1
The Gift of the Magiby O. Henry

• English I Literature
• C. Edge
• ECHS

2
The Gift of the Magi, p. 202Vocabulary

• Instigate v. gives rise to. Instigate is
  generally used to mean provokes or urges on to
  some action.
• Synonyms encourage, incite, initiate, provoke,
  spur, stir up, urge
• Antonyms denounce, deter, discourage, prevent,
  prohibit

3
The Gift of the Magi, p. 202Vocabulary

• Scrutiny n. close inspection
• Synonyms analysis, eagle eye, inspection, scan,
  study
• Antonyms cursory look, glance

4
The Gift of the Magi, p. 202Vocabulary

• Depreciate v. belittle lower the value of
• Synonyms cheapen, decrease, deflate, detract,
  discredit, disgrace, diminish, downgrade, reduce,
  undervalue, write off
• Antonyms appreciate, cherish, esteem, prize,
  value

5
The Gift of the Magi, p. 202Vocabulary

• Covet v. to long for something here it is
  used as an adjective to describe something that
  is longed-for.
• Synonyms  crave, hanker for, itch for, long
  for, lust after, thirst for, want
• Antonyms ignore, not want, reject, spurn

6
Plot Structure

• The way that a story is arranged and presented.
• Plot Diagram
• Stage 1 Exposition
• Stage 2 Rising Action
• Stage 3 Climax
• Stage 4 Falling Action
• Stage 5 -- Resolution

7
Setting

• The time and location of a storys action.
• What is the setting of the story?

8
IRONY

• A contrast or discrepancy between expectation and
  reality
• There are three types of irony
• Verbal Irony
• Situational Irony
• Dramatic Irony

9
Verbal Irony

• When a writer or speaker says one thing but
  really means something completely different.
• EXAMPLE
• Calling Hugh Heffner a model of virtuous behavior.

10
Situational Irony

• Occurs when there is a contrast between what
  would seem appropriate and what really happens or
  when there is a contradiction between what we
  expect to happen and what really does take place.
• EXAMPLE
• The road runner runs through a brick wall on
  which Wile E. Coyote has painted a picture of a
  road that continues on into the distance.

11
Dramatic Irony

• Occurs when the audience or the reader knows
  something important that a character in a play or
  story does not know.
• EXAMPLE
• In the movie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, the
  audience knows that Kate Hudsons character is
  playing Matthew McConaugheys character in order
  to write a story for her magazine, but he
  actually thinks that she is falling in love with
  him.

12
Simile and Metaphor

• Simile
• Example
• Metaphor
• Example

13
Allusion

• A reference to another work of literature or a
  reference to a person or event in history.
• Example

14
Theme

• The central idea about life revealed in the
  story.
• What is the theme of the story?

15
The Gift of the Magi

• This O. Henry classic, famous for its
  characteristic snapper, or surprise ending, is
  a tale of selfless love between a husband and a
  wife. At Christmas, Della sells her long,
  beautiful hair to buy her husband, Jim, a
  platinum fob chain for his prized watch.
  Meanwhile, he has sold his watch to buy an
  expensive set of combs for her hair.

16
Critical Thinking, p. 204

• Which instigates the moral reflection that life
  is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with
  sniffles predominating.
• Do you agree with this moral reflection?
  Explain.
• You may believe that for most people, life is
  full of hardship, suffering, and sorrow, or you
  may see this view as too pessimisticthat life is
  what you make of it.

17
Making Inferences, p. 204

• Read the second paragraph through the fourth
  paragraph on p. 204
• What do these details tell you about the couple
  and the setting of the story?
• The couple is poor, since they have a shabby
  apartment, their income has shrunk, and they
  cant afford to fix things. The story takes
  place in the past, since both the rent and the
  husbands income are far less than they would be
  today.

18
Dictiona writers choice of words

• P. 205When Della reached home, her intoxication
  gave way a little to prudence and reason. She
  got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and
  went to work repairing the ravages made by
  generosity added to love. Which is always a
  tremendous task
• This paragraph contains highly ornate diction.
  Paraphrase it in plain diction.

19
Diction, p. 205

• Sample paraphrase
• When Della got home, her happiness lessened, and
  her mind turned to practical matters. To fix the
  damage love and generosity had caused, she tried
  to curl the hair she had left, but it wasnt
  easy.

20
Irony in The Gift of the Magi

• On p. 206, paragraph fifteen, Della sees the
  combs that Jim has bought for her.
• Why is this an ironic situation?
• Possible answer With her hair cut so short,
  Della has no use for the combs its ironic
  because Della sold her hair to buy Jim a gift.

21
Irony in The Gift of the Magi

• How does this snapper, or surprise twistthe
  fact that Jim has sold his watchmake the
  situation in the story even more ironic?
• Sample answer Both Della and Jim sacrificed
  their most cherished possession to buy something
  for use with the others most cherished
  possession.

22
Question 1, p. 209

• What do you think of O. Henrys comments in the
  last paragraph of this story?

23
Question 3, p. 209

• Q An ironic situation is one that turns out to
  be just the opposite of what weor the characters
  in the storyexpect. Describe the situational
  irony in this story.
• Q What lesson about life and love do you think
  it teaches Della and Jim?

24
Question 4, p. 209

• Q What is the real gift referred to in the
  title? (Notice that O. Henry says gift, not
  gifts.)

25
Question 5, p. 209

• Q A paradox is an apparent contradiction that
  is actually true. It may be a statement or a
  situation. Explain why the following statement
  is a paradox Jim and Della were of the richest
  couples on earth.

26
Question 6, p. 209

• Q Under what circumstances would you give up a
  cherished possessionas Jim and Della did?

27
Question 7, p. 209

• Q What do you think this little story, written
  almost a century ago, has to say about our
  consumer society today? Do you think that we
  often equate love with money? Consider
  advertising, the amount of money we spend on
  gifts, the value placed on having many
  possessions.

28
Question 8, p. 209

• Q O. Henrys poverty-stricken couple is
  sustained by so much love that it is hard to
  imagine a cross word coming between the two of
  them. Suppose a writer with a view of the world
  different from O. Henryssomeone who viewed the
  human nature as selfishwere to write about this
  struggling couple. How might the story change?

29
Question 9, p. 209

• Q Describe your response to O. Henrys
  endingthe snapper. Do you enjoy this kind of
  irony in stories or movies, or does it seem
  contriveda trick played on the reader?