ENGLISH FIRST LANGUAGE PROSE: -
THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
O. HENRY
I. About the Author
I. About the Author
O. Henry was an American writer whose short stories are known for wit, wordplay and clever twist endings. He wrote nearly 600 stories about life in America. He was born William Sidney Porter on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. His father, Algernon Sidney Porter, was a medical doctor. When William was three his mother died and he was raised by his grandmother and aunt. He left school at the age of 15 and then had a number of jobs, including bank clerk. In 1896 he was accused of embezzlement. He absconded from the law to New Orleans and later fled to Honduras. When he learned that his wife was dying, he returned to US and surrendered to police. Although there has been much debate over his actual guilt, he was convicted of embezzling funds from the bank that employed him; he was sentenced to 5 years in jail. In 1898 he was sent to the penitentiary at Columbus, Ohio.
I. Question and Answers
1. How much did she save for Christmas?
Ans: - She saved one dollar and eighty-seven cents in her careful buying of meat and other food. She was very economical. But, this amount of money was not enough to spend on Christmas. She was very poor and wanted to save as much money as possible to buy a suitable gift for Jim. It all showed her deep love and sincerity for Jim.
2. Why did she feel proud in the beauty of her hair?
Ans: - Della had very beautiful hair. She was proud of their beauty. Even a queen did not possess such beautiful hair. She looked so charming with her long hair. But, now her hair was gone. She looked like a school boy. She lost her beauty and charm. Naturally she felt sad on losing her hair.
3. Why did she sell her hair?
Ans: - Jim and Della loved each other. They could not celebrate Christmas without exchanging gifts. But, they were so poor that they could not buy suitable gifts for each other. Jim sold his precious gold watch to buy a gift for Della. She also sold her beautiful hair to buy a gift for him.
4. Why did Jim sell the gold watch?
Ans: - Jim and Della loved each other. They could not celebrate Christmas without exchanging gifts. But, they were so poor that they could not buy suitable gifts for each other. Jim sold his precious gold watch to buy a gift for Della. She also sold her beautiful hair to buy a gift for him.
5. Why did they want to exchange the gifts?
Ans: - They wanted to exchange the gifts out of love and respect for each other. They could not celebrate Christmas without exchanging the gifts. These gifts represented their depth of feelings for each other.
6. How much did Della save for Christmas? What did it show?
Ans: - Della saved $ 1.87 (one dollar and eighty seven cents) for Christmas. She had collected this amount cent by cent. It showed that she was a careful girl, who did not spend much. It should the strength of her character. She was preparing herself for the future.
7. Why did Della take pride in the beauty of her hair?(or) what was Della’s hair likes and what do you think she felt about it?
Ans: - Della took pride in her hair because”It fell about her like a stream of brown waterfall. It reached below her knee.” It was like a dress or skirt to her. It means that her hair was very long, think, silken, and shiny. I think she felt like a princess when she stood before others in her shiny hair.
8. Why and how did Della sell her hair? Did she do well?
Ans: - Della sold her beautiful brown hair at a shop for twenty dollars. She wanted to buy a gold chain for Jim as a Christmas gift. She should have discussed the matter with Jim first. But her action showed that she could sacrifice her dearest possessions for Jim—even his life.
9. Why did Jim sell this gold watch? Did he do well?
Ans: - Jim sold his watch to buy special combs for Della as a Christmas gift. He did this in a hurry. He should have consulted Della before doing this. But it also showed that for Della he could sacrifice his best things_ his life even.
I. Question and Answers
1. How much did she save for Christmas?
Ans: - She saved one dollar and eighty-seven cents in her careful buying of meat and other food. She was very economical. But, this amount of money was not enough to spend on Christmas. She was very poor and wanted to save as much money as possible to buy a suitable gift for Jim. It all showed her deep love and sincerity for Jim.
