The Rose
One of the most striking images of the Wilde fairy tale collection is without a doubt when the Nightingale pierces her heart with the thorn of a red rose. She hopes to produce a red rose of incomparable beauty for a lovesick student, whose beloved demands to receive a red rose as a token of love, despite the fact that it is winter. The blood staining the rose as the Nightingale sings is dramatic and described in vivid detail, which adds to the climax of the story. The rose is only to be idly left behind when the lady shows her true colours by refusing it.
The Garden
There are a few notable garden in the tales, but the most prevalent one is the Selfish Giant’s. His garden is richly portrayed with colourful flowers that are compared to precious stones. The beauty of the garden is the direct reflection of the narrative. It transforms into a barren property for many seasons after the Giant ejects the children from his property, and is restored to its former glory when he opens his heart and lets the children back in his garden.
The Stigmata
The manifestation of stigmata is primarily associated with the Roman Catholic faith. It is described as bodily marks or sensations of pain in the hands, wrists and feet, which correspond to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. In the Selfish Giant, the stigmatic child returns many years after his encounter with the Giant. This time however, he returns bearing the crucifixion marks, and comes to take the Giant away to his own garden in the afterlife. This child is thus revealed to be the Christ Child.
The Wheelbarrow
When poor Little Hans is forced to sell his wheelbarrow in order to survive a particularly harsh winter, he has lost his main work tool. However, since the Miller promises to offer his own wheelbarrow, but never actually follows through, it is the absence of the gesture that gives the wheelbarrow its importance. As a gardener, he used his wheelbarrow on a daily basis, and depends on it, so when his friend the Miller offers his own broken-down one, Little Hans is immediately relieved. It represents his hard work, labour, and ethic. Its absence, though, is also stark image.
