Literary Analysis of The Gift of the Magi - 1276 Words

Literary Analysis of The Gift of the Magi The twists and turns of the plot as it unfolds within O. Henry s â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† are what simply captivate the reader in such a short amount of pages. The story of Jim and Della on a cold Christmas Eve at the turn of 20th century America is centered around what is remarkably relevant to what many readers have experienced in their own lives; the inevitable stresses, sacrifices, and joys of the holiday season. Strapped for cash and wanting to give her beloved husband the most luxurious gift for Christmas to express her deep passion for him, we are immediately introduced to the initial situation at hand. With only a dollar and some change to spend on Jim, Della is forced into a situation†¦show more content†¦The conclusion to this story is the narrator s final paragraphs were he relates the couple to the Magi and praises Jim and Della of being the wisest givers of all, contrary to popular belief. The comparison O. Hen ry makes between the story of Jim and Della and that of the Magi is rather relevant as the Magi were the ones who are credited with being the origins of the â€Å"giving nature† of the Christmas season. In this story, we see a man and a woman so blinded by love that they are willing to make ultimate sacrifices for the happiness of the other. Similar to the Magi, Della and Tim put each other before themselves and through their generosity and considerable lengths they both went to achieve that generosity is something more admirable than any materialistic gift they could ever offer each other, thus making the uselessness of their gifts irrelevant. This story is a story that can touch any person that has had to gone through a heavy sacrifice or gave up something they so covet in order to enlighten someone else, especially during the holiday seasons. It is a short narrative that magnifies the intangible value of sentimentality and belittles the importance of physical offerings. Ji m and Della equally appreciate the efforts each other made to make the other happy, despiteShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis Of The Gift Of The Magi 1144 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Analysis of â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is a story of true love and sacrifice for each other. The story takes place on Christmas Eve. Jim and Della Young are the main characters who are a poor couple that lived in an apartment for eight dollars a week. Jim recently had a pay cut at work and it made getting by hard. The young couple wanted to give each other the perfect Christmas gift to each other. To be able to afford the gifts, they sacrificed their most prizedRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pagesstories among teens and adults is the tale of a poor, young couple struggling to find the perfect Christmas gifts for each other using their very limited means. They each manage to get what they think is the perfect gift for the other, but only accomplish this by selling a prized possession which effectively makes the new gifts impractical. This bittersweet narrative, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† by O. Henry, illustrates the moral idea that a person, motivated by nothing but love for another, can possessRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi1377 Words   |  6 PagesLITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY THE GIFT OF THE MAGI The Gift of the Magi is one of the most popular short stories by O. Henry, a pen name for William Sydney Porter - a renowned American author. Originally published in 1906, in O. Henry’s second collection of short stories, The Gift of the Magi which displays all of the major O. Henry traits in abundance has given him credit for his genuine talent. It has been retold in various forms since then, especially at Christmas time. The storyRead MoreEssay on The Gift of the Magi4446 Words   |  18 Pages Many critics agree, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is, in all respects, an amazing and one of a kind story. One critic says, â€Å"Ironically, Fagin arrives at something utterly crucial to the success of The Gift of the Magi: that it has everything—an absorbing (if short) narrative drive and a twist ending that makes it wholly original† (Korb). Even renowned critic, Rena Korb, agrees; O.Henry did an excellent job with this story. Though O. Henry wrote many gr eat stories, one of his most famous, and favoriteRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi1022 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscussing Marxist literary criticism Peter Barry states, â€Å"So instead of seeing authors as primarily autonomous ‘inspired’ individuals whose ‘genius’ and creative imagination enables them to bring forth original and time-less works of art, the Marxist sees them as constantly formed by their social contexts in ways which they themselves would usually not admit† (Barry 152). His claim is certainly evident through a careful analysis of O’Henry’s short story. The Gift of the Magi appears to be a bittersweetRead MoreThe Adjective5825 Words   |  24 Pageslooks rather stupid; - No, that boy looks foolish. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. (O’Henry â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† p.26) -ed e.g. You should eat different types of food. Your diet should be well-balanced. Jane said that she likes blue-eyed boys with nice appearance and character. -ible e.g. Rose looks terrible after her staying in a hospital so longRead MoreText Analysis THE GREEN DOOR BY O’HENRY1504 Words   |  7 Pages Text Analysis THE GREEN DOOR BY O’HENRY The text under analysis is a story written by O’Henry. His real name is William Sidney Porter and O. Henry is his pen name. O. Henry is an American short-story writer of the late 19th century. He is a representative of realism, who wrote about the life of ordinary people in New York City. Typical for O. Henrys stories is a twist of plot which turns on an ironic or coincidental [kÉ™uËÅ'É ªn(t)sÉ ªdent(É™)l]Read MoreThe Writing Style of the Last Leaf3443 Words   |  14 Pagesis the father of modern American short stories, who ranks with Chekhov and Maupassant, was born on September 11, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. As the initiator of contemporary short novelists, O’Henry plays an extremely important role in the literary world, especially in America. He is good at portraying minor characters. The sense of humor is the biggest characteristic of his short stories. He tends to make the end beyond all expectations, and he focus on the minor characters’ living conditionRead MoreTeaching Middle and High School Students Literature7100 Words   |  29 Pages c) Writing a Tall Tale d) Selections of Oral Tradition Literature III. Novel Studies a) Previewing the novel b) Defining and Understanding Elements of c) Character Analysis d) Problems and Solutions of the story IV. Historical Fiction a) Activating background/prior knowledge b) Setting a purpose for reading c) Writing about historical fiction Read MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12166 Words   |  49 Pagesof a religious pilgrimage, while the conclusion implies that the return trip will be like the journey of the Magi, with Phoenix following a star (the marvelous windmill) to bring a gift to die child (medicine, also windmill). Moreover, theres the hunter who is, in part, a Santa Claus figure himself (he carries a big sack over his shoulder, he is always laughing, he brings Phoenix a gift of nickel). The richness of all this evocation of a Christianity−Christmas frame of a reference heightens the

How to Be Imprecise or Use Vague Expressions for ESL

There are a number of ways to give imprecise information in English. Here are some of the most common: There are about 600 people working in this company.There are approximately 600 people working in this company.There are a large number of students interested in taking his course.Its  almost  impossible to get tickets for the concert.Management predicts up to 50% growth for the coming year.Its kind of a bottle opener which can also be used to peel vegetables.Its the type of place you can go to relax for a week or so.Theyre the sort of people that like going bowling on Saturday evenings.Its difficult to say, but Id guess that its used for cleaning house.Im not really sure, but I think they enjoy hiking in the mountains. Construction Formula Form There are about 600 people working in this company.I have almost 200 friends in New York. Use about + a numbered expression.Use almost + a numbered expression There are approximately 600 people working in this company. Use approximately + a numbered expression. There are a large number of students interested in taking his course. Use a large number of + a noun. Management predicts up to 50% growth for the coming year. Use up to + a noun. Its kind of a bottle opener which can also be used to peel vegetables. Use kind of + a noun. Its the type of place you can go to relax for a week or so. Use type of + a noun. Use or so at the end of a sentence to express the meaning approximately. Theyre the sort of people that like going bowling on Saturday evenings. Use sort of + a noun. Its difficult to say, but Id guess that its used for cleaning house. Use the phrase + Its difficult to say, but Id guess an independent clause. Being Imprecise Dialogue Mark: Hi, Anna. Can I ask you a few questions for a survey Im doing in class?Anna: Sure, what would you like to know? Mark: Thanks, to begin with how many students are at your university?Anna: Well, I cant be exact. Id say there are about 5,000 students. Mark: Thats close enough for me. What about classes? How large is the average class?Anna: Thats really hard to say. Some courses have a large number of students, others not so many. Mark: Could you give me an estimate?Anna: Id there are approximately 60 students in most classes. Mark: Great. How would you describe your university?Anna: Once again, theres no clear cut answer. Its the kind of place students choose if they want to study non-traditional subjects.   Mark: So, youd say students are not what youd find at other schools.Anna: It has the sort of students that arent exactly sure what they want to do in the future.   Mark: Why did you choose to attend your university?Anna: Its difficult to say, but Id guess it was because I wanted to stay close to home.   Mark: Thanks for asking my questions!Anna: My pleasure. Im sorry I couldnt give you more exact answers.

