Themes in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
Not what you're looking for?
For the story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, could you help me with the following questions:
A. Describe what the theme of the short story is, using symbolism or allegory and motif
B. Identify at least two of the literary elements in the short story that contribute to the theme (e.g., plot, point of view, tone, setting, character, symbolism, etc.), providing an example of each element.
C. Explain how the selected literary elements affect the narrative theme
Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary
The themes for "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry is examined in the solution.
Solution Preview
From our interaction so far, it seems like the request is a bit comprehensive. Hopefully this will be enough to help you move along, and I intend it to be that way. Strictly speaking, the stories in your list that I am most familiar with are the ones by Chopin and Henry, and there seems to be quite a bit of relevant information about the stories as well. That said, Gift of The Magi is a bit shorter, so that may work to your benefit if I stick with that one for now. So, I will be touching on that as I can best use it to help demonstrate both ideas and method for you.
The first thing that comes to mind is your concern of how to approach the essay. It seems quite clear that the teacher expects this to be simply answered, more-or-less, with paragraphs for each of the numbered parts of the assignment. It could be organized like an essay, in that the assertion of a theme comes first and then evidence is explained for that theme in the next two paragraphs. But it might be more helpful to approach them as separate questions, especially given what I will say later on. But how do you ...
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Who wrote it?
Students will match the literary work with the correct author. I have selected works which are often taught as part of a high school or college curriculum
Macbeth Comprehension Act One
Test how well you understand the basic plot of Macbeth as well as the deeper themes, symbols, and character analysis.
Introduction to Homophones
Strong writing skills are important in the educational and professional worlds. One common mistake made by some people is the lack of understanding homophones. This quiz gives a brief introduction of the definition with some examples.
The Lie Factor – Finding Truth in Graphs, Graphics and Writing
In order for a piece of writing to be valid, its information must be factual. This belief translates into its graphics as well. “Academic Research and Writing”, by Linda Bergmann, presents information detailing how and why it is important for graphics to display honest information. It additionally provides methodologies that readers can use to decipher truth in graphs, graphics and writing, and create their own. This quiz tests students on this information.
Chasing Lincoln’s Killer Quiz 1 (Prologue & Introduction Content with Chapter 1 Vocabulary)
The following questions are taken from the prologue and introduction of the novel, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. Read each question carefully and choose the correct answer.