The Gift of the Magi by O Henry - B1 - Learn English Through Short Stories
Summary
TLDRIn 'The Gift of the Magi,' a heartwarming tale set on Christmas Eve, Della and Jim Young struggle financially but cherish their love for each other. Della, with only $1.87, sells her prized long hair to buy a chain for Jim's heirloom gold watch. Unbeknownst to her, Jim sells the watch to purchase a set of combs for her hair. Their sacrifices reveal the true spirit of Christmas, teaching that love and thoughtful giving are the most precious gifts.
Takeaways
- 🎄 The story is a retelling of 'The Gift of the Magi', a classic tale about the spirit of Christmas and the sacrifices made for love.
- 💰 Della has only $1.87 to buy a Christmas present for her husband, Jim, highlighting their financial struggles.
- 🏠 They live in a modest apartment with a broken doorbell, symbolizing their humble living conditions.
- 👤 Jim's income has significantly decreased, which has a direct impact on their lifestyle and ability to afford gifts.
- 😢 Della cries over her limited resources, showing the emotional toll of their situation.
- 💇 Della decides to sell her beautiful long hair to afford a present for Jim, a significant sacrifice.
- 📿 The two prized possessions of the couple are Jim's gold watch and Della's hair, both of which are deeply personal and valuable.
- 💎 Della purchases a fine chain for Jim's watch with the money she got from selling her hair, believing it to be the perfect gift.
- 😱 Jim is shocked when he sees Della with short hair, as it was a drastic change.
- 🎁 In a twist, Jim has sold his treasured watch to buy Della a set of combs for her long hair, unaware she had sold it.
- 🤗 Despite the misunderstanding, they both express love and acceptance, showing that their love is more valuable than material possessions.
- 🌟 The story concludes with the message that giving selflessly, even when it results in the loss of something precious, is an act of wisdom and true love.
Q & A
What is the main theme of 'The Gift of the Magi'?
-The main theme of 'The Gift of the Magi' is the selfless love and sacrifice made by a couple, Della and Jim, for each other, even in the face of poverty.
How much money does Della have to buy a Christmas present for Jim?
-Della has one dollar and 87 cents to buy a Christmas present for Jim.
What is the significance of the gold watch to Jim?
-The gold watch is significant to Jim because it has been in his family for many generations, belonging to both his father and grandfather.
Why does Della decide to sell her hair?
-Della decides to sell her hair to raise enough money to buy a special Christmas present for Jim, as she has very little money.
What does Della buy with the money she gets from selling her hair?
-Della buys a fine-looking chain for Jim's gold watch with the money she gets from selling her hair.
How does Della feel about her new short hairstyle?
-Della is initially nervous and unsure about her new short hairstyle, fearing Jim's reaction.
What gift does Jim surprise Della with, and why is it ironic?
-Jim surprises Della with a set of combs for her long hair, which is ironic because she has just sold her long hair.
What did Jim sell to afford the gift for Della?
-Jim sold his precious gold watch to afford the gift for Della.
How does the story describe the couple's living situation?
-The story describes the couple's living situation as modest and struggling, with a broken doorbell and a letterbox that no letter would go into.
What is the connection made between Della and Jim's sacrifices and the story of the Magi?
-The connection made is that just as the Magi were wise men who gave precious gifts to baby Jesus, Della and Jim, despite being called 'fools', showed wisdom in their sacrifices for love, making them as wise as the Magi.
What lesson does the story impart about the value of gifts?
-The story imparts the lesson that the value of gifts lies not in their material worth but in the love and sacrifice behind them.
Outlines
🎄 The Dilemma of Christmas Gift
In the first paragraph, we meet Della Young, who is struggling financially and trying to find a way to buy a special Christmas gift for her husband, Jim, with only $1.87. Della is described as having saved this small amount of money through careful bargaining with vendors. She lives in a modest apartment and is married to Jim, who has seen better days, now earning only $20 a week. The couple has two prized possessions: Jim's gold watch, a family heirloom, and Della's beautiful long hair. In a moment of desperation and inspiration, Della decides to sell her hair to buy a gift for Jim, receiving $20 from Madame Sofrani, a hair goods dealer.
