The Selfish Giant Exercise: Questions & Answers Class 11 English

'The Selfish Giant' is a short story for children written by Oscar Wilde. It was first published in the anthology The Happy Prince and Other Tales in 1888. This story is about a giant who learned an important lesson about love and sharing, and holds different meanings for people of different ages.

MAIN SUMMARY OF "THE SELFISH GIANT":

Once upon a time, there was a tall, massive and ugly Giant who was really very selfish by his nature. He had a beautiful garden in his castle. There were beautiful flowering plants, soft grass and twelve peach trees in his garden. In spring seasons, peach trees used to bear beautiful pink and pearl flowers and in autumn, they used to bear rich fruits. The birds used to sit in the trees and sing-song very sweetly.

The children of the neighbourhood loved to play in the giant's garden every afternoon after school. The garden was their favourite playground, and the birds sang for them while they played. But after seven long years, the Giant returned from visiting his friend, the Cornish ogre. The moment he saw the children playing in his garden, he shouted angrily, "What are you doing here?" and chased every child away.

Then the Giant built a high wall around his garden and put up a notice board that read: "TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED." He was extremely selfish and did not want to share his beautiful garden with anyone.

From that day on, the children had nowhere to play. They wandered sadly along the walls and talked about the beautiful garden that was now locked away from them. And then the strangest thing happened — spring never came to the giant's garden. The birds did not sing, the flowers did not bloom, and the trees forgot to bear fruit. Only snow, frost, hail, and the North Wind stayed in the garden all year round. "Spring has forgotten this garden," cried the Giant, "so I will live here all alone."

One morning, the Giant heard a lovely song coming from outside his window. A little bird was singing on a tree, and through the hole in the wall, the children had crept back into the garden. Spring had returned with them — every tree had burst into flower except one, where a little boy was standing in the farthest corner of the garden, too small to climb the tree. The Giant's heart melted as he watched the children. "How selfish I have been!" he said. "Now I know why the spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever."

He crept downstairs, opened the back door softly, and walked into the garden. The children ran away in fear, and winter came back to the garden. Only the little boy did not run, because his eyes were full of tears and he did not see the Giant coming. The Giant lifted him gently and placed him on the tree, which suddenly burst into blossom. The little boy kissed the Giant, and the other children came back when they saw that the Giant was no longer wicked. The Giant knocked down the wall, and played with the children all day.

Years passed, and the Giant grew old and weak. One winter morning, he saw the same little boy standing under a tree covered in white blossoms, with wounds on his hands and feet. The Giant was angry and asked who had dared to wound him. The child smiled and said, "These are the wounds of love." "Who are you?" asked the Giant. The child replied, "Once you let me play in your garden, and now you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise."

That afternoon, the children found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.

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Characters in The Selfish Giant#

• The Giant: A selfish, lonely giant who learns the value of love, sharing and kindness. He represents people who close themselves off from others and suffer loneliness as a result.
• The Little Boy: The mysterious child who represents innocence, love and forgiveness — and in the Christian symbolism of the story, Christ himself. His wounds are "the wounds of love."
• The Children: They represent joy, innocence and the natural happiness that selfishness destroys. When they enter the garden, spring returns with them.
• The Cornish Ogre: The giant's friend whom he visits for seven years — his absence sets the story in motion.

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Major Themes of the Story#

1. Selfishness and Loneliness#

The central theme of the story. When the Giant shuts out the children, nature itself punishes him — the garden stays in eternal winter, mirroring the coldness in his heart. His selfishness does not bring him happiness; it brings him loneliness.

2. Love, Sharing and Generosity#

The Giant's change of heart brings back the spring. The moment he shares his garden, he becomes happy. The story teaches that true happiness comes from giving, not from keeping.

3. Redemption and Forgiveness#

The Giant repents his selfishness and is forgiven. The little boy's kiss and his final invitation to Paradise show that sincere change is always rewarded.

4. Childhood and Innocence#

Children in the story are a symbol of purity. They are connected to nature — where the children play, flowers bloom and birds sing.

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Comprehensive Questions and Answers#

1. Why did the Giant build a high wall around his garden?#

The Giant built a high wall around his garden because he was selfish and did not want the children to play in it. He wanted to keep his beautiful garden entirely for himself and put up a notice board saying "TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED" so no one would enter.

2. Why did spring not come to the Giant's garden?#

Spring did not come to the Giant's garden because the children were no longer playing there. The birds, flowers and trees — all of which loved the children — stayed away. Only snow, frost and the North Wind remained, because the Giant's selfishness had driven away every source of warmth and joy.

3. How did the Giant realize his mistake?#

The Giant realized his mistake when he saw the children creeping back through the hole in the wall, bringing spring with them. He noticed one little boy who could not climb the tree because he was too small, and his heart softened. He understood that his selfishness had kept the spring and happiness away from his garden.

4. What did the Giant do after he changed his heart?#

After the Giant changed his heart, he lifted the little boy onto the tree, knocked down the wall of his garden, and allowed the children to play in it forever. He played with the children himself and grew old as a kind and generous person.

5. Who was the little boy at the end of the story?#

The little boy at the end of the story is a mysterious, Christ-like figure. He has wounds on his hands and feet, which he calls "the wounds of love." He invites the Giant to his garden, which is Paradise — revealing that he represents love, sacrifice and salvation.

6. What is the moral of the story?#

The moral of the story is that selfishness leads to loneliness while love and sharing bring happiness. Kindness towards others, especially the weak and innocent, is the path to a meaningful life.

7. Why did the children stop playing in the garden?#

The children stopped playing in the garden because the Giant chased them away and built a high wall with a notice board that threatened trespassers. They were afraid of the Giant.

8. What did the Giant see when he returned after seven years?#

When the Giant returned after seven years, he saw the children playing in his beautiful garden. He was angered by this and chased them all away before building the wall around the garden.

9. How does the setting reflect the Giant's emotions?#

The setting mirrors the Giant's emotional state throughout the story. When he is selfish and angry, the garden remains frozen in eternal winter. When he opens his heart to the children, spring arrives. The physical change in the garden symbolises the inner change in the Giant.

10. Why is the story called 'The Selfish Giant'?#

The story is called 'The Selfish Giant' because the main character is a giant whose selfishness is the central conflict of the story. His transformation from selfishness to generosity forms the entire arc of the narrative.

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How to Use These Notes for NEB Preparation#

1. First read the summary above and then read the original story in your textbook.
2. Learn the themes and character points by heart — exam questions are usually based on these.
3. Practise writing the answers to the questions above in your own words.
4. For the long answer question, write a paragraph on "How does the story show that love and kindness are more powerful than selfishness?"

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Frequently Asked Questions#

Who wrote The Selfish Giant?#

The Selfish Giant was written by the Irish writer Oscar Wilde and first published in 1888 in the collection The Happy Prince and Other Tales.

What is the symbolic meaning of the little boy?#

The little boy symbolises Christ. His wounds on the hands and feet represent the crucifixion, and his garden — Paradise — symbolises salvation for the repentant Giant.

Is The Selfish Giant a short story or a fairy tale?#

The Selfish Giant is a short story written in the style of a fairy tale, with clear moral teaching, magical elements, and a symbolic ending.

What is the ending of The Selfish Giant?#

At the end of the story, the children find the Giant lying dead under a tree covered with white blossoms, having been taken to Paradise by the little boy. The ending is both sad and hopeful, showing that the Giant died after living a good, generous life.