The Gift of the Magi Video Summary
Summary
TLDRIn O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi,' a tale of sacrificial love unfolds on Christmas Eve. Della, with only $1.87, sells her treasured hair to buy a platinum chain for Jim's heirloom watch. In an ironic twist, Jim sells the watch to buy Della jeweled combs for her hair. Their gifts, now purposeless, symbolize the true richness of their love, making them the wisest of gift-givers.
Takeaways
- 📖 'The Gift of the Magi' is a classic short story written by O. Henry, a pen name for William Sydney Porter, published in 1905.
- 🎄 The story unfolds on Christmas Eve, focusing on a couple's selfless love and the sacrifices they make for each other.
- 💏 The main characters are a husband named Jim and his wife Della, who are financially struggling but deeply in love.
- 💰 Della has saved only $1.87, which is insufficient for the gift she wants to give Jim, reflecting their economic hardship.
- 😢 Della is initially distraught because she cannot afford an expensive gift, showcasing her love and desire to please her husband.
- 💇 Della decides to sell her long, treasured hair to buy a gift for Jim, a decision that symbolizes her love and sacrifice.
- 💎 She purchases a platinum chain for Jim's watch, which is a significant and thoughtful present, despite her limited budget.
- 🎁 Jim surprises Della with a gift of jeweled combs for her hair, unaware that she has sold her hair to buy his gift.
- 😔 The irony of their sacrifices is revealed when they exchange gifts; both have given up their most prized possessions for the other.
- 🥺 Despite the initial shock, the couple embraces the situation, recognizing the depth of their love and the true value of their gifts.
- 📜 The story concludes with a comparison to the biblical Magi, highlighting Della and Jim as the wisest of gift-givers according to the narrator.
Q & A
Who is the author of 'The Gift of the Magi'?
-O. Henry, the pen name of William Sydney Porter.
What is the setting of the story 'The Gift of the Magi'?
-The story is set on Christmas Eve.
What are the names of the main characters in the story?
-The main characters are Della and Jim.
What is the economic situation of Jim and Della?
-Jim and Della are financially struggling; Jim earns a meager salary of 20 dollars per week.
What is the significant possession that Della decides to sell to buy a Christmas gift for Jim?
-Della decides to sell her long, beautiful hair.
How much money does Della receive for selling her hair?
-Della receives twenty dollars for her hair.
What gift does Della buy for Jim with the money she got from selling her hair?
-Della buys a platinum chain to replace the worn leather strap on Jim's watch.
What gift does Jim give Della for Christmas, and how did he afford it?
-Jim gives Della a pair of jeweled tortoise shell combs, which he bought by selling his gold watch.
How do Della and Jim react when they discover each other's sacrifices?
-They are initially shocked but then embrace the irony of their sacrifices, deciding to put away their gifts and have dinner together.
What is the irony in the story 'The Gift of the Magi'?
-The irony lies in the fact that Della sells her hair to buy a watch chain for Jim, while Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della's hair.
How does the narrator of the story compare Della and Jim to the biblical Magi?
-The narrator compares Della and Jim to the biblical Magi by stating that they are the most wise of all gift-givers.
Outlines
🎄 'The Gift of the Magi': A Tale of Sacrifice and Love
The paragraph introduces 'The Gift of the Magi,' a short story written by O. Henry, set on Christmas Eve. It tells the story of a husband and wife, Della and Jim, who are deeply in love but financially strained. Della is particularly distressed because she has only 1.87 cents left after saving for months to buy a gift for Jim. The couple's prized possessions are highlighted: Della's long hair and Jim's gold watch, a family heirloom. Della's selfless act of selling her hair to buy a gift for Jim is the central theme of this paragraph, showcasing the depth of her love and the irony of their situation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Gift of the Magi
💡Christmas Eve
💡Sacrifice
💡Ironic twist
💡Della
💡Jim
💡Treasured possessions
💡Platinum chain
💡Jeweled tortoise shell combs
💡Biblical Magi
💡Selfless love
Highlights
The story 'The Gift of the Magi' is a short story written by O. Henry in 1905.
