Christian Charity
“The Selfish Giant” is a lesson in Christian charity, as the titular Giant learns how to let go of his self-interest and love others. The Christian concept of “charity” is distinct from the common modern sense of the word, which has to do with money or aid for the disadvantaged. Christian charity, or caritas in Latin, refers to a perfectly unselfish kind of love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Charity as “the theological…
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Divine Providence
Divine Providence is a Christian theological concept that is fundamental to understanding the logic of “The Selfish Giant.” Divine Providence, or simply “Providence,” is the belief in a world justly ordered by God. It states that the natural world, from plants to animals to weather, exists in accordance with God’s will, and that God will intervene through nature if he deems it just. Oscar Wilde presents this idea through a kind of fairy tale logic—the…
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Redemption
The theme of redemption occupies a special and distinct place in “The Selfish Giant.” The redemptive arc of the Giant’s character is what drives the plot forward—but more than this, redemption of the soul is a core promise of Christianity, and Wilde’s fairy tale communicates this promise in clear and decidedly Christian terms. At the end of the story, the first child the Giant befriended, the little boy, is revealed to be the…
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The Power of Children
Children occupy a special place in the discussion posed by “The Selfish Giant.” By the late 19th century, it had become common opinion among Victorians that children are naturally disposed to goodness, not wickedness—and in “The Selfish Giant,” Wilde proposes that this natural goodness can have a transformative effect on the world. By opening their eyes to the simple perspective of children, and by using their needs as a moral compass, adults can make a…
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