Elements
What is the term for the sequence of events that make up a story?
Plot
O. Henry describes Della through her actions and reactions. What impression do we get of Della?
Della is characterized by her intense emotions and selfless devotion. She is impulsive, loving, and anxious.
At the beginning of the The Gift of the Magi, what is Della's main emotional struggle, or internal conflict?
She is upset because she has little money to buy Jim a gift.
When does The Gift of the Magi take place?
Time: Christmas Eve, Early 1900s
Explain the theme of selfless love in 'The gift of the Magi'.
1. True love is measured not by the value of what is given, but by the degree of sacrifice required to give it.
2. The value of the gift wasn't the comb or the ch, it was the proof that each was willing to sacrifice everything for the other.
Who is the central character in a story, often the one the reader follows closely?
Protagonist
In The Lost Phoebe, why does Henry go insane?
Henry's insanity is due to isolation, overwhelming grief, and a psychological defense against the finality of Phoebe's death.
What is the main conflict that first arises in the story's exposition for Henry and Phoebe?
Phoebe, Henry's wife, dies. (Person vs. Fate)
How does Time & Place influence the reader's understanding of The Lost Phoebe?
Place: American Midwest during the early 20th century = sense of decline and isolation, which mirrors the protagonist's mental state.
Explain 'madness' as a theme in 'The Lost Phoebe'.
1. The mind will choose a "living lie" over a "dead truth" when the truth is too much to handle.
2. Henry gives himself a reason to wake up every day. His seven-year wanderings are a psychological "journey" that keeps him alive, until his journey and his life end simultaneously.
Which term describes all types of struggle happening outside of the main character's mind?
External Conflict
In The Romantic, how does Highsmith portray Isabel as an ordinary young woman?
1. "not beautiful but not bad-looking either," = A typical young professional who blends into a crowd.
2. Hard-working but socially awkward compared to the "vivacious" secretaries she works with.
3. Desire for a life more exciting than her own.
4. Quiet, solitary weekends and domestic tasks.
Who is the antagonist, the character who mainly challenges John Andros' authority and pride during the party?
Joe Markey
What are the socio-economic conditions in which Jim and Della live?
1. Severe Income Inequality
2. Traditional Gender Roles
3. Class Embarrassment (clinging to their dignity in a city of millions)
What effect does social class have on theme in The Baby Party?
1. Social Class is Superficial (polite behavior hides resentment.)
2. Children as "Status Symbols" (extensions of their parents' egos and social standing.)
3. Competitive Nature of the Middle Class (sense of worth is so tied to their social image.)
The events that happen after the climax and lead to the story's end are known as the:
Falling Action
In You Were Perfectly Fine, why would a reader not believe the young woman’s version of what happened the night before?
1. Extreme difference between her words and her tone. (her description of "fine" behavior)
2. The young woman has a clear "interest" in Peter's behavior being acceptable.
3. She is the only one who knows what happened, using that information to trap him into a relationship.
In You Were Perfectly Fine, what is the primary way the story’s plot is revealed to Peter and the reader?
The young woman’s memory.
How does Time & Place affect the readers understanding of Isabel's internal conflict?
Isabel's quiet, plain nature would make her feel even more like a "ghost" in a New York City that celebrated bold lifestyles and extreme financial success.
Explain the theme of Power in "You Were Perfectly Fine".
1. The woman has total control over Peter's story. (information is power)
2. She uses this power to reshape the night into a romantic outcome.
3. Vulnerability can be exploited. The woman is not helping him recover, she is using his shame to secure a relationship.
The theme of a story is different from the moral of a fable because the theme is:
Theme is a complex insight, not a simple rule.
How does Highsmith's portrayal of Isabel as an ordinary young woman affect the reader’s understanding of Isabel’s psychological condition?
1. Hides the seriousness of her delusions until she begins treating her imaginary dates as social commitments.
2. Her "ordinary" behavior is actually a performance. She is trying to imitate the life a young woman should have had in her twenties (a youth she never actually experienced.)
3. Isabel's behavior follows a logic that is almost normal but "not quite right" = isolation is a universal threat that can turn anyone’s imagination into a prison.
In the falling action, after the confrontation, John Andros realizes that his fight was mainly motivated by:
His desperate need to defend and prove the quality of his daughter and his family life.
What is the setting's social context in 'You were perfectly fine'?
1. Changing gender dynamics of the "Flapper" generation.
2. The young woman is not a passive victim of Peter’s drunken behavior. Instead, she is the one in control.
3. 'The Morning After' among the young, urban elite of the Roaring Twenties.
Explain the theme of 'Delusion' in "The Romantic".
Highsmith explores how extreme loneliness and an unfulfilled life can drive an "ordinary" person to abandon reality in favor of a controllable, internal world.