Night Creature Dark Moon Chapter Twenty One Free Essays

â€Å"Let’s regroup.† Nic stepped out of the sheriff’s office and headed for the cabin. The door was unlocked. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Dark Moon Chapter Twenty One or any similar topic only for you Order Now A note and the key lay on the kitchen table. Don’t forget to talk to Cora Kopway, I read in what I assumed was Will’s precise scrawl. He’d also drawn a map to her cottage. â€Å"Who’s Cora Kopway?† Nic asked. â€Å"Ojibwe wisewoman.† â€Å"And you’re supposed to talk to her why?† â€Å"Remember that talisman we found in Montana?† Which reminded me†¦ I left the kitchen and ran into the bedroom, retrieved the icon from my sweatpants and returned with it in my hand. Nic sat at the table, scribbling notes onto a notepad he’d produced from Lord knows where. He didn’t even glance up when I entered. â€Å"What about it?† Quickly I related what had happened since the icon came into my possession, as well as Will’s thoughts and the need to talk to Cora. At least he stopped taking notes. â€Å"You’re more powerful?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you don’t know why?† â€Å"No.† He stood. â€Å"Let’s go talk to her.† I glanced at the clock. Close to 4 a.m. now. â€Å"Isn’t it a little early for visiting?† â€Å"You said she was old. She’ll be awake.† Since he was already headed through the door, I hurried to catch up. The sun wasn’t even a smoky glow against the eastern sky when Nic parked in front of a small cottage several miles outside of Fairhaven. But the windows were lit, and as we got out of the car, the front door opened. A young, beautiful woman stood on the threshold as if she’d been waiting for us to arrive. Her skin was olive, not the cinnamon shade of Will’s, but her hair was just as dark, flowing to her waist like a waving ebony river. Her eyes, black and heavily lashed, gazed at us curiously, but she didn’t speak, she merely waited. Talk about aging gracefully; Will’s ancient wisewoman didn’t appear a day over twenty-five. â€Å"We’d like to speak with Cora Kopway,† I said. â€Å"My grandmother joined the spirits last week.† Hell. We were SOL when it came to information if Cora was dead. â€Å"I’m sorry to hear that. Will Cadotte said she might be able to help us.† â€Å"The professor!† An expression of pure delight blossomed. â€Å"Grandmother spoke of him often. He didn’t come with you?† â€Å"He was called away.† We stood silent, her on the porch, Nic and I in the yard. â€Å"Well – † I began. â€Å"Would you mind if we took a look at some of your grandmother’s books?† Nic asked. â€Å"Of course not. She’d be happy to help any friend of Professor Cadotte’s.† The woman opened the door wider. When she moved, a sound, like faint jingle bells, ensued. Golden bangles circled her arms; red, blue, and yellow beaded earrings tangled with her hair, their colors a reflection of the calf-length skirt and frilly peasant blouse. I caught a glimpse of an ankle bracelet, as well as several toe rings on her bare feet. â€Å"I’m Lydia.† â€Å"Elise Hanover,† I replied. â€Å"This is Nic Franklin.† She nodded in welcome to us both. The place was lovely, overflowing with Indian paintings and sculptures. Most were of animals: bear, moose, birds, coyotes, and, of course, wolves. One table held dried bones and what appeared to be teeth. Candles of all shapes, sizes, and colors graced the room. Pottery bowls stood on each table; some held powders, some unidentified objects. I smelled fresh-cut grass, sandalwood, and new snow on a crisp winter night. I was reminded of Montana beneath a full moon, and for the first time in a lifetime I missed the place. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled to the ceiling with volumes whose spines reflected every shade of the rainbow. More cluttered the tables and the floor, some rested on furniture the hues of the earth and the sky at sunset: mahogany, sand, azure, burnt orange. â€Å"It’s beautiful,† I breathed. â€Å"Thank you.† Lydia stepped into the room just behind me. â€Å"Grandmother left me the place, and I’m grateful. She’ll be a great loss to the Ojibwe community.† â€Å"Will said she was quite knowledgeable.† â€Å"Very. She was teaching me, but there was so much to learn.† Here was good news. Maybe we weren’t SOL after all. â€Å"We’re interested in information on shamanic totems with mystical power,† I said. â€Å"What kind of power?† â€Å"Shape-shifting.† Her gaze sharpened. â€Å"Into what?† â€Å"Wolf.† â€Å"Weendigo,† she whispered, and one of the candles sputtered, then went out, leaving a trail of smoke behind. â€Å"I always hate it when that happens,† I muttered. Lydia struck a match and relit the wick. The flame held steady and sure. â€Å"What’s a Weendigo?† Nic asked. â€Å"The Great Cannibal,† Lydia answered. â€Å"Ojibwe werewolf.