🛍️ The Search for the Perfect Gift
The second paragraph follows Della as she spends the money from selling her hair to buy a gift for Jim. She finds a fine chain for his cherished gold watch, which she believes will make him proud and cover up the old strap. Della pays $21 for the chain and rushes home to prepare. She styles her new short hair into tight curls, which gives her a boyish appearance. As Jim returns home, he reacts with a strange expression to Della's changed appearance. Della explains her actions, expressing hope that Jim won't mind her shorter hair because it will grow back. She presents him with the watch chain as a Christmas gift, excited to see how it looks with his watch.
💔 The Bittersweet Exchange of Sacrifice
In the final paragraph, the story reaches its emotional climax as Jim reveals that he has sold his gold watch to buy Della a set of combs for her beautiful hair, unaware that she has sold her hair to buy him a gift. The combs, which Della had long desired, now seem out of place without her long locks. Despite the irony of their sacrifices, both are touched by the other's gesture of love. The story concludes with a reflection on the wisdom of the Magi, drawing a parallel between their gifts and the selfless acts of Della and Jim, who, despite losing their prized possessions, have demonstrated the true spirit of Christmas giving.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Christmas
💡Della
💡Jim
💡Sacrifice
💡Gift of the Magi
💡Pride
💡Poverty
💡Watch Chain
💡Combs
💡Irony
💡Wise Men
Highlights
Della's financial situation is depicted as she counts her money, revealing she has only one dollar and 87 cents.
Della's emotional state is shown through her tears, reflecting on the hardships of life.
The couple's living conditions are modest, with Della living in a furnished apartment and the doorbell not working.
James Dillingham Young's reduced income from thirty to twenty dollars a week is highlighted.
Della's deep affection for her husband, Jim, is evident through her actions and thoughts.
Della's decision to sell her hair to buy a gift for Jim showcases her selfless love.
The description of Della's beautiful hair and its significance to both her and Jim.
The emotional moment when Della cuts off her hair to sell it, symbolizing her sacrifice.
Della's excitement and anticipation as she searches for the perfect gift for Jim.
The purchase of a fine watch chain for Jim, which Della believes will make him proud.
Della's transformation with her new short hairstyle and her concern about Jim's reaction.
Jim's initial shock upon seeing Della's new appearance, leaving his reaction ambiguous.
The revelation of Jim's gift to Della—a set of combs for her long hair, which she has now sold.
The irony and poignancy of the couple's gifts to each other, both sacrificing their most cherished possessions.
Jim's disclosure that he sold his precious family watch to buy the combs for Della.
The couple's decision to cherish their gifts as symbols of love rather than use them practically.
The moral of the story, drawing a parallel between the Magi's wise gifts and the couple's selfless sacrifices.
Transcripts
the gift of the magi
it was the day before christmas
della had already counted out her money
three times
all of the money was in coins
she had one dollar and 87 cents
it was not a lot of money
60 cents of the money was in pennies
this was a collection of money she had
saved after bargaining with the grocer
and the butcher when she went shopping
della lay on her old couch and cried
she cried and cried
della felt that life was really only
made up of sobbing sniffling and smiles
but that sniffling with tears seemed to
take up most of life she lived in a
modest furnished apartment
her rent was eight dollars a week
in the hallway of her apartment was a
letterbox into which no letter would go
there was an electric button for the
doorbell
but the bell did not work
above the button there was a card with
the name mr james dillingham young
written on it
mr james dillingham young had had better
days in his life
there had been a time when he had earned
thirty dollars a week
these days however he only earned twenty
dollars
james was called jim by his wife
della adored her husband jim
della stopped crying and put some makeup
on her face
she looked out of the window and saw a
gray cat
walking along a gray fence in a gray
backyard
the next day would be christmas day
andela had only 1.87
cents to buy jim's present with
she had been saving the money for many
months now
they struggled to get by on jim's low
wages
she had spent many hours wondering about
what wonderful present she could buy for
jim
she wanted to buy him something very
special
della looked at her reflection in the
tall mirror
she could see the reflection of her slim
body
she took down her hair so it could fall
full upon her shoulders
there were two particular things owned
by the couple that they took great pride
in
jim loved the gold watch that had
belonged to both his father and his
grandfather
it had been in his family for many
generations
and was therefore very special to him
meanwhile
