Chapter – 8
The Gift of Magi O. Henry
Short Answers
Q. 1. How were Jim and Della planning to celebrate
Christmas?
Answer: Jim and Della were planning to give gifts to each-other. They both wanted to give each-other some beautiful, nice and rare gifts.
Q. 2. What are the two possessions of James Dillingham
Youngs in which Jim and Della took mighty pride? By whom was Jim possession
transferred to him?
Answer: Jim had a gold watch which had been his father's and his grandfather's. He could make even King Solomon feel jealous of his precious possession and Della had long hair with which she could make even the queen of Sheba jealous of her.
Q. 3. Why did Della go to Madame Sofronie?
Answer: Della went to Madam Sofronie to sell her beautiful long hair. She wanted to purchase some beautiful gift for Jim and she had only one dollar and eighty seven cents which was insufficient to purchase anything worthwhile.
Q. 4. Jim said, “What a beautiful nice gift I have got
for you.” What was the gift? How did Della react?
Answer: The gift was a set of combs that she had wished for long in a broadway window. They were beautiful combs made of tortoise shell with jewelled rims, just the shade of her hair. When she opened the package and saw the gift, she gave an ecstatic scream of joy and then a quick feminine change t hysterical tears and wails.
Q. 5. “It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror.” What explanation did Jim give for his reaction on Della’s hair?
Answer: Jim told Della that she shouldn't think that there was anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or shampoo that could make him like Della any less. But if she unwrapped the package, she might understand why she had made him go awhile at first.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q. 6. Describe the anxiety of Della after she had
sacrificed her hair.
Answer: After having the hair-cut when Della reached home, she got out her curling irons, lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. She thought that if Jim didn't kill her before having a second look at her, he would say that she looked like a coney island chorus girl. She had a habit of saying silent prayers so she was praying, "Jim entered the house and his eyes fell upon her, there was an expression which terrified her which she could not understand. She wriggled off the table and went for him. She tried to make him understand that she had her hair cut because she couldn't live through Christmas without giving him a gift. She said that the hair on her head could be numbered but nobody could ever count her love for him.
Q. 7. Why does the writer refer to the Queen of Sheba and
King Solomon? What do you understand by it? Explain.
Answer. The writer refers to the two legends to convey how
much Jim and Della valued their possessions. They were very proud of them. Jim
hada gold watch which had been his father’s and his grandfather’s and Della had
very beautiful, long hair. If Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the
airshaft, Della would hang her hair out of the window someday to dry just to just
to depreciate Her Majesty’s gifts i.e. even the riches of Queen of Sheba were
nothing compared to the hair of Della. On the other hand, had King Solomon been
the janitor, with all his tresures piled up in the basement, Jim would have
pulled out his watch every time he passed just to see him pluck at his beard
from envy i.e. even Solomon’s treasure was insignificant before Jim’s watch.
Q. 8. Throw light on the remarkable qualities that Jim
and Della had.
Answer. Jim and Della loved each-other wonderfully. They did
not like anything more than each other. They were ready to sacrifice their
precious things to please each-other. They sacrificed their most beloved and
precious possessions to buy Christmas gifts for each-other. They both were
proud of these things. Both buy more expensive gifts than their financial
ability to gift each-other on Christmas. Jim bought a set of combs for Della. But
for this he had to sacrifice his gold watch which was given to him by his
father and to him by his grandfather. Della sold her hair which was her proud
possession and bought a platinum chain for Jim’s gold watch.
Q. 9. In the title “The gift of the magi” what does the
phrase “the magi” stand for?
Answer: The Magi were the wise men in the court of King
Herodotus. They were asked by the King to confirm the birth of Jesus Christ.
Following his order, they went after a star and carried some gifts for the babe
in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise,
their gifts were no doubt wise ones; they could be exchanged to avoid
duplication. Similarly, all those who can give and receive gifts are the Magi;
who can love each-other are the Magi; Jim and Della who sacrificed their most
precious possessions for each-other are the Magi.
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