In the beginning of "The Selfish Giant," before he changes his ways, the mean and lonely Giant is juxtaposed with the innocent and idealized children. The story's opening scene establishes the children as a happy and carefree force that positively impacts the surrounding environment. The vibrancy with which the garden interacts with and responds to the children underlines the transformative power that children possess, according to Wilde. As the story unfolds, the character development of the Giant is brought to fruition by the children, who serve as his foil.
The pure and exuberant opening scene is disrupted by the return of the Giant and his eviction of the children. From this moment until the Giant's transformation, the story's mood and imagery depend on which character is present in the garden: the Giant or the children. Related to the mood and imagery, the emotions and actions of the anthropomorphized weather and seasons also function in direct response to the pair of foils.
But when the children saw him they were so frightened that they all ran away, and the garden became Winter again.
At a certain point in the story, the Giant recognizes this difference and decides to change his ways. When the children see that the Giant is "not wicked any longer," they come running back into the garden, and "with them [comes] the Spring." The Giant's initial selfishness and cruel disposition are accentuated by the children's unity and goodwill. This contrast is not only evident to the reader, but eventually also becomes evident to the Giant. Only when he recognizes the effect of his coldhearted lack of charity on the other characters and his environment—and not to mention on himself—does he seek atonement. It is the marked contrast between the Giant and the virtuous children that sets him on this path.
