The Gift of the Magi

by O. Henry

Many thanks to Google

O. Henry was the pen name of American William Sydney

Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910).

O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay,

warm characterization and clever twist endings

William Sidney Porter was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. His

middle name at birth was Sidney; he changed the spelling to Sydney in 1898. His parents

were Dr. Algernon Sidney Porter (1825–1888), a physician, and Mary Jane Virginia Swaim

Porter (1833–1865). They were married April 20, 1858. When William was three, his mother died from tuberculosis, and he and his father moved into the home of his paternal grandmother. As

a child, Porter was always reading. He read everything from classics to dime novels.

His favorite work was

One Thousand and One Nights.

Porter graduated from his aunt Evelina Maria Porter's elementary school in

1876. He then enrolled at the Lindsey Street High School. His aunt continued

to tutor him until he was fifteen. In 1879, he started working in his uncle's drugstore and in 1881, at the age of

nineteen, he was licensed as a pharmacist. At the drugstore, he also

showed off his natural artistic talents by sketching the townsfolk.

Synopsis

Mr. and Mrs. James and Delia

Dillingham Young was a financially-struggling young

couple living in an $8-per-week furnished flat.

It was a day before Christmas, and Delia was worried that she only had $1.87, not enough to

buy her husband a gift.

She saved the $1.87 from

bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man

and the butcher.

After crying and feeling sad for

having not enough money for a gift, she

decided to sell her hair, for $20.

After her hair was cut, she bought a platinum fob chain worth $21, for her husband’s

precious gold watch.

She then went home excited to give such gift. At night, when her husband Jim came home,

he stared at her, with a peculiar expression on his face.

Delia explained that she had her hair cut and sold it for her to buy him a gift. Jim said, with an air

of idiocy, “You say your hair is gone?”

Later, Jim got a package from his coat pocket and threw it

upon the table.

After unwrapping that gift, Delia screamed for joy, for in it was a set of expensive combs which she had yearned for, without

expecting to own them.

Then she gave her gift to Jim, holding it out to him eagerly upon her open palm... Jim

tumbled down on the couch…

“Dell,” said he,”let’s put our Christmas presents away and keep ‘em a while. They’re too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to

get the money to buy your combs…”

The magi, as you know, were wise men---wonderfully wise men---who

brought gifts to the Babe on the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents, Being

wise,their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication.

And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last

word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two

were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are

the magi.

SHORT STORY ELEMENTS

A.) CHARACTERS:The two main characters are both protagonists (There is no antagonist):Mr. and Mrs. James and Delia Dillingham Young.-DEVELOPING/ RoundMinor character: Madame Sofronie- STATIC/ Flat

B.) PLOT - Lineara) Introduction – The story starts with a description of the place where the major

characters live, and then the major female character is

introduced.

b.) Rising ActionOne dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

c.) ClimaxJim stepped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. 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.

d. Falling ActionInstead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

e. Denouement"Dell," said he, "let's put our

Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too

nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to

buy Your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."

C.) SETTINGa.) Place

The action takes place in New York City in a very modest apartment and in

a hair shop down the street from the apartment. Although Porter does not mention New York by name, he does refer to Coney Island, the city's most

famous amusement park, located in the borough of Brooklyn.

b) time – At Christmas Eve, a long

time ago

c) weather condition- winter time

d) social conditions – The couple was financially-

struggling

e) mood or atmosphere - …Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles…

D.) POINT OF VIEW Stream of Consciousness - The story is told so that the reader feels as if they are

inside the head of one character and knows all their

thoughts and reactions.

E. LITERARY DEVICESForeshadowing

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both

took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his

grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.

SymbolThe magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men-who brought gifts to the Babe in the

manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise,

their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication.

F. THEME

Love has no bounds.

G. CONFLICT 1) External – The couple’s financial struggle

2) Internal:Person vs. Circumstances (classical) – The couple struggles against poverty

Person vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) –Delia struggles with the painful decision of letting go her only prized possession

Thank you…