2. Why did she feel proud in the beauty of her hair?
Ans: - Della had very beautiful hair. She was proud of their beauty. Even a queen did not possess such beautiful hair. She looked so charming with her long hair. But, now her hair was gone. She looked like a school boy. She lost her beauty and charm. Naturally she felt sad on losing her hair.
3. Why did she sell her hair?
Ans: - Jim and Della loved each other. They could not celebrate Christmas without exchanging gifts. But, they were so poor that they could not buy suitable gifts for each other. Jim sold his precious gold watch to buy a gift for Della. She also sold her beautiful hair to buy a gift for him.
4. Why did Jim sell the gold watch?
Ans: - Jim and Della loved each other. They could not celebrate Christmas without exchanging gifts. But, they were so poor that they could not buy suitable gifts for each other. Jim sold his precious gold watch to buy a gift for Della. She also sold her beautiful hair to buy a gift for him.
5. Why did they want to exchange the gifts?
Ans: - They wanted to exchange the gifts out of love and respect for each other. They could not celebrate Christmas without exchanging the gifts. These gifts represented their depth of feelings for each other.
6. How much did Della save for Christmas? What did it show?
Ans: - Della saved $ 1.87 (one dollar and eighty seven cents) for Christmas. She had collected this amount cent by cent. It showed that she was a careful girl, who did not spend much. It should the strength of her character. She was preparing herself for the future.
7. Why did Della take pride in the beauty of her hair?(or) what was Della’s hair likes and what do you think she felt about it?
Ans: - Della took pride in her hair because”It fell about her like a stream of brown waterfall. It reached below her knee.” It was like a dress or skirt to her. It means that her hair was very long, think, silken, and shiny. I think she felt like a princess when she stood before others in her shiny hair.
8. Why and how did Della sell her hair? Did she do well?
Ans: - Della sold her beautiful brown hair at a shop for twenty dollars. She wanted to buy a gold chain for Jim as a Christmas gift. She should have discussed the matter with Jim first. But her action showed that she could sacrifice her dearest possessions for Jim—even his life.
9. Why did Jim sell this gold watch? Did he do well?
Ans: - Jim sold his watch to buy special combs for Della as a Christmas gift. He did this in a hurry. He should have consulted Della before doing this. But it also showed that for Della he could sacrifice his best things_ his life even.
10. Why did Jim and Della want to present the gifts?
Ans: - The wanted to present the Christmas gifts to make each other specially happy.They loved each other very dearly. So Della bought the gold chain and Jim bought the special combs. But they never thought of giving less expensive and commoner gifts to fees easy as well.
11. Why did Della feel sad on losing her hair?
Ans: - Della felt sad on losing her hair because it was the most beautiful part of her person (body). It was long, brown, thick and silky that everyone liked. But more than anyone, Jim liked it most. Della feared that without it he may not like her so much.
12. Why did Jim not welcome Della when she stepped in?
Ans: - Jim did not welcome her when she entered the house because he found Della's hair missing. He was in the habit of looking at Della's hair with great pleasure. But this time he could not enjoy the lovely sight. He found to his disappointment that her beauty was less than earlier.
13. What did Jim bring out from his coat? Describe the scene as well as you can.
Ans: - Jim brought out something tied in paper from inside his coat. He threw it on the table. When Della opened the packet, she found special combs for her “hair.” This was the best symbol (sign) of his love for her. But it was also a reminder to her that she had lost the most beautiful part of her personality, at least for several years.
14. How beautiful was the gold watch chain? Would you have liked to own it?
Ans: - The gold chain was simple, but made of pure and rich material. It was extremely lovely as a love present. I would have liked to own it. But with the gold chain should have been like flowers without the plant.
15. What was the wisdom on Jim’s part to sell his most valuable thing?
Ans: - Perhaps there was no wisdom on Jim’s part to sell his most valuable thing, that is, his gold watch. He was almost made in his passion of love for Della. He did not talk with or consult Della before selling it. But love is almost always blind. Very few people keep their senses in order when they are in deep love.
