded him in terms of children and spring season. Detailing and personification of hail, snow is presented well.

The Selfish Giant Summary

The Selfish Giant Summary of the Lesson

The opening lines suggest that the children were fond of playing in the Giant garden. It was a lovely garden with soft grass and beautiful flowers. It had twelve peach trees that flourish with pink and pearl flowers in spring season turn into rich fruits in the autumn. The children listened to the songs of various birds and thus lived in ecstasy.

Their enjoyment had ended with the arrival of the Giant. Who was away for last seven years to a friend’s house. He was infuriated when he saw children playing in his garden. He started shouting and built a high wall around it. He put up a notice that trespassing from his property is prohibited.

The decision took a toll on children as they did not have a place to play because if they play on the road, there was a lot of dust and stones. They were very sad and depressed.

As the time passed by, spring season came and flowers blossomed everywhere and little birds were chirping all around. But it did not arrive in Giants’ garden. There were barren winters only.

Trees and flowers were not blossoming. No birds were chirping. However, the snow and the frost were happy. The snow-covered up the grass with her white cloak and frost covered trees.

The north wind was invited to stay by them. They brought chaos in the garden. Then they planned to invite hail, he fell on the roof of the castle and broke most of its spates. He was dressed in grey.

However, the Giant was waiting eagerly and was hopeful. One morning, the Giant heard the melodious song of a bird. Initially, the Giant thought that it must be the king’s musician passing by.

Then Giant rejoiced as he was sure that the spring has arrived. He looked out and found that children were back. Every tree was blossoming as a child was sitting on its branch.

The birds were flying, flowers were laughing except for a place where a small child could not climb the tree. The poor tree wanted the child as frost, snow and north wind were blowing on that. The Giant realized his mistake and decided to break the wall.

He went downstairs and opened the front door. But the children were frightened to see him. The small boy could not run away. The Giant lifted the boy and put him onto a branch of the tree. The tree blossomed at once.

The Giant’s behavior was changed and he allowed the other children. Then they entered the spring. Jubilant Giant took an ax and knocked down the wall. People were surprised to see the children playing with the Giant.

The Giant invited every child to visit his ground with special mention to the youngest child. But nobody knew him. The Giant was kind to every child. Years rolled by, the Giant grew old. He watched the children playing while sitting in an armchair. He said that the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.

The Giant no longer hated the winters. One winter morning, he was surprised to see the lovely white blossoms. Its branches were golden bearing silver fruit. There was the little boy sitting underneath.

He was very happy and rushed towards him. On seeing his hands, he grew angry. He wanted to punish the wrongdoer. But the child replied that those were wounds of love. The Giant was shocked to hear such an answer.

He then asked about him who replied gently that once he allowed him to play him in his garden. Now he would take him along. When children came to play in the afternoon, they found the Giant lying dead covered with white blossoms.

The Selfish Giant

What is the summary of the Selfish Giant?

It is a story of a young boy who was a messenger of God and a selfish giant. The giant would not allow the children to play in his garden. Thus, there was always winter in his garden. Seeing this young boy, he realized that he was being selfish.

What is the main idea in The Selfish Giant?

The key theme in this story is that selfishness is ultimately self-defeating and self-destructive, as these actions result in misery. As the seasons pass, the garden itself remains locked in perpetual winter, with flowers and trees refusing to bloom. When the children return, this winter finally ends.

What is the ending of the story The Selfish Giant?

The story “The Selfish Giant” ends with a lesson leaving behind for everyone. The story escalates the feeling of belief in God and his blessings on the people. The turning of the Giant’s heart towards the children symbolizes the change of the heart of the cruelest if treated with love.

How did the giant realize his mistake?

➜ The giant realised his mistake by experiencing unusual changes in his garden. … When the children reappeared in his garden, the garden once again bloomed with leaves and flowers. He even heard the chirping of birds in his garden. Thus, he realised his mistake.

What is the climax of The Selfish Giant?

Climax. The giant sees the children laughing and playing in his garden and sees the spring had accompanied the children into his garden. He also locates a small boy struggling to climb up a tree and helps him.

Why did the Selfish Giant died?

The white blossoms that covered the Giant indicate that he was not selfish anymore. He had understood how mean he had been by not allowing the children to play in his garden. He had realised his mistake, and was kind to the children from then on. That is why his body was covered with white blossoms when he died.