The meaning of the title of O. Henry's story The Gift of the Magi. The meaning of the title of the story “The Gifts of the Magi” The Gifts of the Magi explain the title

According to legend, the gifts of the Magi are precious incense that three wise men presented to the baby Jesus. They saw a star flash in the east and realized that the savior of the world had been born. This is where the custom of giving gifts to loved ones at Christmas came from.

In O. Henry's story, everything happens differently. “A furnished room for eight dollars a week. The situation is not exactly blatant poverty, but rather eloquently silent poverty. Below, on the front door, there is a letter box, through the crack of which not a single letter could squeeze through, and an electric bell button, from which no mortal could squeeze out a sound,” - this is how the small apartment in which the young couple lives is described. Young Della wants to choose a Christmas gift for her husband, because Christmas is a holiday that is usually celebrated with family, with loved ones and giving gifts to each other. They love each other, and no treasure seems worthy of a husband to Della. But all the injustice and truth of life lies in money: “One dollar eighty-seven cents. That was all. Of these, sixty cents are in one-cent coins. For each of these coins I had to bargain with the grocer, greengrocer, butcher so that even my ears burned from the silent disapproval that such frugality caused... One dollar eighty-seven cents. And tomorrow is Christmas...” And how I would like to give my loved one much more than I can afford. It's sad, but there's nothing you can do about it.

Della does not spare her treasure - her hair, because “how many joyful hours she spent thinking of something to give him for Christmas! Something very special, rare, precious, something at least a little worthy of the high honor of belonging to Jim.” She has no regrets when she goes to sell her hair to buy a watch chain she likes and give it to her husband. Although there was still one moment of fear. “Lord, make sure he doesn’t stop liking me!” – she whispered, hearing Jim’s footsteps on the stairs. And how many joyful forebodings were in her head: “With such a chain, Jim in any society would not be ashamed to ask what time it is.”

It turned out that Jim was thinking the same thing. His most prized possession is a gold watch that belonged to his father and grandfather. But he also fervently wanted to give the best gift to his beloved in order to fulfill her dream. “There were combs on the table, the same set of combs - one back and two side ones - that Della had long admired reverently in a Broadway window. Wonderful combs, real tortoiseshell, with shiny stones embedded in the edges, and just the color of her brown hair. They were expensive..." The ending of the story is both sad and happy at the same time. The sad thing is that the gifts were too good for both of them. There is no more hair, which shimmered and shone, “like the jets of a chestnut waterfall,” “went down below her knees and enveloped almost her entire figure like a cloak.” But there is no gold watch, to which the chain was chosen with such love and impatience. Are all the efforts in vain and the gifts will remain expensive but unnecessary? The happy moment is that the husband and wife gave each other priceless gifts, they gave love, devotion, and showed their willingness to sacrifice the greatest treasures for each other.

O. Henry only in the last paragraph of the story seems to clarify the meaning of its title. The Magi presented wise and generous gifts that predicted the greatness of Jesus. It also talks about the greatest self-denial, readiness for any sacrifice for the sake of one’s love. Simple human love, which the author elevates to the heights of the wisdom of the Magi, is a huge gift that cannot be bought for any money.

O. Henry approves of the actions of his heroes with a smile. The text contains the author’s digression: “And here I told you an unremarkable story about two stupid children... Of all the donors, these two were the wisest.” The ability to give up a treasure for the sake of a loved one, in order to give him (or her) the greatest pleasure on a holiday, is the meaning of relationships between people. And the greater the sacrifice, the stronger our love.

Of course, you remember the famous statement of the Russian writer A.P. Chekhov: “Brevity is the sister of talent.” The master of the short story in American literature of the late 19th century is considered to be the writer O. Henry, whose work you will become familiar with in this lesson. You will also read and analyze O. Henry’s story “The Gift of the Magi,” in which the writer’s talent and skill were clearly demonstrated.

Topic: Foreign literature of the 19th century

Lesson: O. Henry. About the writer. The story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Today we are discovering the pages of the work of an amazing, kind and intelligent interlocutor, the American writer O. Henry (Fig. 1). His real name is William Sidney Porter.

Rice. 1. O. Henry. Photo ()

Porter began his first literary experiments in the 1880s. Since 1894, in Austin, he has published the humorous weekly Rolling Stone, filled almost entirely with his own essays, drawings, jokes and stories.

