The Gift of Magi

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
O’Henry
RS Nagar
Arts & Commerce College, Kheda
11/13/2020
1
PROF.RS NAGAR, KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE, KHEDA

DELLA
11/13/2020
2

In his story there is life with all
complexities and contradictions
At the end it preaches artistically.
Humour and pity is mixed in his
stories.
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Q.1 Why did she want to save
money? How did Della save
money?
Ans: Della saved money by
bargaining the grocer, vegetable
man and the butcher. She
wanted to save because she
wanted to buy a Christmas gift
for her husband, Jim.
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Q.2: Describe the flat where the Youngs
lived?
Ans: The author half sarcastically describes
the poor look of the furnished flat at $8
per week where Youngs lived. It did not
exactly beggar description, but it certainly
had that word on the lookout for the
mendicancy squad. In the vestibule below
was a letter-box into which no letter would
go, and an electric button from which no
mortal finger could coax a ring. Also
appertaining thereunto was a card bearing
the name “Mr. James Dillingham Young.”
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Q.3 Why was Della unhappy on
Christmas eve?
Ans.: Della counted the money again
and again. It was only one dollar and
eighty seven cents. It was not
enough money to buy a good
Charismas gift for her Jim. Hence,
she was unhappy on Christmas eve.
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 Q.3: How does the author indicate
that James (Jim) and Della were
poor?
 Ans.: The author mentions that they
live in a flat for which they pay eight
dollar per week and the salary ofJim
is also very less. The condition of the
flat is also miserable.
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Q.4: Why did Della stand in front of
the mirror crying?
Ans.: Della cried in front of the
mirror because she wanted to buy
Christmas gift for her Jim but she
had only one dollar and eighty seven
cents.
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Q.5: What were the two pride possessions of
the Youngs? How does the author show the
readers their importance?
Ans: There were two possessions of the
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.
Even King Solomon, one of the richest
kings, with all his treasures piled up in the
basement, would have envied.
The other was Della’s beautiful hair. Her
Majesty the queen of Sheba with her
jewels and gifts, would have envied.
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Q.6: What did Della decide to do in
order to buy a gift for her husband?
Ans: Della had beautiful long brown
hair, like cascade. She was very
proud of them. She decided to sell
them and buy Christmas gift for her
Jim.
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Q. 7: What did Della buy for
Jim? How much she paid for it?
Ans: Della bought a platinum
chain for his golden wrist watch.
She paid 21 dollars for it
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Jim’s proud
possession
was his grand
father’s
golden wrist
watch.
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12

 Q.7: What was Jim’s reaction when
he saw Della without her lovely hair?
 Ans.: When Jim came home saw Della
without her lovely hair, there were
strange expression in his eyes. She
could not understand them. She was
worried. It was neither anger nor
surprise, neither disapproval nor
horror. It was a particular expression.
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Q.8: What did Della tell Jim when she
saw his disappointed?
She consoled him by saying that don’t
bother about her hair as her hair
grow very fast. She could not live
without giving him Christmas gift on
Christmas.
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Q.9: What gift did Della’s husband
get for her and how did he procure
it?
Ans.: Jim, Della’s husband, bought a
set combs made of tortoise shell with
jeweled sims, which she saw at a
Broadway shop. He sold his golden
watch to buy them.
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15

Q.10:According to Christian tales who were
the Magi?
Ans.: The Magi, according to Christian
tales were the wise men, who brought
gifts to the Babe in the manger, the
Christ. They invented the art of giving
Christmas presents. Being wise, their
gifts were no doubt wise ones.
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16

Q.11: Why does O’Henry call Jim and Della
the Magi?
Ans.: O’Henry calls Jim and Della the Magi
because both of them bought precious
gifts for each other by selling their proud
possessions. Irony is that now they can
not use the gifts. But both of them buy
the gifts for their beloved with the
feeling of intense love. Therefore, they
are called by the author ‘fools’, but are
the wisest people, Magi, for their love
for each other.
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Q.11: What did Della wear when
she went to the hair dealer?
Ans.: When she went to the hair
dealer, she put on her old brown
jacket and old brown hat.
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Q.12. what were two things in
which Jim and Della took mighty
pride.
Ans.: Jim was proud of his golden
watch and Della was proud of her
long, thick and brown hairs.
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O’Henry
RS Nagar
Short Notes
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DELLA
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JIM &DELLA
Jim & Della is a poor newly married
couple, who live in a flat rented 8
dollar per week. The flat is old and
miserable in condition. Both of them
love each other intensely. Della and
Jim, both have very proud
possession.
11/13/2020
24

JIM &DELLA
Della was proud on her long,
thick and brown hair on which
even queen Sheeba would feel
jealous. Jim was proud on his
grandfather’s golden wrist
watch. He thought even King
Soloman would be jealous to it,
despite his great treasure.
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25

