It was not anger, surprise, disapproval, horror or any of the sentiments that she had prepared for. After a good cry, Della composes herself and powders her face. Della sells her hair to gift Jim a beautiful chain for his rare gold watch. 5. What moral lessons are stressed upon in ‘The Gift of the Magi’? It fell below her knees. It is Christmas Eve and Della wants to buy a Christmas gift for Jim, that is worthy of him. We sympathize with Jim and Della because their spirit of sacrifice, even if it produces a situation in which their gifts are of no use to them, reveals their deep love for each other. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. How many characters are there in the narrative? She also said that she is the same even without her hair and reminded him that he likes her as she is. Jim is a young man of twenty-two. They brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are not at all foolish as they have made the sacrifice due to their love for one another. Answer. It is Christmas Eve and Della wants to buy a Christmas gift for Jim, that is worthy of him. Here you will get notes, study materials, question papers of different boards like CBSE, AHSEC etc., from class 11 to B.com, B.A, B.sc and other exam related informations. She went to several shops and kept on searching till she got what she wanted. Finally, she finds the perfect gift, a platinum fob chain, simple and chaste in design. The story ”The gift of the magi” takes place on a single day, Christmas Eve, and illustrates the love that a young couple has for one another. By 7 pm she got coffee ready and the frying pan was hot and ready, on the stove, to cook chops for dinner. Why do you think, Della has the ‘brilliant sparkle still in her eyes’ even as she ran out of the door and into the street? Ans. “The Gift of the Magi” is a beautiful story by O. Henry. They gave up their most precious possessions to give each other the best Christmas gift. (c) Oh, and the next two hours passed by on rosy wings. Whenever Jim came home he was treated warmly and affectionately by his wife Della. This sale would enable her to get enough money to buy a good gift for Jim. SURVEY. The colour gray is an emotionless colour often associated with loss or depression. Otherwise, they were ordinary things. 2016. it is valuable in … They very happily sacrificed their precious possessions and felt neither worried nor disturbed by the fact of parting with their prized possessions for buying these gifts. After assessing Della’s hair, Madame Sofronie offered her twenty dollars for her hair. According to the Bible, the magi were three kings (Casper, Melchior, and Balthazar) who traveled to Bethlehem from somewhere in the East (probably Persia). Her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Jim had a quiet strength in him and was worthy because of the many sterling qualities in him. The title is both significant and appropriate. The Question and Answer section for The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories is a great resource to ask questions, find answers… Jim earns twenty dollars a week which isn’t enough for them to meet all their requirements. As this the gift of magi questions and answers, it ends taking place inborn one of the favored books the gift of magi questions and answers collections that we have. Both of them value the love and care associated with the gifts. Hearing his steps on the stairs, she paled for a moment and prayed that Jim would still think that she was pretty. She had wanted to buy that set for a long time and hence felt elated. Della got the 1.87 Cents in the gift of the magi by bargaining with the people who provided provisions like the grocery, the butcher, and the vegetable man. She thought of selling one of their prized possessions, her beautiful hair, which was very long and fell below her knees. Bring out the relation between Jim and King Solomon. Della has beautiful and long hair. It shows that they cared for each other’s happiness. When Della reached home, she used her curling irons on her newly cut hair. Jim repeatedly asks her if she has cut off her hair, as though he cannot accept the fact. Ans. Jim requires an overcoat and gloves. They live in a flat for which they have to pay a rent of $8 every week. Della could not use the set of combs that Jim bought for her as her hair was gone. The title of the story, we can see, is highly appropriate. Ans. It was made of pure tortoise-shell with jewels on each comb. Jim has a rare gold watch inherited from his family. In "The Gift of the Magi," Jim and Della's apartment is an eight-dollar unit in a poor area of town and is sparsely furnished. MadameSofronie looks at her hair and buys it for $ 20.After selling her hair, Della takes the money and goes shopping. (g) His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. To express exactly what you mean is not always easy (just as poetry is not always easy), but it is always satisfying and rewarding. That was all. (d) She found it at last. They create this humourous and awkward situation by not letting each other know what they are going to do. He had brought a set of combs for Della’s beautiful hair. The gifts of the Magi gave rise to the custom of presenting gifts on Christmas day to somebody you loved. He says that the haircut doesn’t reduce his love for her but if she saw what was in the package, she would understand his reaction. She showed prudence and reason in welcoming Jim. What did Della do after she realized she had very little money with her? The queen of Sheba ruled the kingdom of Sheba in Southwestern Arabia. The chain was simple and proclaimed its value by substance alone without any ornamentation. In addition, her new short hair might draw comparisons with a Coney Island chorus girl. ‘Jim’ was the loving husband of Della. Auden, Enterprise By Nissim Ezekiel Summary and Symbolism, The Diamond Necklace By Guy