But the writer’s life was not as cloudless as we think. It had amazing twists and turns, terrible dramatic collisions, and this diversity of life was reflected in the plots of his works, which were sometimes surprising and unexpected.

The American writer O. Henry has earned fame as a master of the short story, especially popular in American literature under the name “short story.” And this short story is a small world into which O. Henry introduces us, a world that lives according to the laws of purity, ethics, and humanity.

Analysis of the story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Rice. 2. Book cover ()

Genre of the work

Novella - (from Italian novella - news) - one of the small epic genres: a genre form close to the story that arose in the Renaissance. Unlike a story, a short story pays more attention to the plot, which, as a rule, is characterized by the dynamism of events, the unexpectedness of their development and outcome.

Fabula is a chain, a series of events in an epic or dramatic work, which forms the basis of the plot. Unlike the plot, the plot can be briefly retold. “The plot is what actually happened, the plot is how the reader found out about it” (B.M. Tomashevsky).

Turning to the short story “The Gifts of the Magi,” I would like to take epigraph from Sonnet 56 by William Shakespeare.

So that love is dear to us,

Let the ocean be the hour of separation,

Let two, going to the shores,

One stretches out their hands to each other

Gift- gift, offering, donation.

Magi - These are wizards, sorcerers, sorcerers.

The events of the story take place around Christmas. On New Year and Christmas, people believe in miracles, in happy changes in their lives, and give each other gifts. The main characters of the story are young spouses Della and Jim.

The role of the interior in the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Interior - the interior design of a room, household furnishings, people's living environment. Can act as a means of characterizing a character.

“...let's look around the house itself. Furnished apartment for eight dollars a week. The atmosphere is not exactly blatant poverty, but rather eloquently silent poverty. Below, on the front door, there is a letter box, through the crack of which not a single letter could squeeze through, and an electric bell button, from which no mortal could squeeze out a sound. Attached to this was a card with the inscription: "Mr. James Dillingham Young." "Dillingham" came into full swing during a recent period of prosperity, when the owner of the said name received thirty dollars a week. Now, after this income had dropped to twenty dollars, the letters in the word “Dillingham” faded, as if seriously wondering whether they should be reduced to a modest and unassuming “D”?

Epithets: blatant poverty, eloquently silent poverty.

Comparisons: the letters seem to have dimmed and become thoughtful.

Personifications: the letters are thinking.

The interior in O. Henry's story “The Gift of the Magi” is a means of characterizing the main characters. And we understand that our heroes Della and Jim are poor, but happy.

The interior here also characterizes the social status of the characters. The description of the home tells us about the plight of the heroes, but at the same time another thought of the author is also important.

The idea of the work “The Gifts of the Magi”

The entire novel is based on antithesis. The material side of life is contrasted with the spirituality of our heroes. Despite the fact that they lived poorly, sometimes from hand to mouth, they did not lose their spirituality or purity. And most importantly, they were able to show care and attention towards each other. It is the feeling of love that warms these people in a small eight-dollar apartment. Such a life did not embitter our heroes. A world in which evil reigns, in which people are cruel and sometimes do not pay attention to the suffering of others, has not spoiled these heroes, and they continue to carry in their souls such feelings as love, humanity and kindness.

The role of the portrait in the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Portrait (French - image) - an image of the hero’s appearance.

The most striking thing in the story is the portrait of Della (Fig. 3). We can find a description of Della in different parts of the story. And if you put the portrait together, this is what you get:

“Delle, who was of slight build...”

“She suddenly jumped away from the window and rushed to the mirror. Her eyes sparkled, but the color drained from her face in twenty seconds. With a quick movement, she pulled out the pins and let her hair down.

I must tell you that the James Dillingham Young couple had two treasures that were the source of their pride. One is Jim’s gold watch that belonged to his father and grandfather, the other is Della’s hair.”

“And then Della’s beautiful hair fell out, shining and shimmering, like the streams of a chestnut waterfall. They went down below her knees and covered almost her entire figure with a cloak.”

“The chestnut waterfall is flowing again.”

Later in the story we will find the following descriptions of the heroine:

“An old brown jacket on her shoulders, an old brown hat on her head - and, throwing up her skirts, sparkling with dry sparkles in her eyes, she was already rushing down to the street.”

As you can see, the main thing in Della’s portrait is the description of her hair; special attention is paid to it, precisely because it was the main, one of two, treasures of the family.

