The Gift of the Magi

1. The Gift of the Magi Short Story by O. Henry

2. Objectives: • Literary Analysis • Explore the key idea of sacrifice • Analyze and evaluate irony • Read a short story • Reading • Make predictions about events and ideas • Vocabulary • Build vocabulary for reading and writing • Use the Greek word root chron to help unlock meaning • Grammar and Writing • Use precise verbs to make effective word choices • Use writing to analyze literature

3. Discussion • List examples of sacrifices that people make for those they love. • Consider examples in real life as well as those in books, movies, and television shows. Do all the sacrifices involve material items? Which are the hardest ones to make? Which sacrifice shows the greatest love?

4. Vocabulary • Instigate • Vestibule • Agile • Falter • Ransack • Prudence • Ravage • Assertion • Coveted • chronicle

5. Instigate • to stir up; provoke

6. Vestibule • a small entryway within a building

7. Agile • able to move quickly and easily

8. Falter • to hesitate from lack of courage or confidence

9. Ransack • to search or examine vigorously

10. Prudence- • the use of good judgment and common sense

11. Ravage- • serious damage

12. Assertion • -a statement

13. Coveted • - desired or wish for

14. chronicle • - a record or list of events

15. Verbal Irony • An author or character says something, but means something else. • What is said is often the opposite of what is meant. • The character is aware of the irony. • The reader is aware of the irony.

16. Dramatic Irony • The reader knows something about a character’s situation that the character does not know. • The character is unaware of the irony • The reader is aware of the irony

17. Situational Irony • What actually happens is not what is expected to happen. • Situational irony often defies logic. • The character does not expect the outcome. • The reader does not expect the outcome.

19. Practice for the test • 1. Della is counting money at the beginning of the story because she wants to buy_____________________.

20. Which details helps you predict what Della will do to get more money? • She counts her money three times. • She sits on the couch and cries. • She cries after looking at her hair. • She puts on her coat and hat.

21. What treasure does Jim have?

22. After Della visits the hair shop, she • Goes home to cry • Shops for Jim’s gift • Counts her money • Buys a set of combs.

23. Why is it ironic that Jim buys combs for Della’s hair?

24. Vocabulary • An agile person can • Fall quickly • Move easily • Smile prettily • Think poorly

25. Falter means • Quit • Hesitate • Search • Slip

26. What does ransack mean? • Eat eagerly • Construct sloppily • Search vigorously • Work quickly

27. An assertion is a • Promise • Question • Prediction • statement

28. What does coveted mean? • Covered • Needed • Desired • tired

29. The Writing portion • You will be graded on not only your answer but how well you write your answer. • Use FORMAL WRITING • NO TEXT TALK or symbols • ALWAYS PROOFREAD!! • ANSWER ALL PARTS • DON’T USE PRONOUNS USE NAMES