† Nic cleared his throat, turned so Lydia couldn’t see, then pointed at his teeth. I frowned, considering. There’d been a bite mark on the single victim we’d seen. But human teeth, not wolf. No flesh removed. What about the others that no one could find? For all we knew, they could have been sporting bite marks, too, or missing big chunks of skin – kind of hard to tell without the bodies. We had something to think about. I shook my head, indicating we’d keep the information to ourselves for now. We were here to discuss the talisman, not the disappearances. â€Å"Getting back to the totem,† I said. â€Å"A sacrifice would be required to imbue the icon with power.† â€Å"Rabbit,† Nic muttered. â€Å"Unusual choice,† Lydia said. â€Å"But blood is blood. What is the totem made from?† â€Å"Plastic,† Nic blurted, before I could show her the thing. He was right to be cautious. The icon was evidence – of what, we didn’t know. But passing the thing around like a brand-new baby could be a mistake. â€Å"Also unusual,† Lydia continued. â€Å"But Grandmother always said it’s not the vessel that matters but the magic. The power behind the plastic is what counts. A spell, correctly performed by a shaman, could make anything a conduit. However, there aren’t a lot of people left with that kind of power.† â€Å"Could Cora have done it?† Nic asked. Lydia cast a quick glance his way. â€Å"If she wasn’t dead.† Nic dipped his chin in acknowledgment before asking, â€Å"I don’t suppose you know any others of Cora’s stature?† â€Å"No, but I can ask around.† â€Å"I’d appreciate it.† Nic removed a card from his pocket and handed it to Lydia. â€Å"You can reach us at this number.† I glanced at the books. â€Å"Axe there volumes on shamanic transformation?† â€Å"I haven’t seen any, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Help yourself.† â€Å"I’ll take a quick look.† Nic headed for the nearest stack. Silence settled between us. We smiled, glanced away. Now what? I’d never been good at making friends. Becoming a werewolf and being relegated to a compound in Montana hadn’t improved the skill. Crossing to the window, I peered out. The forest came right up to the cottage. Most people would be claustrophobic, but to me the trees were soothing, both refuge and retreat. â€Å"Sorry.† Lydia joined me. â€Å"I’m not very good with people. Comes from spending too much time with just myself and my books.† She thought she was being geeky. Her insecurity called out to my own. â€Å"I have the same problem,† I said. My gaze was caught by a shadow. Something slunk low to the ground. Something furry, with ears and a tail. â€Å"Did you see that?† I asked. â€Å"What?† â€Å"There.† I pointed. â€Å"A wolf.† â€Å"No wolves around here. Probably a coyote.† The shadow had seemed damn big for a coyote, but then, shadows were like that. â€Å"You’ve never seen any wolves?† â€Å"Not since I moved in. Coyotes, though. A lot of them.† And where there were a lot of one, there weren’t any of the other. Wolves would tolerate foxes in their territory, but never coyotes. Another of nature’s little mysteries. â€Å"I’ve heard there are quite a few crows, too,† I observed. â€Å"They usually hang around wolves.† â€Å"I read something about that in a book on Chippewa legends.† Chippewa being the misspelling of Ojibwe by the government on treaties and other official documents. The mistake had made its way into common usage. â€Å"I meant Ojibwe,'† Lydia said quickly. â€Å"The author kept using the term Chippewa legend. I can’t get it out of my mind.† She smacked herself in the forehead with the heel of her hand. A second shadow skirted the cool confines of the forest, distracting me. â€Å"What’s so interesting?† Nic stood behind us. â€Å"Elise thought she saw a wolf.† He stared out the window for several moments. I held my breath. Did I want him to see a wolf, or didn’t I? â€Å"Nothing,† he murmured. â€Å"Must have been a coyote,† Lydia reiterated. Was I jumping at shadows? Probably. In my world, shadows often turned out to be real. â€Å"We should go,† Nic said. â€Å"You didn’t find anything useful in Grandmother’s books?† â€Å"No. But thanks for letting me look.† â€Å"Nice meeting you.† Lydia followed us to the door. â€Å"Come back anytime.† I stepped outside and sniffed, but the wind blew toward the forest – the wrong direction for me to scent anything but grass and trees, a few squirrels. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. Werewolves, for the most part, exist from dusk to dawn. However, the exact minute of dawn is hard to put a finger on without an almanac. â€Å"What’s the matter?† Nic asked as we climbed into the car and drove away. I flipped my finger toward the sky. â€Å"Too close to sunrise to have been anything but coyotes. Or real wolves.† â€Å"Okay.† Nic shrugged. â€Å"Then again, maybe not.† â€Å"Because?† â€Å"The Weendigo shifted anytime he wanted to, into any shape he saw fit. Luckily, he’s dead.† Thanks to Damien and Leigh. â€Å"There can’t be another one?† A cheery thought, however – â€Å"No. Or at least not right now. A Weendigo is made between the harvest and the hunter’s moon.