Gift of the Magi

​The Gift of the Magi

Poll

People make sacrifices for the people they love.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

People who are not comfortable financially are unable to give gifts to the people they love.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

The thought to buy someone a gift is more important than the gift itself.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

Modern society places too much emphasis on buying expensive gifts.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

Pleasing others is not always easy.

• Agree

• Disagree

1 Della had one dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all she had saved for a long time. She had saved one cent, then another, and then another while begging. Della counted her money three times. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And tomorrow was Christmas. She felt so sad that she fell onto her bed and cried.

2 In their small home, the rooms cost $8 a week. There wasn’t much more to say about it. There was even a letterbox that was too small to hold a letter. They had an electric bell, but it couldn’t make a sound. Next to the door was the name: “Mr. James Dillingham Young.”

3 When the name was first put there, Mr. James Dillingham Young earned $30 a week. Now, he only earned $20 a week, and the name seemed too long for his new pay. It should have been “Mr. James D. Young.” But when Mr. Young came home, his name didn’t matter much. His wife, Della, warmly hugged him and called him “Jim.”

4 Della finished crying and wiped her tears away. She stood by the window, looking out but not really seeing anything. Tomorrow was Christmas, and she only had $1.87 to buy Jim a gift. After saving for months, this was all she had. Twenty dollars a week didn’t go far, and everything cost more than she expected. Only $1.87 to buy a gift for her Jim. She had spent many happy moments thinking of something special for him, something good enough for someone like Jim.

5 There was a mirror between the windows in their room. It was very narrow, so you could only see a small part of yourself at a time. But Della was thin and could see herself if she moved quickly. Suddenly, she turned away from the window and stood in front of the mirror. Her eyes were bright, but her face looked pale. She quickly pulled her hair down to see how long it was. Della and Jim were proud of two things they owned: Jim’s gold watch, which had belonged to his father, and Della’s beautiful hair.

​THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry
(first published in 1905)

6 If Queen Sheba lived nearby, Della would have washed her hair where the queen could see it. Della knew her hair was more beautiful than any jewels. Jim loved his watch but had never had a nice chain for it. Now, Della’s long, shiny hair fell down like a stream of brown water, reaching below her knees. It almost looked like a dress. But then she quickly put her hair up again, feeling nervous. She stopped for a moment, letting a couple of tears fall down her cheeks.

7 Della put on her old brown coat and hat. With a bright light still in her eyes, she hurried out the door and down the street. She stopped at a sign that said: “Mrs. Sofronie. Hair Articles of All Kinds.” Della ran up to the second floor and took a moment to catch her breath. Mrs. Sofronie, a big woman with cold eyes, looked at her.

8 “Will you buy my hair?” Della asked.

9 “I buy hair,” said Mrs. Sofronie. “Take off your hat and let me see it.”

10 Down fell Della’s beautiful hair. “Twenty dollars,” said Mrs. Sofronie after feeling its weight.

11 “Give it to me quick,” Della said.

12 The next two hours flew by as she rushed from one shop to another, finding a gift for Jim. Finally, she found it! It was a gold watch chain, simple yet very beautiful. It was made of rich, pure metal. Even though it looked plain, its value was clear. It was perfect for Jim's watch. Della paid twenty-one dollars for it and hurried home with the chain and eighty-seven cents.

13 With the new chain, Jim could look at his watch and tell time anywhere. Even though the watch was fine, it had never had a good chain. He would only take it out and look at it when no one was around. When Della got home, she began to feel better and thought more clearly.

14 She tried to hide what she had done. Love and giving can leave marks that are hard to cover. It took her forty minutes, but her hair looked better. With her short hair, she looked like a schoolboy. She stood in front of the mirror for a long time. “If Jim doesn’t get mad at me,” she said, “he might think I look like a girl who sings for money. But what could I do with a dollar and eighty-seven cents?”

15 At seven, Jim’s dinner was ready. He was never late. Della held the watch chain in her hand and sat near the door where he always came in. She heard his footsteps, and her face turned pale. She often said little prayers about everyday things. Now she said, “Please God, make him think I’m still pretty.”

16 The door opened, and Jim stepped in. He looked thin and not very happy. Poor Jim was only twenty-two and had a family to support! He needed a new coat and had nothing to keep his hands warm. Jim stopped inside the door, quiet as a dog waiting for a bird. He looked at Della with a strange expression, one she did not understand. It filled her with fear. It was not anger or surprise; it was something she didn’t expect.

17 Della went to him and said, “Jim, dear, don’t look at me like that. I cut my hair and sold it. I couldn’t stand not giving you a gift for Christmas. My hair will grow back. You won’t mind, will you? My hair grows quickly. It’s Christmas, Jim. Let’s be happy. You don’t know what a nice gift I got for you.”

18 “You cut your hair?” Jim asked slowly, trying to understand.

19 “Cut it off and sold it,” Della replied. “Don’t you like me now? I’m still me, Jim. I’m the same without my hair.”