della had the most beautiful hair
she had hair that would make even an
ancient queen jealous
and jim adored it
della stood admiring her beautiful brown
hair
her hair was very long
it fell below her knees and felt almost
like a piece of clothing that covered
her
quickly and nervously she put her hair
back up on her head
she hesitated for a moment
standing still as one or two tears fell
onto the old red carpet
she then put on her old brown jacket and
her old brown hat
her eyes lit up with excitement and then
she rushed out of the door and
downstairs to the street
she walked down the street and saw a
sign that said
madame sophrani hair goods for all kinds
della went up the steps to the shop and
looked inside
will you buy my hair she asked madame
sofrani
madame sofrani wanted to see della's
hair first before deciding whether she
would buy it or not
when she saw della's beautiful long hair
madame sofrani said i'll give you twenty
dollars
della agreed to have her hair cut off
and grabbed the money from madame
sofrani
the next couple of hours flew by
as della visited various stores
looking for a special present for jim
finally she found the present that she
was sure jim would love
it was a fine looking chain to go with
the watch he was so proud of
she felt it possessed the same quiet
quality that she could see in gym
she paid 21
for the watch chain and hurried home
jim could now be more proud of his watch
he would no longer have to feel
embarrassed about his old watch strap
as soon as she got home
della started to curl her hair to
improve the look of her new short
hairstyle
parting with her hair had been a symbol
of her love for jim
within 40 minutes her head was covered
with tight curls
her new hairstyle made her look like a
naughty schoolboy
she looked at her reflection in the
mirror
oh
jim will be so angry when he sees my
hair
della said out loud to herself
dela made some coffee and got the frying
pan ready to cook the chops
she waited for jim to return from work
della became nervous when she finally
heard his footsteps
please make him think i'm still pretty
she whispered
jim finally came through the door
when jim saw della
he just stood looking at her with the
very strange expression on his face
della could not read the look on his
face
he did not look angry or surprised
he did not look as if he disapproved
it was not even a look of horror
he just stared at her
don't look at me like that della said
i wanted to buy you a nice present for
christmas
della got up from the kitchen table
and walked over to her husband
i sold my hair so that i would have
enough money to buy you a christmas
present
my hair grows really fast
it will soon be long again she said
you don't mind do you jim
say merry christmas to me and let's be
happy together
i have a beautiful wonderful gift for
you
but jim was still in a state of shock
he could not believe his eyes he just
could not believe that della had cut off
her beautiful long hair to get money for
a present for him
della looked at her husband's face
don't you like me now she said
jim took a package out of his coat
pocket and placed it on the table
don't worry jim said
there's nothing you could do with your
hair that would make me love you less
but if you open this package you will
understand why i am shocked
della started to open the package
she undid the string
and then took off the paper that covered
the small box
she could not believe what was inside it
della screamed with joy and then she
cried
inside the box lay something wonderful
something della had long to have
jim had bought della a set of combs to
put in her beautiful long hair
they were pretty and expensive too
della had wanted these combs for a long
time
but she no longer had the hair to put
them in
my hair grows fast jim
she eventually said to her husband
it was now time for jim to see his
present
isn't it a great chain cry della
i went to many many shops before finding
it
it's perfect for your watch
i really want to see how it looks on
your watch
she said with great excitement
jim fell onto the couch
della
let's put our christmas presents away
for the time being
they are too nice to use now
then told della how he had actually sold
his watch to get the money to buy the
combs
he leaned back with his hands behind his
head and smiled
put those chops on now della he said in
a happy voice
you might have heard of the story of the
magi
the magi were the three wise men who
visited baby jesus when he was born in a
stable in bethlehem
they brought precious gifts for the baby
it was the three wise men who started
the tradition of giving presents at
christmas
they were wise men
so they were able to give gifts wisely
but you have just read the story of two
pure-hearted fools who lost their
treasures
but i should add that these two fools
who made a sacrifice for someone they
loved were also wise
if you can give and receive gifts as
they did
then you too will be as wise as the magi
[Music]
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تصفح المزيد من مقاطع الفيديو ذات الصلة
The Gift of the Magi Video Summary
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