Literary Elements
What is the definition of plot?
What are the events in the story/what happened?
In "The Gift of the Magi," who are the two main characters?
Who are Jim and Della Dillingham Young?
What did the description of the setting convey to the readers?
It showed that the couple did not have a lot of money.
Della's internal conflict over Jim's reaction to her hair indicates what about her relationship?
It shows that it is important to her because she is afraid he won't like it.
"So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her."
What is a steep waterfall?
This is where and when a story occurs.
What is the setting?
In "The Gift of the Magi," where and when does the story take place?
The setting is Jim and Della's one room apartment the day before Christmas in the past (1900's).
Why did Della cry after opening Jim's gift?
She cried because she can't use the hair combs he bought for her.
What is the effect of the author's use of repetition of the phrase," One dollar and eighty-seven cents..." in the story?
It emphasizes the fact that Della doesn't have enough money and is upset about it.
“It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.”
What is a way of thinking or feeling about something?
This normally is in third or first person perspective.
What is the point of view?
In "The Gift of the Magi," what is Della's main internal conflict?
Della's anxiety is over not having enough money for a present for Jim.
What was Jim's reaction to Della's new hair style?
He is speechless and just stares at her.
The central idea of the story is that the couple sacrifices for each other. How does this apply to real life?
It shows that people need to care more about others than themselves.
“White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.”
What is happy/joyous?
This is the lesson learned from the story.
What is the theme?
This is the resolution to Della's internal conflict.
What is her decision to sell her hair so she can have the money to buy Jim a present.
Why are the gold watch and Della's hair so important to each character?
They are important because they are beautiful and have sentimental connections for them.
Della has conflicting motivations. She wants to buy her husband a nice present but doesn't have the money. Even though things seem hopeless, she doesn't give up. As a result of her actions, what character trait can be used to describe her and why?
Some possible character traits are resilient, determined, or perseverant because she did not give up.
"It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by ornamentation--as all good things should do."
What is very fancy?
These are the three types of conflicts that exist for external conflicts.
What is man vs man, society and nature?
In "The Gift of the Magi," this is the reason there isn't enough money for presents.
Jim's salary was reduced from $30 to $20 a week.
Della thinks the chain she bought Jim is perfect for him for this reason.
The chain is not flashy. It is humble like Jim.
At the conclusion, the narrator compares Della and Jim to the Magi. What was the theme that the narrator was trying to reiterate?
The theme is that love is the most important gift of all.
“Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it.”
What is economical, not willing to spend a lot of money?