The Selfish Giant

Analysis

An analysis of the short story “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde shows that it follows a chronological structure typical of fairy tales. Usually, fairy-tales involve a hero who has to perform a task, before which he is rewarded. In the story, the Giant redeems himself by helping a boy and is rewarded with afterlife in Paradise. 

The main character of the story is the Selfish Giant. The child he helps is important from a symbolic point of view. The collective character of the children is also important, as their presence makes the Giant have a change of heart. 
The physical setting contains typical fairy-tale elements, such as castles, Giants, and Ogres. The events take place in the Giant’s garden, which becomes symbolic of his development as a character. The Giant’s garden is an important part of the physical setting. It is a beautiful spot, which resembles an earthly Paradise.
The story is told by a third-person narrator, who mostly follows the perspective of the Giant. At times, the narrator offers comments and opinions on the events in the story. 
The language is simple, as the story is intended to be read to children. The story relies on symbols, which make it easier to interpret. One of the features found in the narrative is the capitalization of some nouns. Through personification, seasons and natural phenomena become main characters, and their names are written in capital letters: “So it was always Winter there, and the North Wind, and the Hail, and the Frost, and the Snow danced about through the trees”.
The short story “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde explores the theme of selfishness. This theme is illustrated by the main character, a Giant who does not want to share his garden with the children and only wants to enjoy it by himself. The theme of selfishness is suggested from the title, where it is suggested that selfishness has a great part to play in the events. 
In the story, selfishness is punished. The Giant wants to be the only one enjoying his Garden, without realizing that it is a selfish thing to do. When the Giant sends the children away and forbids them from using his garden, he is punished with winter.