16. How did the Magi want to celebrate their Christmas? (or) Who were the first people to give Christmas gifts?
Ans: - The Magi were the three wise men from the East who brought gifts to Jesus Christ. This way these wise men also celebrated Christmas. The Magi were very wise because they made Jesus happy through the gifts. They were the first people who gave Christmas gifts to the baby Jesus.
17. How much attached to each other were Della and Jim in the story?
Ans: - Della and Jim did everything in their power to please each other. Della sold her hair for twenty dollars only. She bought the gold chain for Jim’s watch. Jim sold his gold watch to buy special combs for Della.
18. Why did Jim and Della sell their beautiful and valuable things?
Ans: - They sold their most beautiful things to please each other. They wanted to show that they could lose their all for each other’s joy and satisfaction. They were trying to show that they could even die for love.
19. Describe the story in our words.
Ans: - Della and Jim were lovers. Della sold her hair to buy a gold chain for Jim’s watch. Jim sold his watch to buy special combs for Della’s hair. Della’s gift of gold chain was useless for Jim and Jim’s gift of the combs was useless for Della, yet they loved each other.
20. What is the moral of the story?
Ans: - The moral is that we should not become too emotional in love. We should act wisely in all matters of life. In any case, we should not overreach ourselves (do more than we are able to do). The acts of Della in selling her hair and of Jim in selling his gold watch were highly emotional. Lovers should use their minds more than their hearts.
21. How were Jim and Della planning to celebrate Christmas?
Ans: - Jim and Della were planning to give gifts to each other. They both wanted to give each other beautiful, some extraordinary and best gifts.
22. What are the two possessions of James Dillingham Young’s in which Jim and Della took mighty pride? By whom was Jim possession transferred to him?
Ans: - Jim and Della had valuable things on which they could be proud. Jim had a gold clock. Della had her beautiful long hair. This gold clock was transferred to Jim by his father.
23. Why did Della go to Madame Sofronie?
Ans: - Della went to Madam Sofronie to sell her beautiful long hair. Della wanted to buy a good gift from that money for Jim. Della Wanted to give this gift to Jim on Christmas Eve.
24. Jim said, “What a beautiful nice gift I have got for you.” What was the gift? How did Della react?
Ans: - At Christmas, Jim had brought a set of combs for Della. The combs were beautiful, the comb was made from the tortoise bark and the gem was on the edge of the comb. Della smiled to see the set of combs.
25. “It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror.” What explanation did Jim give for his reaction on Della’s hair?
Ans: - Jim reacted by looking at Della’s hair. Jim’s eye was stable on Della. He was continuously watching Della’s face.
26. Describe the anxiety of Della after she had sacrificed her hair.
Ans: - Della wanted to give Jim a nice different gift on Christmas Eve. He only had 1 dollar and 87 cents which was insufficient. Due to having less money, Della could not afford a gift for Jim. She had no other way left. So she goes to Madame Sofronie to sell her hair. Della liked her beautiful long hair but she had to sell her hair for twenty dollars. Della was afraid that Jim would no longer like him as he liked earlier. She will understand her like a girl playing the group song on Coney Island. She was worried that Jim would not love him like before without his beautiful long hair.
27. Why does the writer refer to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon? What do you understand by it? Explain.
Ans: - Della and Jim both had valuable things. Jim had a gold clock that his father gave to him. Della had beautiful and long hair. Both were very proud of their precious things. The author compares Jim and Della’s precious things with the things of Sheba’s queen and King Solomon. A queen can easily buy any material thing, but she can’t keep such long hair. Della’s hair is more valuable than all the Queen’s things. In this way, Jim’s gold clock was more valuable than the Solomon treasure. The author makes reference to all these to compare only.