de Maupassant – Summary and Questions Class 10th English, No Where To Play By Ticola Tyson Summary and Question Answers, ‘Lost Spring’ by Anees Jung Questions and Answers Flamingo English Class 12 JK, Questions And Answers of Packing Class 9th (JK BOSE), The Last Leaf – Explanation, Style and Language and Questions. So they sell off their most precious possessions to buy Christmas gifts for each other. Ans. On seeing Della, he stood as still as a hunting dog would at the scent of game. The other was Della’s hair. She doesn’t think twice before sacrificing her hair to get a good gift for Jim. O. Henry’s story brings the essence of love and sacrifice out in the tale of Jim and Della. Both the characters in this story and the biblical Magi gave their most precious belongings for the benefit of somebody else. Della says, “My hair grows so fast, Jim” in O. Henry’s ‘The Gift of the Magi’ to reassure Jim that her hair would grow back soon and she would be able to use the beautiful tortoiseshell combs he bought for her hair. He only had 1 dollar and 87 cents which was insufficient. What were the two possessions of the James Dillingham Young of which they both were very proud? Armed with twenty-one dollars and eighty-seven cents, Della is shopping for a gift for Jim, that is worthy of him. Jim sold his precious possession, the gold watch, so that he could present this comb-set to Della as a Christmas gift. She goes to several shops and searches for the perfect gift, something worthy of the honour of being owned by Jim. The Magi were three sages - Gasper, Melchhir and Balthazar - who traveled from the East to Jerusalem to see the baby Jesus, born in the stables. it is fragile. Do you approve of Della’s decision to sell her hair? She seeks to sell her hair. Despite saving for months, she has managed to put away only $ 1.87. Similarly, Jim too didn’t have money to buy a good gift for Della. He goes to work and earns twenty dollars a week. Describe what Della does from the moment she decides to earn money for Jim’s gift till the moment she earns it. She counts her savings and realizes that all she had is $1.87. Della bargains while buying provisions for the house, so she can save a bit there. Just from $13/Page. She assured him that her hair grew very fast and it would soon grow out. The chain was like Jim in quietness and value. Answer the following questions in one or two words. Jim and Della are the … After a while, when she realized that she had already sold her beautiful long hair, she started crying and wept for a long time out of joy as well as sorrow. The author says that if King Solomon had been the janitor with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his gold watch every time he passed, to make him envious. (k) Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. Do you think O. Henry himself is the narrator of the story? How much were they attached to each other in the story? “Dell“ is Della, i.e. Ans. Why did Jim look about the room curiously? Della looked at her reflection in the pier-glass between the windows of the room. Della bargains while buying provisions for the house, so she can save a bit there. She realized that Jim hadn’t seen his present yet. She adds that her hair grows fast and they should be happy. Hence, everything looked gray to Della that morning. Refer to the text to check your answers when appropriate. She compared Jim to chain and found them equal in quietness and value. Question 3. Jim and Della sacrificed their precious things to buy each other a fitting gift. Ans. She tried her best to save sufficient amount of money but could not do so. On Christmas Eve, Della counted the money she had saved. It is through these comparisons that the narrator expresses the pride of the couple for their possessions. O. Henry calls Della and Jim ‘the wisest” among those who give others gifts. She said that the hair on her head was numbered but her love for him was beyond count. How did della get the 1.87 Cents in gift of the magi. Della had been saving for months to buy a good gift for Jim. She finds the fob chain so appropriate for Jim that she feels that it has been made for him alone and no one else. Obviously, he was uneasy and anxious about the beautiful possession of Della which both of them prized very highly. All that she could do was flop down on the couch and have a good cry. Ans. Ans. She looked quite young. After two hours of searching for the perfect gift, Della finally finds what she had been looking for. Upon reaching home, Della thought that before Jim saw her, it would be wise to ‘repair’ her looks after the loss of her beautiful hair. She was saving for months and wished to gift Jim something nice on Christmas. Magi were wise men, who brought gifts for Jesus when He was born in the manger. This ‘twist in the tale’ tells us about the true meaning of Christmas, love and sacrifice. 2018. 2017 2019. The title of the story ‘The Gift of the Magi’ is appropriate. There are several indications that the couple is poor in ‘The Gift of the Magi’. They are magi. We all seek self-expression. Jim hugged Della. The flat was not extraordinary to be described and had the appearance of something lacking and inadequate. Once Madame Sofronie assesses her hair and offers to pay twenty dollars for it, Della tells her to give it to her quickly. He needed an overcoat and he was without gloves. Jim’s gold watch was a family heirloom and was one of their prized possessions, of which both Della and he were proud of. It suited the gold watch in value and not merely in its decorative character. She had spent hours in happy thoughts about this and had been saving up for several months. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating? The Magi were wise men, who came from the East and visited Jesus after His birth, in Bethlehem. Ans. If the queen lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window to belittle the queen’s great wealth. Ans. Della was worried that Jim would be displeased about her selling her hair because her hair was a matter of pride for both of them. Ans. Finally, after going to several shops she finds a simple platinum fob chain. O. Henry called Della and Jim two foolish children as they unwisely sacrificed the greatest treasures of their house for each other. James Dillingham Young known as Jim used to earn $30a week before now he earns $20 a week. Ans. ‘Lost Spring’ by Anees Jung Introduction:The lesson is an interesting and revelatory description of the lives of two poor children and thereby in extension about underprivileged children in India. Catching sight of her reflection in the pier-glass gave her the idea of selling her hair. Why do you think the story compares Jim and Della to the Magi? Being wise, their Della’s home is a furnished flat costing a rent of $8 per week. The rent of the flat is eight dollars a week. With brilliance in her eyes, Della quickly went down the stairs to the street and stopped before a hair saloon. She found no anger, surprise, disapproval, fear in those eyes which she had been prepared for. They brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The above sentence is taken from O. Henry’s short story, ‘The Gift of the Magi’. Why did everything look grey to Della that morning? Required fields are marked *. Get help with your The Gift of the Magi homework. His most famous short story The Gift of Magi is about a young married couple, short on money, who wish to buy each other Christmas gifts. What lay in the package that Jim had bought for Della? She stood by the window and looked out dully at a grey cat walking a grey fence in a grey backyard. True love necessitates sacrifice and giving. Then she returned home and showed prudence and reason. He explained that haircut does not matter for him and added that if Della unwraps the package she will learn why he got surprised at first. What is Jim’s answer to Della regarding her looks without her long hair? Sections Homepage Trivia Quizzes Free Trivia Questions Player Quiz Lists Ask FunTrivia - Get Answers to Questions Daily and Hourly Trivia Games Crossword Puzzles FunTrivia Discussions Forums Trivia Chat Trivia Questions Archive. Answer. Though young, they can understand and value love above materialism. Responses for promotional purpose. The Magi were the wise men who brought gifts to the newborn Jesus. The chain was simple and proclaimed its value by substance alone without any ornamentation. She had worshipped them in a Broadway shop window and craved for it without the least hope of ever owning it. Neither of them could make use of the gifts they gave to each other. Madame Sofronie looked at her hair and bought it for $ 20. They become like Magi in the spirit of love they show for each other. She can be tough when the situation demands her to be so. Is the title of the story ‘The Gift of the Magi’ appropriate? We all experience the world in language. Ans. Jim could not use the fob chain as he had sold his watch to pay for her combs. Jim and Della sacrificed their most precious possessions to buy each other a fitting gift. She sees a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Ans. (f) But what could I do-oh! How was the gift bought by Della for Jim? Question 2. They brought different things. Please answer the questions below regarding the short story “The Gift of the Magi.” Please answer in complete sentences and highlight your answers so that they stand out. They do not let their poverty come in the way of giving each other befitting gifts for Christmas. In the lobby below was a letterbox in which letters could not be inserted and an electric bell which did not ring. Jim had as much love for his wife as she had for him. Answer. She got dressed and went outside. Nobody could make bell from the electric button meant for this purpose. She is described as large, too white, chilly and unlike the ‘Sofronie’. Sofronie of Cioara was a Romanian  Orthodox saint. Yet, these two are the wisest among all who practice the art of gifting. She sold her precious hair to buy a gift for Jim. She wanted a simple but rare design which she found in a platinum fob chain. Jim and told that she had sold her hair to purchase a nice gift for him. Glancing at her reflection in the pier-glass, gave her an idea on how she could raise money by selling her beautiful long hair. They were gifts of physical value and would be valued by anyone. The story ends with the writer’s comments on the Magi – wonderfully wise men who brought gifts for the babe Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life. Answer. Ans. She got dressed and went outside. Justify. (b) Look out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Ans. Ans. The Gift of the Magi. Ans. Ans. 2018, What did Della do after reaching home? Now Della’s hair rippled and shone like a cascade of brown waters. Ans. Notwithstanding the futility of their gifts, the story brings forth their deep love for each other and the spirit of sacrifice that impels them to please each other. Notwithstanding her prudent way of spending money, she could not save enough money to buy a Christmas gift for her husband. Della’s beautiful long hair is a precious possession for … Della wanted to give Jim a nice different gift on Christmas Eve. Question 1. Ans. She wanted to buy a suitable chain for Jim’s gold watch. She does not, however, give any indication of this to Jim and keeps it as a secret in order to give him a great surprise. “The Gift of the Magi” is one of the most widely read stories of O. Henry. She prayed to God to make her husband feel that she was still pretty without her treasured long hair. The button of the electric bell was out of order. 11th Class English, Ch 12, The Gift of the Magi Question Answers - First Year English Ans. 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