NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Chapter 3 - It So Happened The Selfish Giant

Comprehension Check 

1. Why is the Giant called selfish?

Ans: The Giant built a high wall around his garden, with a warning sign that no one is allowed to enter. He didn't allow children to enter and play in the garden.

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 cases?

Ans: In the first case the kids were talking about the happy times they had with their friends when they visited and played in the Giant’s garden. The Giant soon refrained kids from entering and playing in the garden and the kids were reminiscing about the good old days in the second case. They are referring to the Giant's garden in both cases.

3. (i) When spring came, it was still winter in the garden. What does winter stand for or indicate here?

Ans: Winter shows lifelessness. All the life in nature is dead and the trees stand still, covered with snow, devoid of their leaves. It also represents sadness, depression, and longingness for happiness to arrive. Since there was no source of happiness and warmth in the Giant’s garden, the winter prolonged its stay there. No kids visited the garden and no bird came to sing in his garden.

(ii)Winter has been presented as a story with its own characters and their activities. Describe the story in your own words.

Ans: When the spring wrapped the world with warmth, it didn't enter the Giant’s garden since he didn't allow kids or anyone else to enter the home. The trees didn't blossom and if a flower sprung from the soil, it went back to dormancy seeing the sad atmosphere that was a part of his garden. The North Wind and Hail were asked to visit the garden which rattled the castle’s roof every day and broke some parts of it.

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

Ans: There was winter eternally in the Giant’s garden. Spring didn't come to his garden and Northwind, hail, and snow didn't leave which made him upset about its state. He couldn't comprehend why the spring didn't show up in his garden.

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

Ans: The hail stopped and the North Wind stopped roaring when the linnet sang.

Comprehension Check 

Question 1:

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

Ans: The children entered the garden through a small hole and sat on the branches of each tree present in the garden. The trees covered themselves back with blossoms as they were happy to get the warmth back from the kids. The birds, flowers, and the grass all returned back to the garden and it was a beautiful sight that the Giant saw.

(ii)What did he realize on seeing it?

Ans: He realized the reason for the late arrival of spring in his garden. He refrained from feeling happiness by building walls around his home and garden. When the kids came back into the garden, they brought back happiness with them and spring arrived.

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

Ans: A little boy was standing near the tree but couldn't reach its branches. The North Wind was still blowing over it and it was covered with frost and snow. Since the tree was in one corner of the garden, spring couldn't arrive there.

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

Ans: The Giant met the little boy beneath the tree that was still covered with snow and frost. The Giant gently picked up the kid and made him sit on the tree and as he did that the spring came on the tree. After that, the child stretched his hands towards the Giant, who picked him again. The boy then gently kissed him.

4. Describe their second meeting after a long interval.

Ans: During one winter in the Giant’s garden a tree blossomed and was covered in lovely white blossoms and had silver fruits hung on it. The Giant was elated to see the boy standing beneath it but was furious to see imprints of nails on his palm and feet. The child told him that there was nothing to worry about since they were wounds of love and the child wanted to take him to his garden in paradise since he allowed him to play in his garden.

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

Ans: The Giant changed his ways. He was once cruel and selfish but eventually accepted humanity and allowed his heart to love. When he died, he was covered with white flowers which symbolize peace and he was blessed with the afterlife in Paradise because of his charitable deeds.

Exercise

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.

Ans: The child’s hands and feet were covered with marks of nails. The image reminded us of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When he was crucified on the cross, nails were dug into his palms when he sacrificed himself for humanity. This act freed the humans from the sins they committed. Hence the child told the Giant that these marks were actually wounds of love.

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?

Ans: No there isn't anything like the garden near where I live. Yes, I would like to have one since it would provide an exceptionally beautiful place to relax and play for everyone living nearby. We could keep the place clean by regularly brooming it to remove the dead leaves and taking help from a gardener to trim the leaves and keep them in proper shape. We can pick up the garbage which will keep the place neat and tidy.

NCERT Solutions Class 8 English It So happened Chapter 3

A Few Glimpses of Class 8 English Chapter 3 ‘’The Selfish Giant’’

The NCERT Class 8 Chapter 3 ‘’The Selfish Giant’’ teaches the students the value of empathy and kindness. It is a story about a giant who had a big garden in his castle but was very selfish. Children used to visit his lush garden and play there every day. It was a lovely garden with lots of tall trees which give fruits and land of green grass. It was like heaven for the kids.

But this was possible for kids when the giant was not there. As soon as he returned and saw the kids playing in his garden, he shooed them away and made a wall around the garden. Now the kids could not come to play there. But, as it happened, the winter was adamant and just wasn’t going away. For a long time, it was winter in the garden unlike every other place where the seasons changed. During the winters in the garden, there were visitors like hail, north wind with snow and frost permanently residing. The giant was puzzled and could not decipher why the spring was not coming in his garden. 

NCERT Class 8 Chapter 3 The Selfish Giant now tells us about the turn in the events. One day, the giant was sitting beside the window and heard soft music. He thought the king’s musicians were playing it. When he looked out of the window, there were children playing in the garden and there was spring in most parts of his garden. He went down and saw that a hole in the wall made it possible for the children to come inside. 

He was happy that finally spring was coming, except for one part of the garden, where a little boy wanted to grab the branch of the tree but failed altogether. Seeing this the giant went towards him for help but all the children ran away in fear and the winter came back once again. The giant started sniffling and the little stood there and asked him to help. 

The giant helped the boy, and the little boy was happy and hugged him. Now, all the children came back and there was spring once again in the garden with the laughter of children. But as time went by, the giant didn’t see that little boy. At last, when he was old, he saw him standing under the tree and ran towards him. But the boy had nail prints in his foot and palms. 

The giant became angry and asked him to name the person who did this. The child said those were the wounds of love and said that he will take him to the place where he had come from, the Paradise. When all the children came in the evening in search of the giant, they saw him lying under the tree. 

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