28. Throw light on the remarkable qualities that Jim and Della had.
Ans: - Jim and Della loved each other wonderfully. They did not like anything more than each other. They were ready to sacrifice their precious things to please each other. Jim and Della sacrificed their most beloved and precious items for Christmas gifts. They both were proud of these things. Both buy more expensive gifts than their financial ability to gift each other on Christmas. Jim bought a set of combs for Della. Who loved Della so much? Jim sacrificed his gold watch to give a gift to Della. Della sells her hair and buys a platinum chain for Jim’s gold watch.
29. In the title “The gift of the magi” what does the phrase “the magi” stand for?
Ans: - Magi were an intelligent man who brought gifts for infant Jesus, which was the most precious. The selection of their gifts was amazing. They started the practice of giving gifts on Christmas. They chose gifts from intelligence. In this way, Jim and Della were wise enough to choose a gift for each other for Christmas Day. They sacrificed the precious things themselves to give gifts to each other on Christmas. Magi is considered to be the most intelligent to choose a gift. Therefore the phrase “Magi” has come to people who can choose a gift from their intelligence.
23. Why did Della go to Madame Sofronie?
Ans: - Della went to Madam Sofronie to sell her beautiful long hair. Della wanted to buy a good gift from that money for Jim. Della Wanted to give this gift to Jim on Christmas Eve.
24. Jim said, “What a beautiful nice gift I have got for you.” What was the gift? How did Della react?
Ans: - At Christmas, Jim had brought a set of combs for Della. The combs were beautiful, the comb was made from the tortoise bark and the gem was on the edge of the comb. Della smiled to see the set of combs.
25. “It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror.” What explanation did Jim give for his reaction on Della’s hair?
Ans: - Jim reacted by looking at Della’s hair. Jim’s eye was stable on Della. He was continuously watching Della’s face.
26. Describe the anxiety of Della after she had sacrificed her hair.
Ans: - Della wanted to give Jim a nice different gift on Christmas Eve. He only had 1 dollar and 87 cents which was insufficient. Due to having less money, Della could not afford a gift for Jim. She had no other way left. So she goes to Madame Sofronie to sell her hair. Della liked her beautiful long hair but she had to sell her hair for twenty dollars. Della was afraid that Jim would no longer like him as he liked earlier. She will understand her like a girl playing the group song on Coney Island. She was worried that Jim would not love him like before without his beautiful long hair.
27. Why does the writer refer to the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon? What do you understand by it? Explain.
Ans: - Della and Jim both had valuable things. Jim had a gold clock that his father gave to him. Della had beautiful and long hair. Both were very proud of their precious things. The author compares Jim and Della’s precious things with the things of Sheba’s queen and King Solomon. A queen can easily buy any material thing, but she can’t keep such long hair. Della’s hair is more valuable than all the Queen’s things. In this way, Jim’s gold clock was more valuable than the Solomon treasure. The author makes reference to all these to compare only.
28. Throw light on the remarkable qualities that Jim and Della had.
Ans: - Jim and Della loved each other wonderfully. They did not like anything more than each other. They were ready to sacrifice their precious things to please each other. Jim and Della sacrificed their most beloved and precious items for Christmas gifts. They both were proud of these things. Both buy more expensive gifts than their financial ability to gift each other on Christmas. Jim bought a set of combs for Della. Who loved Della so much? Jim sacrificed his gold watch to give a gift to Della. Della sells her hair and buys a platinum chain for Jim’s gold watch.
29. In the title “The gift of the magi” what does the phrase “the magi” stand for?
Ans: - Magi were an intelligent man who brought gifts for infant Jesus, which was the most precious. The selection of their gifts was amazing. They started the practice of giving gifts on Christmas. They chose gifts from intelligence. In this way, Jim and Della were wise enough to choose a gift for each other for Christmas Day. They sacrificed the precious things themselves to give gifts to each other on Christmas. Magi is considered to be the most intelligent to choose a gift. Therefore the phrase “Magi” has come to people who can choose a gift from their intelligence.
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