"The Most Dangerous Games"
"The Scarlet Ibis"
"The Gift of the Magi"
"The Necklace"
"Marigolds"
100
List 3 examples of foreshadowing within the story.
1- the sound of 3 gunshots 2- the blood-stained weeds 3- the superstitions behind Ship-Trap Island
100
List 2 reasons why the narrator nick-names his brother Doodle.
1- He thinks the name William Armstrong carries too many expectations for his brother. 2- His brother looks like a doodle bug when he crawls.
100
Where does the story take place? What time of year is it? How does the setting affect the characters?
New York City, the holidays They want to purchase gifts for each other, but cannot afford to do so.
100
Where does the story take place? Why is Mathilde upset at the beginning of the story?
Paris, France Mathilde is upset because she desires to be wealthy, and constantly yearns for material possessions.
100
What is the setting? How does this setting contribute to the story?
This story takes place during the Great Depression, and, therefore, Lizabeth and her family are affected by poverty.
200
What is the climax of the story?
The climax occurs when Zaroff reveals to Rainsford that he hunts humans.
200
What perspective is the story told in?
1st person, flashback
200
How is the author's, O. Henry's, life ironic?
He was a convicted felon, yet one of the most prestigious writing awards is named for him.
200
How does Mathilde react when her husband arrives with an invitation to a party? How does he expect her to react?
Mathilde is immediately upset because she believes she has nothing to wear to this ball. Her husband, shocked by her reaction, had expected her to be overjoyed.
200
List 2 childlike decisions Lizabeth makes throughout the story.
1- She joins her brother & his friends in "decapitating" Miss Lottie's marigolds. 2- She destroys Miss Lottie's marigolds.
300
List 2 examples of irony from the story.
1- Zaroff appears to be refined and cultivated, yet he hunts human beings. 2- It appears as though Zaroff has won the game at the end of the story; then, Rainsford reappears in Zaroff's bedroom.
300
Why does the narrator cry when Doodle shows his family he can walk for the first time?
He is ashamed that he taught his brother to walk for his own selfish reasons.
300
What 2 things do the characters value in their lives, apart from one another?
They value Della's hair and Jim's watch.
300
What is the moral of "The Necklace"?
A person should be happy with what he/she has in life, and should not constantly desire more.
300
Why does Lizabeth destroy Miss Lottie's marigolds? List 2 reasons.
1- She is angry about her family's situation and uses this as a way to release her anger. 2- She is envious of the beauty Miss Lottie is able to create within her own life.
400
Describe 3 of the traps that Rainsford creates for Zaroff during "the game."
1- the Burmese Tiger Pit 2- the log that struck Zaroff on the shoulder 3- the swinging knife that killed Ivan
400
Why is Doodle so affected by the death of the scarlet ibis?
He could relate to the bird, and he understands that, much like himself, it is out of place, sick and fragile.
400
Please explain the double irony contained in the story.
Della sacrificed her hair in order to purchase a chain for Jim's watch, and Jim sacrificed his watch so he could purchase combs for Della's hair. Ultimately, neither could use the gifts the received from one another.
400
What evidence from the story shows that Mathilde does not regret her time at the party?
Even as she is slaving away to repay the diamond necklace, she still thinks fondly about the evening of the ball.
400
What do the marigolds represent to Miss Lottie? Please support your answer.
They represent happiness in her otherwise broken life. Everything else seems to be falling apart around Miss Lottie, but these flowers allow her to restore beauty in her own life, and possibly give her peace.
500
How does Rainsford transform from the beginning to the end of the story?
At the beginning, Rainsford believes that animals have no feelings while they are hunted, but by the final pages he truly understands the fears that animals must possess. After he has played "the game," he has become a little more like Zaroff and understands the thrill of the game.
500
By the completion of the story, what life lesson has the narrator realized?
He knows that we should accept others for who they are, and value their existence regardless of their limitations.
500
What is the true "gift of the magi"?
the sacrifices that Della and Jim are willing to make for one another
500
What point of view is story told in? How do we know this?
3rd person omniscient This perspective is demonstrated when we hear the inner thought of both Mathilde and her husband.
500
How does Lizabeth's attitude toward Miss Lottie change from the initial pages of the story to the final? What lesson does she learn?
She realizes that Miss Lottie is not a witch, but a broken old woman, and she learns to consider her actions and how they affect others.
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