The Flaws in Human Nature

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Recommended: Literary criticism of Oscar Wilde

The Flaws in Human Nature

The story is known. A boy buys magic beans from a seller, plants the bean, and a giant bean stalk sprouts. The boy climbs it and meets a giant. This giant however is not like the giant in “The Selfish Giant”, by Oscar Wilde. While reading this short story a theme at first glance did not surface. But while dissecting it, readers will see that this is a follow-up of Adam and Eve with many lessons that the reader can learn. Reading this short story will accentuate the flaws in human nature by portraying selfish people, a world without love, and good.

The giant in this short story has a green garden that has been unattended for seven years because he was visiting a friend. But when he returns he discovers that there are children in his beautiful garden playing, and he is not happy. So the giant builds a wall and post a sign TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED the possession of his land is the first flaw in human nature, which is Selfishness. Little did the giant know that his selfishness held his garden winter while the other gardens were spring. This phenomenon made the giant wonder why this was happening. But his answer came when he saw the kids come in his garden; in return his garden was “happy” again with white blossoms and birds soaring up above (Wilde 2). Later he came to the epiphany of how selfish he has been and knows why spring has not come to his garden. The giant had changed his ways and knocked down the wall and opened his garden for all. However, selfishness was the least of his problems he still missed his “…little companion.” that used to be in the giant’s garden. “The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him.” (Wilde 3)

His “missing companion” shows another flaw in human nature. Peo...

... middle of paper ...

...ople are selfish. What happens when there is no love in the world? Lastly, What would happen when the world has no good (Christ.)? Either way no one can do it like Wilde did in this artful, original, fairy tale (Harris 1) “The Selfish Giant.”

Works Cited

Harris, Laurie Lanzen. Short Story Criticism Vol. 11,Detroit : Gale Research/Thompson. 1988

"'The Selfish Giant'." In Maunder, Andrew. Facts On File Companion to the British Short Story.

New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File

Inc. http://www.fofweb.com

Watkin, Amy "How to Write About Oscar Wilde" Bloom's How to Write about Oscar Wilde

Chelsea House Publishing, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

http://www.fofweb.com

Wilde, Oscar, and Joanna Isles. The Selfish Giant. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1979. Print.

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