1. “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

2. Author
Origin of Title
O. Henry
Wise men, or magi, brought gifts to the baby Jesus and so invented the giving of Christmas gifts

3. O.Henry Writing Style
Overview of Story
Humorous tone, realistic detail, and a surprise ending
Delia and Jim Young are a young married couple with very little money
They are both trying to save money so they can buy Christmas gifts for one another
What will they sacrifice in order to buy their spouse a fantastic gift?

4. Characters
Jim Young
Jim, is a thin, serious young man, twenty-two years old. He works hard, not returning home until seven o'clock, and is reliable:

5. Delia Young
Has long beautiful hair and has saved $1.87 to buy her husband a gift

6. Value of Love
Faulty Value of Money
Faulty Value of Material Items
Wisdom and Growth
Sacrifice and Generosity
Unselfishness
Themes and Conflicts

7. New York. The setting helps emphasize the couple being poor
New York. The setting helps emphasize the couple being poor. They have a "shabby little couch," and a “dismal view”
Dark and unsettling. The mood is used to emphasize how poor and desperate this couple has become
When the couple loses everything that is important to them, they realize it really doesn’t matter
Style
Setting
Mood
Irony