20 Jim looked around the room. “You say your hair is gone?” he asked.

21 “You don’t have to look for it,” Della said. “It’s sold and gone. It’s the night before Christmas, darling. Please be good to me. I sold my hair for you. I may have few hairs, but no one can count how much I love you. Should we eat dinner, Jim?”

22 Jim hugged Della. For a moment, let’s look at something else. Eight dollars a week or a million dollars a year—how different are they? Someone may try to answer, but they might be wrong. The magi brought special gifts, but those gifts were not the same. Let me explain soon.

23 From inside his coat, Jim took something wrapped in paper and put it on the table. “I want you to understand me, Della,” he said. “Nothing like a haircut could make me love you less. But if you open that, you will know how I felt when I came in.”

24 Della opened the paper. She cried out in joy, then tears followed. There lay the combs—beautiful combs Della had admired in a shop window for a long time. They were perfect for her beautiful hair. She knew they were too expensive for her to buy. Now they were hers, but her hair was gone. She held them close to her heart and finally said, “My hair grows so fast, Jim!”

25 Then she jumped up and said, “Oh, oh!” Jim had not seen his gift yet. She held it out to him in her open hand. The gold shone softly, almost like her warm and loving spirit. “Isn’t it perfect, Jim? I searched all over town to find it. You’ll have to check your watch all the time now. Give me your watch. I want to see how they look together.”

26 Jim sat down and smiled. “Della,” he said, “let’s put our Christmas gifts away for now. They are too nice to use today. I sold the watch to buy you the combs. Now, I think we should have our dinner.”

27 The magi, as you know, were wise men who brought gifts to the newborn Christ-child. They were the first to give Christmas gifts. Their gifts were surely wise ones. Here I have told you the story of two children who were not wise. Each sold the most valuable thing they owned to buy a gift for the other. But let me say a final word to those who are wise today: Of all who give gifts, these two were the wisest. Everywhere, they are the wise ones.

Match

Match each term with its description.

• watch

• $20

• chain

• $1.87

• Sheba

Prized possession of Jim's

Jim's weekly salary, reduced from $30

Della bought one for Jim's watch

Amount Della saved to buy Jim's gift

Queen who would be jealous Della's hair

• Prized possession of Jim's

• Jim's weekly salary, reduced from $30

• Della bought one for Jim's watch

• Amount Della saved to buy Jim's gift

• Queen who would be jealous Della's hair

Match

Match each term with its description.

• cries

• hair

• $0.87

• $8

• combs

Della does this after saving money

Prized possession of Della's

Amount of money Della had left

Amount paid for rent each month

Jim bought these for Della for Christmas

• Della does this after saving money

• Prized possession of Della's

• Amount of money Della had left

• Amount paid for rent each month

• Jim bought these for Della for Christmas

Multiple Choice

How did Della acquire the money she had saved for Jim's present?

• She worked a part-time job

• She had short-changed businesses

• She had begged for money

• She was given the money by her parents

Multiple Choice

Which of the following events occurs FIRST in "The Gift of the Magi?"

• Della sells her hair

• Della sits on the couch and cries

• Della gives Jim his gift

• Jim comes home from work

Multiple Choice

“Now, Della’s long, shiny hair fell down like a stream of brown water, reaching below her knees.” This quote is an example of which type of figurative language?

• simile

• metaphor

• onomatopoeia

• alliteration

Multiple Choice

“Even though the watch was fine, it had never had a good chain. He would only take it out and look at it when no one was around.” Which of the following best describes how Jim felt about the old strap?

• confident

• insecure

• optimistic

• proud

Multiple Choice

How did Della mainly feel as 7 o’clock approached?

• dreadful

• anxious

• indifferent

• prepared

Multiple Choice

“Jim stopped inside the door, quiet as a dog waiting for a bird. He looked at Della with a strange expression, one she did not understand.” The preceding quote shows that Jim did which of the following?

• He moved very slowly

• He froze

• He ran quickly

• He smelled something interesting

Multiple Choice

How did Jim react to Della when first arrived home?

• He yelled at her

• He cried

• He stared at her

• He became angry and left

Multiple Choice

Why did Jim mainly react in the way that he did?

• He was angry Della had cut off all her hair.

• His present for her was now unnecessary.

• He did not think she was pretty with short hair

• He was touched that she had sacrificed her hair for him.

Multiple Choice

Who does the narrator say that Jim and Della were like from the Bible?

• Queen Sheba

• King Solomon

• Moses

• The Magi

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the best theme of the story?

• People make poor decisions when they are in love

• People should not buy gifts they cannot afford

• People who truly love each other will make sacrifices

• People who live in New York City cannot afford their rent

Open Ended

What is you opinion of this story? Explain your answer

Open Ended

Explain how the theme of love applies to “The Gift of the Magi.”

Open Ended

Explain how the theme of wealth applies to “The Gift of the Magi.”