Setting

The events described in the short story “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde take place in a fairy-tale setting. The exact location is not mentioned, but there are several references to castles and fantastic creatures, like Giants and Ogres. Fairy tales typically do not mention a specific place and time. This gives the story a timeless quality, suggesting that the events can take place anywhere. It also helps readers to focus on the meaning of the story.

The Giant’s garden is an important part of the physical setting. It is a beautiful spot, which resembles an earthly Paradise:

It was a large lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars, and there were twelve peach-­trees that in the spring­...