Class 11 Section II English Lesson 1

Exercise

Questions and Answers

a. Where did the children use to play?

➜ The children used to play in a beautiful garden of the giant during afternoon time after school.

b. What did the Snow and the Frost do to the garden?

➜ The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak and the Frost painted all the trees silver. They even invited the North Wind to stay with them.

c. What did the giant hear when he was lying awake in bed?

➜ The giant heard some lovely music of a little singing bird (linnet) when he was lying awake in bed. He heard the music after a long time.

d. Why do you think spring season never came to the giant’s garden?

➜ I think the spring season became sad along with the children. She became angry and never came to the giant’s garden because of the giant’s rudeness and selfishness towards the innocent children.

e. How did the giant realise his mistake?➜

The giant realised his mistake by experiencing unusual changes in his garden. Snow, frost, north wind, and fog remained there all year. He felt guilty for driving the children away. When the children returned, the garden bloomed again, and he heard the birds singing. This made him understand the value of the children.

Reference to the Context

A. Read the extracts and answer the questions:

a. “How happy we were there!” they said to each other.

i. Where does ‘there’ refer to?

➜ ‘There’ refers to the giant’s garden where the children used to play after school.

ii. What does ‘they’ refer to?

➜ ‘They’ refers to the children who played in the giant’s garden.

iii. Why are they saying so?

➜ They are saying so because they are no longer allowed to play in the giant’s garden after the giant chased them away.

b. “I have many beautiful flowers,” he said; “but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.”

i. Who is the speaker?

➜ The speaker is the old and feeble giant.

ii. Who is he speaking to?

➜ He is speaking to himself while admiring his garden.

iii. Who are ‘the children’ that the speaker is referring to?

➜ The children are the small and innocent school children who played in his garden.

iv. Why is the speaker saying that ‘the children are the most beautiful flowers of all’?

➜ Because he realised that the presence of children brought true beauty to his garden, more than any flowers. Their innocence and joy made the garden bloom.

c. When the little child smiled at the Giant and said, “You let me play once in your garden, today you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise,” shortly afterwards, the happy giant dies. What is the coincidence of this event?

➜ The giant, now old and weak, had long waited for the return of the little child. When the child finally appeared, it was to take the giant to Paradise. The giant died happily that afternoon after hearing the child’s words.

B. Examples of Personification and Significance
Examples:

1. Snow

2. Frost

3. North Wind

Significance: The personified seasons represent nature’s reaction to the giant’s selfishness, punishing him by making the garden cold and lifeless.

C. Symbols in the Story

• Spring season: Happiness

• Winter season: Suffering

• Tree: Identity of the child as Christ

• Corner of the garden: Sacred place of God and redemption

• Snow, wind, frost: Forces against selfishness

D. Figure of Speech

• Figure of speech used: Personification (winter, frost, snow, north wind, hail, and little child)

• The little child is compared to: Lord Jesus

Reference Beyond the Text

a. What is the main theme of this story?

➜ Themes include arrogance, consequences of selfishness, love, compassion, and salvation. Bad deeds are punished, and good deeds are rewarded.

b. Does God punish those who are cruel to children and selfish?

➜ Yes. Children are innocent and considered blessings. In the story, the giant’s cruelty towards the children led to unhappiness, and he was only redeemed after showing kindness.