Visual and expressive means:

Epithets: beautiful hair.

Comparisons: like the jets of a chestnut waterfall.

The plot of the work

Plot (French - subject) - an event or a set of events in epic and dramatic works, the development of which allows the writer to reveal the characters of the characters and the essence of the depicted phenomena in accordance with the author's intention.

The structural elements of a plot are the beginning, the development of the action, the climax, the decline of the action and the denouement.

Prolo d: description of the room.

The beginning story: Della's decision to sell her hair.

Climax: buying gifts.

Unexpected interchange a: the gifts were not useful to either spouse.

Plot feature- precisely an unexpected ending. This author's style is characteristic of the writer O. Henry.

Features of the composition

Composition is the construction of a work of art, the arrangement and interrelation of its parts, images, episodes in accordance with the content, genre form and the author’s intention.

A special feature of the composition of O. Henry's short story “The Gifts of the Magi” is the introduction of an episode about the gifts of the Magi (Fig. 4). It is this episode that is important for understanding the main idea of the story.

Rice. 4. Gifts of the Magi. Bible story ()

Let's remember the biblical story. When baby Jesus was born, a star lit up in the East. The Magi realized that this was the man who would save the world. And then they went to worship the baby, taking gifts with them. And they brought him gold, incense and myrrh as gifts. Gold was a symbol of royal power, incense was used for incense, that is, it was a symbol of the baby’s divinity. And myrrh is an fragrant resin that has the power to protect the body from rotting; its characteristic was bitterness. And it was bitter myrrh that became a symbol of the baby’s suffering on the cross.

This is where the custom of giving gifts to friends, acquaintances, loved ones and relatives for Christmas came from.

The meaning of the title of the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”

“The Magi, those who brought gifts to the baby in the manger, were, as we know, wise, amazingly wise people. They started the fashion for making Christmas gifts. And since they were wise, their gifts were wise, perhaps even with a stipulated right of exchange in case of unsuitability. And here I told you an unremarkable story about two stupid kids from an eight-dollar apartment who, in the most unwise way, sacrificed their greatest treasures for each other. But let it be said for the edification of the sages of our day that of all the donors these two were the wisest. Of all those who offer and receive gifts, only those like them are truly wise. Everywhere and everywhere. They are the Magi."

O. Henry makes a wise conclusion: the Magi brought gifts, but there was no main thing among them. He doesn’t say what exactly is most important, but we understand that this is what our heroes had, love and loyalty. And you can’t buy them, even if you have a million dollars in your pocket.

The novella has a happy ending. The husband and wife gave each other the most important thing. This is a priceless gift - love. This is an ingenuous willingness to sacrifice their most important treasures for each other. And for O. Henry it is precisely this aspect of people’s lives that is important - their spiritual beginning, moral purity.

Bibliography

Korovina V.Ya. Didactic materials on literature. 7th grade. — 2008.
Tishchenko O.A. Homework on literature for grade 7 (for the textbook by V.Ya. Korovina). — 2012.
Kuteinikova N.E. Literature lessons in 7th grade. — 2009.
Korovina V.Ya. Textbook on literature. 7th grade. Part 1. - 2012.
Korovina V.Ya. Textbook on literature. 7th grade. Part 2. - 2009.
O.Henry. Films and cartoons based on works ().

Homework

Compare O. Henry's short stories with the stories read by A.P. Chekhov. What do these authors have in common?
Read O. Henry's novella (optional). Determine its theme, idea. Make a plan. What is special about the composition and plot?
In an essay on what topic could you use as an example the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”? Write a short essay-reasoning.

One letter, and an electric bell button from which not a single mortal could squeeze out a sound,” this is how the small apartment in which the young couple lives is described. Young Della wants to choose a Christmas gift for her husband, because Christmas is a holiday that is usually celebrated with family, with loved ones and giving gifts to each other. They love each other, and no treasure seems worthy of a husband to Della. But all the injustice and truth of life lies in money: “One dollar eighty-seven cents. That was all. Of these, sixty cents are in one-cent coins. For each of these coins I had to bargain with the grocer, greengrocer, butcher so that even my ears burned from the silent disapproval that such frugality caused... One dollar eighty-seven cents. And tomorrow is Christmas...” And how I would like to give my loved one much more than I can afford. It's sad, but there's nothing you can do about it.

