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NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 13 The Selfish Giant
Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 8 English Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 8 English Chapter 13 The Selfish Giant and After, NCERT Class 8 English Textbook of Honeydew and It So Happen. for All Chapters, You can practice these here.
The Selfish Giant
Chapter: 13
IT SO HAPPEN
Textbook Questions With Their Answers
COMPREHENSION CHECK – I
Q. 1. Why is the Giant called selfish?
Ans. The Giant is called selfish because he does not allow anyone to enter his garden. He does not even allow the children to play there.
Q. 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?
Ans. In both the cases, they are referring to the Giant’s garden. Children loved to play in it. Every afternoon as they were coming from school, they used to enter the large lovely garden with flowers and peach trees. Then the children used to exclaim, “How happy we are here!” When the Giant came back home, he banned the entry of children in his garden. Then the children used to say, “How happy we were there!”
Q. 3. (i) When Spring came, it was still winter in the garden. What does the winter stand for or indicate here?
Ans. (i) Winter indicates that spring did not come in Giant’s garden. Flowers did not bloom there. The birds did not sing. There was no sign of joy and greenery.
(ii) Winter has been presented like a story with its own characters and activities. Describe the story in your own words.
Ans. Winter has been portrayed as the destroyer. It was winter in the garden. Once a beautiful flower put its head out from the grass but when it saw that children had been prohibited to play in the garden, it drew back. Trees have been covered with white cloak. Snow and frost are the most important factors.
Q. 4. Was the Giant happy or sad over the state of the garden?
Ans. The Giant was sad over the state of the garden as there was no spring. Neither birds flew nor flowers grew there.
Q. 5. What effect did the linnet’s song have over hail and the north wind?
Ans. As an effect of the linnet’s song, the hail stopped dancing and the north wind stopped roaring. A delicious perfume came to him through the open casement. The Giant believed that the spring had come at last.
COMPREHENSION CHECK – II
Q. 1. (i) The Giant saw a most wonder- ful sight. What did he see?
Ans. (i) The Giant saw that through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in. They were sitting on the branches of the trees. Trees were glad, birds were flying and twittering with delight. The flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing.
(ii) What did he realise on seeing it?
Ans. The Giant realised that he had been very selfish. The spring had not come as he did not allow the children to play in the garden.
Q. 2. Why was it still winter in one corner of the garden?
Ans. It was still winter in one corner of the garden because a little boy could not climb the tree like other boys in the garden. He stood under the tree weeping so neither flowers bloomed nor birds chirped in the garden.
Q. 3. Describe the first meeting of the little boy and the Giant.
Ans. The Giant took little boy gently in his hands, and put him up into the tree. The tree suddenly broke into flowers, and the birds came and sang on it. The little boy was also so pleased that he stretched out his two arms and flying them around Giant’s neck.
Q. 4. Describe their second meeting after a long interval.
Ans. After many years, the Giant again saw the little boy under a tree. When he hurriedly came near the child, his face grew red with anger when he saw wounds on the palms of the child. The Giant enquired who had dared to hurt the little boy. The little boy, however, told that they were the wounds of love. He also said that he had come to take the Giant to his garden, which is paradise.
Q. 5. The Giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms. What does this sentence indicate about the once selfish Giant ?
Ans. This sentence indicates about the once selfish Giant that lord that blessed him with abode of peace and love, i.e. Paradise since he was no more selfish and he had changed his attitude towards children.
EXERCISE
Discuss the following topics in groups.
Q. 1. The little child’s hands and feet had marks of nails. What does the child remind you of? Give a reason for your answer.
Ans. The marks of nails on the little child’s hands and feet remind us of the incident of Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion. Jesus Christ was hanged to death. He was tortured. Nails were fixed by the Jews on his palms and feet against a wall. It is here the Giant met Christ in the guise of a child.
The reason is that Jesus wanted to teach him the lesson of kindness towards the children The Giant became kind to them at the end and was blessed with salvation (Mukti).
Q. 2. Is there something like this garden near the place where you live? Would you like one (without the Giant, perhaps) and why? What would you do to keep it in good shape?
