The Gift of the Magi — Flashcards

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The two main characters are Della and Jim, also called Mrs. James Dillingham Young and Mr. James Dillingham Young. They are a young married couple who love each other deeply but are very poor.

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Della feels sad because she has only one dollar and eighty-seven cents to buy Jim a Christmas gift. She wants to give him something special, but her money is too little.

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They live in a furnished flat that costs eight dollars per week. Their home shows that they are poor, but it also shows that they are trying to live with dignity.

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Jim's gold watch and Della's hair are their two most prized possessions. The watch had belonged to Jim's father and grandfather, and Della's long hair was her beauty and pride.

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Della cuts and sells her hair to get money for Jim's Christmas present. She sacrifices her most beautiful possession so that she can buy something worthy of her love for Jim.

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Jim sells his watch to buy Della the set of combs she has always wanted. He also makes a sacrifice so that he can give her a meaningful Christmas gift.

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The ending is surprising because both gifts become useless. Della has no hair for the combs, and Jim no longer has his watch for the chain. This creates the story's twist ending.

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Situational irony happens when the result is different from what is expected. Here, both characters sacrifice their best possessions to buy gifts for each other, but the gifts cannot be used.