Plot Points
What does Della sell to buy Jim's gift in "The Gift of the Magi?"
Her Hair
What is the main theme of "The Gift of the Magi"?
Sacrificial love, giving up something for someone else (many options)
How does Jim react when he sees Della's short hair?
With love and understanding
What is ironic about the ending of "The Gift of the Magi"?
Both sacrificed their most prized possessions for gifts they can no longer use
"She had let it go for him." – The Gift of the Magi What does this quote refer to?
Della selling her hair for Jim’s gift
What crime did Jimmy Valentine commit before reforming in "A Retrieved Reformation"?
Safecracking
What lesson does "The Last Leaf" teach about hope?
Hope can give people strength to overcome difficulties
Why does Ben Price let Jimmy Valentine go free?
Because he sees that Jimmy has truly changed
What twist occurs in "After Twenty Years"?
The policeman is actually the old friend but has another officer arrest him
"In the prison shoe-shop, Jimmy Valentine had a neat job." – What does this line suggest?
He was skilled at safecracking before reforming
In "The Last Leaf," what does Johnsy believe will determine her fate?
The last ivy leaf on the vine
How does "A Retrieved Reformation" explore redemption?
Through Jimmy Valentine's transformation into an honest man
What motivates Johnsy’s recovery in "The Last Leaf"?
The belief that the last leaf stayed on the vine
How does the ending of "The Cop and the Anthem" reflect irony?
Soapy gets arrested just after deciding to change his lif
"I’ve got to get away somewhere and find a new beginning." – Who says this and why?
Jimmy Valentine, to start a new life as Ralph Spencer
Where does "After Twenty Years" take place?
A street in New York City
What theme is present in "After Twenty Years" regarding loyalty and duty?
Conflict between personal loyalty and duty to the law
Why does the policeman in "After Twenty Years" walk away from his old friend?
What does Behrman do that is unexpected in "The Last Leaf"?
He paints a leaf to give Johnsy hope and dies of pneumonia himself
"Some day I shall paint my masterpiece." – How does Behrman fulfill this promise?
By painting the last leaf on the wall
What does Soapy want to achieve in "The Cop and the Anthem"
To get arrested and go to jail for the winter
What message does "The Cop and the Anthem" convey about societal expectations?
Society often limits opportunities for those in poverty
How does Soapy's change of heart affect the ending of "The Cop and the Anthem"?
Ironically, he gets arrested just as he decides to change his life
What ironic realization does Jimmy Valentine have in the bank?
He must reveal his identity to save a child, risking his freedom
"There was a hint of the sensational in the story." – What does this quote from "After Twenty Years" foreshadow?
The twist ending where the policeman arrests his friend