2. The gift of the magi is a short
story written and published in
1905.
The narrator tells us the story of
jim and della Dillingham, a poor,
Young married couple who dont
have enought money to buy each
other Chritsmas gifts.
They only have two possessions
that they consider their most
3. DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
Della Dillingham Young: a loving, selfless and
devoted to her husband the young woman who
cuts off her beautiful long hair and sells it to buy
a Christmas gift for her husband.
James Dillingham Young: Della´ husband. A
quiet man. He is a twenty two years old and he
sells his gold watch to buy a gift for Della.
Madame Sofronie: Shop owner who buys
Della's hair. She was mencioned as a too chilly
and cold woman.
4. The action it takes place on
Christmas Eve in New York
City in a very modest
apartment and in a hair
shop down the street from
the apartment. Although O.
Henry does not mention
New York by name, he does
refer to Coney Island, the
5. James Dillingham Young and his wife Della are a
young couple who are very much in love with each
other, but can barely afford their one-room
apartment due to their very bad economic situation.
For Christmas, Della decides to buy Jim a chain
which costs twenty dollars for his prized pocket
watch given to him by his father. To raise the funds,
she has her long hair cut off and sold to make a
wig. Meanwhile, Jim decides to sell his watch to
buy Della a beautiful set of combs made out of
tortoise shell for her lovely, knee-length brown hair.
Although each is disappointed to find the gift they
chose rendered useless, each is pleased with the
gift they received, because it represents their love
for one another.
6. EXPOSITION: when the two chracters decide to
give to each other a gift for christmans.
RISING ACTION: when Della noticed that she
could not buy the gift to his husband because
she did not have enough money, and it is when
she took the decision to cut off her hair, and then
she realized that her husband sold his pocket
watch.
CLIMAX: The climax occurs when Della and
Jim open their gifts.
FALLING ACTION: when Della’s husband arrived
to their house and noticed that his wife cut off
her hair, and then Della realized that her husband
7. RESOLUTION: Although each is disappointed
to find the gift they chose rendered useless,
each is pleased with the gift they received,
because it represents their love for one
another.
POINT OF VIEW
Third person
8. LOVE
The theme of love is shown through the selfless
actions of both Della and Jim. Each, through a
showing of love for the other, sells their most
valuable possessions in order to purchase
Christmas gifts for their spouse. Della sells her
hair in order to buy Jim a chain for his watch.
SACRIFICE
they sold their most precious possessions in
order to make the other happy.
WEALTH AND POVERTY
While financially poor, Della and Jim prove to be
emotionally rich. The love they have for each