Ans. Yes, there is a beautiful garden near where I live. It is surrounded by a six feet high wall with four gates, one on each of the four sides. The gates are opened at 5 a.m. and closed at 10 p.m. every day. There is something very attractive in the central part of the garden. It is a large lake with about ten boats used by tourists for boating. There is a great rush of visitors every evening. The boats can be used on ticket basis. The green trees surrounding the lake adds a matchless beauty to the wholesom scene. Children of neighbourhood play about here on the green and smooth labled grass. Of course, one thing is missing here. It is the giant who is completely invisible. That is why children enjoy the green garden-cum-bright lake. I would not like any garden which is controlled by the story-type giant.
SOME OTHER QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION
Q. 1. Where had the Giant gone?
Ans. The Giant had been to stay with his friend, the Cornish Ogre.
Q. 2. Why did the poor children have nowhere to play?
Ans. The poor children had nowhere to play because the Giant had banned their entry into the garden. The road was dusty and full of hard stones so they could not play on the road too.
Q. 3. He was wrapped in furs.
(a) Who is ‘He’ referred to here?
Ans. ‘North Wind’ is ‘He’ referred to here.
(b) What part of the speech is used?
Ans. Personification.
Q. 4. I believe the spring has come at last.’
(a) Who is ‘T’ here?
Ans. ‘I’ is Giant here.
(b) How did he know that the spring had come at last?
Ans. The spring had come at last because the Hail stopped dancing over his head and the North Wind ceased roaring. The delicious perfume came through open casement.
Q. 5. Why was the poor tree still covered with frost and snow?
Ans. The poor trees was still covered with frost and snow because the little child could not climb up the tree.
Q. 6. How did the change come over in Giant?
Ans. The change came over in Giant when he realised that the children are the most beautiful flowers. The spring enters the garden only when the children play in it. He wondered how he had been earlier so selfish.
Q. 7. How did the Giant react when he saw that the little boy whom he had loved stood under the tree?
Ans. When the Giant saw the little boy standing under the tree, he danced in joy and ran out into the garden. He hurried across the grass and came near the child.
Q. 8. Who is the author of the story?
Ans. Oscar Wilde.
Q. 9. What message the author has tried to convey through the story?
Ans. Through the Giant as a protagonist, the author has tired to convey that is the good deeds and social service that counts and not power and wealth. The magnanimity of heart and nobleness of purpose marks the transformation of a Giant from wickedness to kindness. He says that life is cherished primarily in the period of childhood and the adults, educated and elderly should let it bloom to the best possible extent.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Tick (✔) the correct option
1. How many peach-trees were there in Giant’s garden?
(a) eleven.
(b) ten.
(c) twelve.
(d) eight.
Ans. (c) twelve.
2. For how long did the Giant stay with his friend?
(a) six years.
(b) five years.
(c) seven years.
(d) ten years.
Ans. (c) seven years.
3. Who are ‘trespassers’?
(a) passing through a place illegally.
(b) passing through a place legally.
(c) policemen.
(d) children.
Ans. (a) passing through a place illegally.
4. Which of the following words means ‘rattled’?
(a) made a noise.
(b) shouted.
(c) wrapped.
(d) slipped back.
Ans. (a) made a noise.
5. What is a ‘cloak’?
(a) a long coat.
(b) a wall-clock.
(c) a time-piece.
(d) a jacket.
Ans. (a) a long coat.
6. “Spring has forgotten this garden”. Who said this?
(a) The snow said this.
(b) The frost said this.
(c) The children said this.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d) Both (a) and (b).
7. “I cannot understand why the Spring is so late in coming.” Who said this?
(a) The little child said this.
(b) The Giant said this.
(c) The snow said this.
(d) The frost said this.
Ans. (b) The Giant said this.
8. “But where is your little companion.” Who said this to whom?
(a) The Giant said this to the children.
(b) The flowers said this to the children.
Ans. (a) The Giant said this to the children.
MAKE SENTENCES
Use the following words in sentences of your own:
(i) pleased.
(ii) delicate.
(iii) in order to.
(iv) own.
(v) joyful.
(vi) delighted.
(vii) celebrate.
Ans. (i) pleased: I was immensely pleased to get the beautiful wrist watch on my birthday.
(ii) delicate: The delicate bride was looking like a fairy.
(iii) in order to: In order to secure first position in the class, he studied very hard.
(iv) own: I feel comfortable and secure in my own home.
(v) joyful: I still cherish the joyful moments of my childhood.
(vi) delighted: I was delighted to see my old friend in the fair.
(vii) celebrate: Indians celebrate the festivals of all the religions together.