† â€Å"Which means nothing to me,† Nic pointed out. â€Å"Harvest moon is in September, hunter’s October. Since it’s November we’re headed for the beaver or the frost moon.† â€Å"Where do you get this stuff?† â€Å"From books. The Indians coined names for each full moon. In November, the swamps freeze and the beavers wander. The People would set traps and make winter blankets of the heavy pelts.† â€Å"A kind of calendar – a way to mark time by the moon.† â€Å"Right. But I don’t remember reading anything about the beaver moon and disappearing bodies. I’ll have to talk to Will.† I held out my hand. â€Å"Cell phone?† â€Å"That’s a for-sure thing? The moon influencing – â€Å" â€Å"Werewolves?† I interrupted. â€Å"Oh, yeah.† â€Å"Okay.† He gave me his phone. â€Å"So no Weendigo. But that bite mark on the body bugs me.† â€Å"Me, too. I think we should talk to the medical examiner.† Nic’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. â€Å"Me, too.† How to cite Night Creature: Dark Moon Chapter Twenty One, Essay examples

Ming And Ottoman Empires Essay Example For Students

Ming And Ottoman Empires Essay Timothy S. PalkoWorld History IIDr. Skaff MWF 2:00-2:50World power can be seen today in two very different but extremely vast empires. They are the Ming Empire and the Ottoman Empire. To contrast these empires in order to predict their futures, it is necessary that I observe and analyze key factors such as leadership, military strengths and weaknesses, and morals among the people. The two empires have different types of leadership, and from this it is possible to find the core of any disadvantage. From the leadership, it is possible to continue into the military and values that these empires embody. The Ming Empire is led by brilliant philosophical scholars, The man who is promoted to the higher degrees in this field prides himself on the fact that he has in truth attained to the pinnacle of Chinese happiness (Andrea/Overfield 116). The Ottoman Empire has dedicated and knowledgeable leaders as well, but they are of a more warlike and brutish character. These leaders rise in service b y merit alone (Andrea/Overfield p.88). Indulging in the writings of Matteo Ricci, who observed first hand the workings of the Ming government, and the writings of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, who observed the government under Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire, the prediction of success will be able to be made knowledgably. The Ottoman Empire began around 1300 as a tiny state built on the strength of an army of Turkish nomad warriors and a few Christian converts to Islam in northwestern Anatolia (Bulliet 601). It quickly proved to be a military strength and threat to the surrounding civilizations. The Turks expanded their empire through brilliant military tactics, including using Janissaries on foot, who used the new weapon called a gun in battle, and the same horseback archery that made them so successful in their previous military accomplishments. The selection of Turkish leaders has greatly influenced the success of the Ottoman Empire. A Turks grandeur is not defined by his birth, ho wever; the respect to be paid to a man is measured by the position he holds in the public service (Andrea/Overfield 88). The men who attain office are not the products of hereditary luck, but partly the gift of God, and partly the result of good training, great industry, and unwearied zeal (Andrea/Overfield p.88). De Busbecq was greatly impressed by the way that these Turks found their leadership; he made it a point to describe their feelings towards it in detail. De Busbecq also wrote extensively about the military strengths of the Ottoman. The soldiers of the Ottoman army are well trained and experienced in the arts of warfare and survival. The distances they must travel are so great, that the soldiers often have to carry a pack horse on which they carry many of the necessaries of life (Andrea/Overfield 89). The weapon that was affluent and extremely effective among the soldiers is the Turkish bow. From the eighth, or even the seventh year of age they begin to shoot at a mark, and practice archery ten or twelve years. This constant exercise strengthens the muscles of their arms, and gives them such skill that they can hit the smallest marks with their arrows (Andrea/Overfield p.89). The great riches and skilled military forces have served this Empire well to this day. The Turks also showed very little ignorance towards new advancements in technology originated in other parts of the world. There is no nation that has shown greater readiness than the Turks to avail themselves of the useful inventions of foreigners, as is proved by their employment of cannons and mortars, and many other things invented by Christians (Andrea/Overfield p.89). These open-minded and innovative new ways of becoming a powerful country greatly impressed De Busbecq. It is true that no empire is without flaw, and the Ottoman is no exception. The Story Of Oedipus EssayHistory Essays