The Selfish Giant Summary & Solution - CBSE Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 3

Summary 

"The Selfish Giant" is a heartfelt tale about a giant who possesses a beautiful garden. He's selfish and doesn't want anyone else to enjoy it, so he builds a wall around it and shuns the neighborhood children away. As a result, the garden is trapped in perpetual winter, experiencing cold, frost, and snow while the rest of the world enjoys spring and summer.

One day, a small boy appears and climbs over the wall to play in the garden. His presence brings life and warmth back to the garden, causing flowers to bloom and birds to sing. The giant, initially angry at the intrusion, starts to see the world differently through the boy's innocent and playful nature.

Despite the giant's attempts to keep the boy away, the child returns and invites the giant to join the fun. Slowly, the giant's heart softens, and he starts to care for the boy. However, one day, the boy disappears, and the giant becomes sorrowful.

Years later, the giant discovers that the boy, who bore wounds resembling those of Christ, is standing at the garden's entrance. The giant realizes the child was an embodiment of kindness, and in helping him, the giant had unknowingly aided someone truly special. Overwhelmed with remorse and regret, the giant seeks forgiveness.

In an act of selflessness and redemption, the giant tears down the wall to the garden, allowing children to play freely once again. His act of generosity breaks the spell of eternal winter, and the garden flourishes with life. The boy disappears, leaving the giant to understand the beauty of kindness, sacrifice, and love.

Ultimately, "The Selfish Giant" is a story that teaches the importance of generosity, compassion, and the transformative power of selfless acts of kindness.

NCERT solutions for class 8 English It So Happened The selfish giant

Comprehension Check on page 20 

1. Why is the Giant called selfish?

2. On one occasion the children said: “How happy we are here!”

Later they said: “How happy we were there!”

What are they referring to in both the cases?

3. (i) When spring came, it was still winter in the garden. What does

winter stand for or indicate here?

(ii) Winter has been presented like a story with its own characters and

their activities. Describe the story in your own words.

4. Was the Giant happy or sad over the state of the garden?

5. What effect did the linnet’s song have over Hail and the North Wind?

Answes:

1; The Giant was labelled selfish because he wanted to keep his garden to himself. Outsiders were not permitted to enter.

2. The youngsters are referring to the Giant's garden in both occasions. They are having fun in the giant's garden, according to the opening phrase. However, in the second statement, it is out of their grasp.

3. (i) Winter indicates that flowers did not bloom in the Giant’s garden. The birds

didn’t sing. There was no sign of joy and greenery.

(ii) Winter has been portrayed as destroyer. It has its own characters. Snow and frost are the most prominent factors. Trees have been covered with white cloak. The trees look lifeless. North wind has come to stay there permanently. Hails settle on the roof.

4. The Giant was saddened by the plight of his garden. It did not alter with the seasons.

5. The Hail ceased dancing above his head as a result of the linnet's song. Likewise, the North Wind ceased to howl.

Comperehension check on page 24 

1.(i) The Giant saw a most wonderful sight. What did he see?

   (ii) What did he realise on seeing it?

2. Why was it still winter in one comer of the garden?

3. Describe the first meeting of the little boy and the Giant.

4. Describe their second meeting after a long interval.

5. The Giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms. What does this sentence indicate about the once selfish Giant?

Answers:

1. (i) The Giant saw that through a little hole in the wall the children had entered

into the garden. They were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms and were waning their hands gently above the child run’s heads. The birds were flying and twittering with delight, and flowers were laughing.

(ii) He realised that he himself was to blame for the year round winter in his garden. He called himself selfish.

2. Only in one comer of the garden there was winter still. The reason was that a little boy could not climb the tree like other boys. He stood under a tree weeping.

3. In the first meeting of the boy and the Giant, the Giant lifted him gently and put him in the branch of that tree. The tree suddenly broke into flowers and the birds began to sing. The child kissed the Giant.

4. In the second meeting after so many years, the Giant saw wounds on the little boy’s palm and feet. He became furious. He wanted to kill the man who had wounded the child. But the boy said that those were wounds of love.

5. This indicates that the Giant had been blessed by Lord Christ himself. He was neither cruel nor selfish So Christ forgave him and took him to paradise.

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1:

The little child’s hands arid feet had marks of nails. Who does the child remind you of? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer:

The nail imprints on the child's hands and feet serve as a reminder of the Lord Christ. He was nailed to a cross and had nails driven into his palms and feet.

Question 2:

Is there something like this garden near where you live? Would you like one (without the Giant perhaps) and why? What would you do to keep it in good shape?

Answer:

A park is a public place. It is like the lungs in human body. It gives us fresh air. The greenery is soothing to the eyes. A private garden, however, has to be used by the people with care and caution. The children must not spoil the flower beds and the grassy lawns even in a public park. I would never play football in a park nor let other children do so.