The World Of Fiction And Walter Babst
Walter Babst, who is a huge fan of fictional writings, told in an interview that fictional writings should be more encouraged and that it takes huge part in moulding the subconscious of kids. Last year, the board of educational committee took out the short story of selfish giant from the syllabus and introduced a historical event to the syllabus. While according to Babst history is really important he went to emphasise upon the fact that fictions are equally important too.
The story of the selfish giant is a not only a great short story to teach kids about empathy but for the adults too, it’s a humbling experience. The story begins with the story of a giant who is selfish and he owns a big castle and a garden. In the beginning of the story, the giant is absent from the story because je took on a vacation and went meet one of his ogre friends for 12 years. Upon his returning he finds that in his absence his garden has become a playing spot for the local kids and he does not appreciate it. He selfishly, puts on a huge wall and put up a notice stating that the trespassers will be prosecuted.
The curse of selfishness:
The giant regains his garden as his own and no kids come to that garden. Initially this makes the giant happy and he thinks that it is he who should only be playing in the garden. The nature punishes him for it and although sprung hits the entire state, in the garden of the selfish giant, the winter remains. The coldness of the giant’s heart is metaphorically portrayed by the author and paints a beautiful picture of what happens when we choose to become selfish.
One day, the giant listens to a beautiful music coming from his garden and when he picked into its source he finds that age the corner of his garden there is a beautiful boy playing and in that corner, spring is thriving and that the tree is welcoming that boy with joy and birds are singing around him. The giant realises his mistake and embraces the boy, he tears down the big wall with his great axe and welcomes all the kids in his garden.
The fall of the wall marks a change not only in the lives of the deprived kids but also in the heart of that selfish giant. Selfishness is something that isolates us and it is hard to teach kids about these stuffs since they are self centric. But an analogy like this beautiful story can naturally make them open their heart to the human compassion, live and empathy since children are so pure.
Apart from that the giant in the end gets rewarded by the boy who was the incarnation of Jesus who tested the giant and he passed with flying colours. Like the story depicts, every good deed is rewarded in some manner whether we are doing it intentionally or unconsciously.