THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry Summary & Analysis (Timestamps in video notes)

English homework giving you trouble?

In this video I'm talking about "The Gift of the Magi," a short story by O. Henry. First there's a detailed summary, and then a discussion about symbolism, character development, and more that you might see on a test or essay question. Good luck!

SUMMARY 0:27
ANALYSIS
Irony 8:06
Role of money 10:23
Attitudes/shame about money 14:01
Jim's watch & Della's hair 15:10
The watch chain & hair combs 16:25
Moral of the story 17:41
Biblical references 18:53
Symbolism of the Magi 20:08

Hope that helps! If you have questions or you were interested in a different story or author, let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can do.:)

Henry, O. "The Gift of the Magi." The Complete Works of O. Henry, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1953, pp. 7-11.

© 2020 Carrie Hoover