Set on Christmas Eve, the story revolves around a loving husband and wife.
The couple sacrifices their most prized possessions for each other.
The story is known for its ironic twist and the richness of love it portrays.
The story has been widely adapted and is a treasured Christmas tale.
Della, the wife, is depicted as selfless and frugal.
Della is distraught over not having enough money for a Christmas gift for Jim.
Jim's salary is only $20 per week, leaving Della with just $1.87 for a gift.
Della's long hair and Jim's gold watch are their most treasured possessions.
In desperation, Della sells her hair to a shop owner, Mrs. Soferny, for $20.
Della uses the money to buy a platinum chain for Jim's watch.
Jim's reaction to Della's new appearance is initially inscrutable.
Jim surprises Della with a gift of jeweled tortoise shell combs.
The combs are now useless to Della, as she has sold her hair.
Jim reveals he sold his watch to buy the combs for Della.
The couple realizes the irony of their sacrifices but remains loving and supportive.
The story concludes with the narrator comparing Della and Jim to the biblical Magi.
Della and Jim are deemed the most wise of all gift-givers.
Transcripts
the gift of the magi is a short story
written in 1905 by o henry
the pen name of william sidney porter
set on christmas eve the story is about
a husband and wife who sacrificed their
most prized possessions
and in an ironic twist
realize the richness of their love for
one another
the story has been widely adapted and
remains a treasured christmas tale
the story opens on christmas eve
della a selfless and frugal woman is
distraught
for months she has been saving up to buy
a christmas gift for her beloved husband
jim
however jim's pitiful salary of 20
dollars per week
has only afforded her 1.87
cents for a present
far from the amount she would need for a
gift worthy of jim's love
forlorn della begins to cry
but suddenly catches a glimpse of
herself in a mirror
she admires her long hair which falls
past her knees
along with jim's gold watch which was
passed down from his grandfather
della's beautiful hair is one of the
couple's most treasured possessions
della has an idea
putting on her weather-beaten coat
she walks down the street to a shop
della asks the joyless shop owner mrs
soferny if she will buy della's hair
after examining it
mrs sopherny offers della twenty dollars
for her hair
and della agrees
hair shorn della browses the nearby
shops in a kind of trance desperate for
the perfect present for jim
after two hours of shopping she decides
on a gift
a platinum chain to replace the worn
leather strap on jim's watch
the chain cost 21
leaving della only 87 cents
returning to the apartment
della prepares christmas dinner and
frantically curls her short hair
trying in vain to look less like a
schoolboy
she hears jim's footsteps on the stairs
and suddenly
worries
that he will no longer find her
beautiful
when jim finally sees della
his face is inscrutable
and della cannot tell if he is surprised
or angry
she cries out that she sold her hair to
buy him a christmas present
and hopes that he is not cross with her
suddenly jim puts his arms around ella
placing her christmas gift on the table
she opens the gift and shrieks
it is a pair of jeweled tortoise shell
combs that della admired in a shop
window for months
a present that is now useless to her
after assuring della that nothing could
make her less beautiful in his eyes
jim opens her present to him
the watch chain
dumbfounded
jim admits that he sold his watch to buy
her the combs
realizing the irony of their sacrifices
the couple decides to put away their
christmas gifts and have dinner
in a brief epilogue
the story's narrator compares jim
andella to the biblical magi
who brought gifts to the baby jesus
of all who give gifts the narrator says
of della and jim
these two were the most wise
you
関連動画をさらに表示
The Gift of the Magi by O Henry - B1 - Learn English Through Short Stories
The Gift of Magi Story in English | Stories for Teenagers | @EnglishFairyTales
Gardener Fell In Love With A Noble Girl | @LoveBusterShow
Marine surprises family just in time for Christmas
Crochet Spring Twist Protective Style | Shake N Go Water Poppin Twist
The Legend of Maria Makiling | Philippine Legend | Summary
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)