The Gift Of Magi O. Henry (U.S.A)

v  Plot

       Della has only $1.87 to buy a Christmas present, and it's Christmas Eve.  Della's in a meager flat, she and her husband Jim are poor, she loves her husband more than anything else in the whole world.  When Della lets down her hair, she realized that her hair and Jim's gold watch are the only prized possessions they have. By selling her hair, Della gets the money to buy Jim a great present. When Jim arrives, he doesn't seem to react well. he stares at Della and can't seem to process that her hair is gone. But it doesn't look like he's angry, so much as simply shocked. Della can't quite understand what kind of reaction he's having. When Della opens Jim's present she found the combs. It proves now that he's not angry with Della, and he assures her he'll love her no matter how she looks. Presented with his gift, Jim calmly reveals that he sold his watch to buy Della her combs. So her present is useless too. Well, that does it for the Christmas presents.

ü  Conflict

·         The conflict in the story is how could Della be able to give Jim a gift for the Christmas eve.

ü  Climax

·         The climax in the story is when Della opens the gift of Jim and find out the combs that Jim bought after he sold his watch.

ü  Denouement

·         Presented with his gift, Jim calmly reveals (with a smile) that he sold his watch to buy Della her combs. So her present is useless too. Well, that does it for the Christmas presents.

v  Characters

ü  Protagonist:

·         James Dillingham Young- the husband of Della in the story

·         Della- the main character in the story

ü  Antagonist:

·         Society

v  Setting

ü  Location- action takes place in the New York City

ü  Surrounding circumstance- the festive Christmas Eve.

v  Theme

       The theme of the story is Good vs. Evil because it tackles about the dark forces in the couples’ environment to be specific is poverty.

v  Point of view

       The story is told in the perspective of Della thus, it will be a third person point of view for it focuses on her character in the story.

v  Conflict

       The conflict in the story are Man vs. Self and Man vs. Society. Man vs. Self in the way that Della is insecure with herself and Jim and struggles with herself to do things, just to please him. Man vs. Society in the sense that  everything that she does is driven by this. Society says that this, this, and that have to be done in order to live up to match someone else. Della shows that she believes in this by doing things to make Jim able to fit in with the rest of the world

v  Symbol

       Della’s hair, Jim’s watch, the comb and the platinum chain were the symbols used in this story.

v  Moral Lesson

       People in the world are caring people that normally would do anything for a person that they love.