The Selfish Giant | Class 8 English Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 3 min read
The Selfish Giant – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of The Selfish Giant from Class 8 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Exercise
This section includes exercises and discussion topics designed to engage students in critical thinking and personal reflection related to the story's themes. The exercises encourage group discussion and individual responses.
Discussion Topics: 1. The little child's hands and feet had marks of nails. Who does the child remind you of? Give reasons for your answer. 2. Is there a garden like this near where you live? Would you like one (without the Giant perhaps) and why? What would you do to keep it in good shape?
Think It Over:
- Selfless love involves suffering for others.
- Owning things is human; sharing them is divine.
These prompts help students connect the story’s spiritual symbolism with real-life experiences and values such as sharing, kindness, and selflessness. They also encourage students to express their thoughts creatively and empathetically.
📊 Diagram: See figure_7: Discussion topics and moral reflections related to the story.
🧪 Activity: Group discussions and reflective writing based on the provided topics and moral lessons.
🔗 Connection: Supports writing and speaking skills development through paragraph writing and role play based on the story.
Frequently asked questions
1. The little child's hands and feet had marks of nails. Who does the child remind you of? Give a reason for your answer. 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?
1. The little child's hands and feet had marks of nails, which remind us of Jesus Christ, who was crucified and had nails pierced through his hands and feet. This symbolism suggests that the child represents Jesus, indicating themes of sacrifice and love.
2. Answers will vary depending on the student's locality and preferences. A student might say: Yes, there is a garden near my home. I would like a garden like this without the Giant because it would be a peaceful and beautiful place to play an
Why is the Giant called selfish in the story "The Selfish Giant"?
The Giant is called selfish because he built a high wall around his beautiful garden and did not allow the children to play there anymore. For example, he put up a notice-board saying 'TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED' and stopped the children from entering his garden.
What do the children mean when they say “How happy we are here!” and later “How happy we were there!” in the story?
When the children say “How happy we are here!”, they refer to their joy playing in the Giant's garden before the wall was built. Later, when they say “How happy we were there!”, they are remembering the happy times in the garden after being kept out by the Giant's wall.
(i) In the story, when spring came, it was still winter in the Giant's garden. What does winter symbolize here? (ii) Describe the story of winter with its characters as presented in the text.
(i) Winter symbolizes the Giant's selfishness and the resulting coldness and lifelessness in his garden. (ii) The story personifies winter with characters like Snow, Frost, North Wind, and Hail who live in the garden all year round because spring has forgotten it. They cover the garden in snow and ice, making it cold and barren.
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