The ending of the story is both sad and happy at the same time. The sad thing is that the gifts were too good for both of them. There is no more hair, which shimmered and shone, “like the jets of a chestnut waterfall,” “went down below her knees and enveloped almost her entire figure like a cloak.” But there is no gold watch, to which the chain was chosen with such love and impatience. Are all the efforts in vain and the gifts will remain expensive but unnecessary? The happy moment is that the husband and wife gave each other priceless gifts, they gave love, devotion, and showed their willingness to sacrifice the greatest treasures for each other.

Della does not spare her treasure - her hair, because “how many joyful hours she spent thinking of something to give him for Christmas! Something very special, rare, precious, something even slightly worthy of the high honor of belonging to Jim.” She has no regrets when she goes to sell her hair to buy a watch chain she likes and give it to her husband. Although there was still one moment of fear. “Lord, make sure he doesn’t stop liking me!” – she whispered, hearing Jim’s footsteps on the stairs. And how many joyful forebodings were in her head: “With such a chain, Jim in any society would not be ashamed to ask what time it is.”

To begin with, we note that according to legend, the gifts of the Magi are precious incense that the three wise men presented to the baby Jesus. They saw a star flash in the east and realized that the savior of the world had been born. This is where the custom of giving gifts to loved ones at Christmas came from.
In O. Henry's story, everything happens differently. “A furnished room for eight dollars a week. The situation is not exactly blatant poverty, but rather eloquently silent poverty. Below, on the front door, there is a letter box, through the crack of which not a single letter could squeeze through, and an electric bell button, from which no mortal could squeeze out a sound,” - this is how the small apartment in which the young couple lives is described. Young Della wants to choose a Christmas gift for her husband, because Christmas is a holiday that is usually celebrated with family, with loved ones and giving gifts to each other. They love each other, and no treasure seems worthy of a husband to Della. But all the injustice and truth of life lies in money: “One dollar eighty-seven cents. That was all. Of these, sixty cents are in one-cent coins. For each of these coins I had to bargain with the grocer, greengrocer, butcher so that even my ears burned from the silent disapproval that such frugality caused... One dollar eighty-seven cents. And tomorrow is Christmas...” And how I would like to give my loved one much more than I can afford. It's sad, but there's nothing you can do about it.
It is worth noting that Della does not spare her treasure - her hair, because “how many joyful hours she spent coming up with something to give him for Christmas! Something very special, rare, precious, something at least a little worthy of the high honor of belonging to Jim.” She has no regrets when she goes to sell her hair to buy a watch chain she likes and give it to her husband. Although there was still one moment of fear. “Lord, make sure he doesn’t stop liking me!” - she whispered, hearing Jim's footsteps on the stairs. And how many joyful forebodings were in her head: “With such a chain, Jim in any society would not be ashamed to ask what time it is.”
It turned out that Jim was thinking the same thing. His most precious item is a gold watch that belonged to his father and grandfather. But he also fervently wanted to give the best gift to his beloved in order to fulfill her dream. “There were combs on the table, the same set of combs - one back and two side ones - that Della had long admired reverently in a Broadway window. Wonderful combs, real tortoiseshell, with shiny stones embedded in the edges, and just the color of her brown hair. They were expensive..."
In my opinion, the ending of the story is both sad and happy at the same time. The sad thing is that the gifts were too good for both of them. There is no more hair, which shimmered and shone, “like the jets of a chestnut waterfall,” “went down below her knees and enveloped almost her entire figure like a cloak.” But there is no gold watch, to which the chain was chosen with such love and impatience. Are all the efforts in vain and the gifts will remain expensive but unnecessary? The happy moment is that the husband and wife gave each other priceless gifts, they gave love, devotion, and showed their willingness to sacrifice the greatest treasures for each other.
It is important to note that O. Henry only in the last paragraph of the story seems to clarify the meaning of its title. The Magi presented wise and generous gifts that predicted the greatness of Jesus. It also talks about the greatest self-denial, readiness for any sacrifice for the sake of one’s love. Simple human love, which the author elevates to the heights of the wisdom of the Magi, is a huge gift that cannot be bought for any money.
. O. Henry approves of the actions of his heroes with a smile. The text contains the author’s digression: “And here I told you an unremarkable story about two stupid children... Of all the donors, these two were the wisest.” The ability to give up a treasure for the sake of a loved one, in order to give him (or her) the greatest pleasure on a holiday, is the meaning of relationships between people. And the greater the sacrifice, the stronger our love.