JIM &DELLA
On Christmas eve both of them
want to give gifts to each other
but their poverty does not allow
them to do so. Della decides to
sell off her precious hair to buy
a worthy gift for her Jim. She
gets 20 dollar of her hair & she
buy a simple but graceful
platinum chain for his wrist
watch.
11/13/2020
26

JIM &DELLA
On the other hand, Jim buys a precious
set of combs made of tortoise shell
which is jeweled & Della wanted to
have.In order to buy the set of combs,
he decides to sell the golden watch.
Hence, in order to give gifts both of
them not only loose their pride
possession but the gifts also turned out
to be useless.
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JIM &DELLA
The author called them ‘Magi’,
because they express their true and
intense felling of love sacrificing
their most precious possession.
Hence, they are not ‘fools’ but wisest
people of the world.
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O’Henry
RS Nagar
Multiple Choice Questions
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1. HOW MUCH MONEY HAD DELLA MANAGED TO SAVE
FOR HER HUSBAND’S GIFT?
(a) One dollar and eighty-seven cents
(b) Eight dollars and seventy-eight
cents
(c) One dollar and twenty-two cents
(d) One dollar and sixty pence
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2. IN THE AUTHOR’S WORDS ONE CAN REFLECT THAT
LIFE IS MADE UP OF WHAT?
(a) Raindrops and roses
(b) Snobs, sniffles, and smiles
(c) Curses, abandonment, and hatred
(d) Love, sacrifice, and gifts
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3. WHAT WAS THE RENT THE COUPLE PAID FOR THE
HOUSE THEY LIVED IN?
(a) Twenty-seven dollars a week
(b) Eighteen dollars a week
(c) Eight dollars a week
(d) Thirty dollars a week
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GIFT OF THE MAGI
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4. WHICH OF HER POSSESSIONS DID DELLA DECIDE
TO SELL IN ORDER TO BUY HER HUSBAND’S GIFT?
a. Her diamond ring
b. Her gold necklace
c. Sterling silver from the kitchen
d. Her beautiful hair
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5. HOW MUCH MONEY DID DELLA GET FROM SELLING
HER MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?
a. Thirteen dollars and fifty cents
b. Twenty dollars
c. Twelve dollars
d. Twenty-one dollars
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6. WHAT GIFT DID DELLA BUY FOR HER HUSBAND?
a. Platinum fob chain
b. Gold pen
c. Sterling cufflinks
d. Diamond-studded watch
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7. WHAT WERE THE MAGI KNOWN FOR?
a. Casting spells
b. Cursing newborn babies
c. Bringing valuable gifts
d. Taking away others gifts
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GIFT OF THE MAGI
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8. WHAT GIFT DID DELLA’S HUSBAND BRING HER FOR
CHRISTMAS?
a. Pure tortoise-shell combs
b. A heart-shaped pendant
c. Tickets to a musical performance
d. A gold chain
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9. WHAT IS THE PRAYER THAT DELLA SAYS JUST
BEFORE HER HUSBAND ENTERS THE HOUSE?
a. ‘Please God, make us rich’
b. ‘Please God, make him think I am
still pretty’
c. ‘Please God, let there be a gift
for me too’
d. ‘Please God, let my hair grow back
fast’
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10. IN THE CLOSING LINE OF THE STORY WHAT DOES
THE AUTHOR CALL DELLA AND HER HUSBAND?
a. (a) Fools
b. (b) Foolish children
c. (c) Magi
d. (d) Selfish individuals
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11. THE BABE IN THE MANGER IS A REFERENCE TO
a. Christ
b. A baby boy
c. Buddha
d. None of these
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12. WHY DOES JIM SELL HIS WATCH?
a. It isn’t working anymore.
b. He can’t afford a chain for it.
c. He needs money to buy Della a
present
d. It always makes him late for
work.
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GIFT OF THE MAGI
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O’Henry
RS Nagar
True or False
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1. Della’s husband’s name was James
Dillingham Young.
True
2. Della had collected enough money to buy
her husband an extravagant gift.
False
3. The gold watch that now belonged to
James had earlier belonged to Della’s
father.
False
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4. In the author’s words James’s watch
was beautiful enough to make even King
Solomon jealous.
True
5. Della decided to sell the sterling
cutlery to buy a Christmas present for
James.
False
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6. The gift that Della bought for James
cost her twenty-one dollars.
True
7. James bought the Christmas gift for
Della by selling his wedding ring.
False
8. The Magi were wise men who bought
expensive gifts for Christ at the time of
his birth.
True
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GIFT OF THE MAGI
Jim & Della,
the main characters,
are the wisest people
of the world
because they loved
each other
intensely.
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50

O’Henry
RS Nagar
Thanks
11/13/2020
51

The Gift of Magi

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The Gift of Magi