“The Gift of the Magi”
Name:
Class:
Date:
VOCAB: Write a synonym that defines each of the following words.
agile
assertion
cascade
chronicle
coveted
inconsequential
instigate
predominating
prudence
vestibule
LITERARY TERMS: Apply each term to the story. Include the LINE NUMBERS from the story.
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
Conflict
Setting
Situational Irony
Simile
Metaphor
Allusion
Theme
THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING
Thesis: The author’s careful rendering of setting—and mood—help the reader understand just how big the
sacrifices Della and Jim make are when they sell their most prized possessions.
Write out full quotes from the story that provide details
about the setting or that set the story’s mood. Include line
number from the story.
Explain the quote in a minimum of two sentences. Make
sure your explanation refers back to the thesis above.
What does the quote describe? How does this help the
reader see that both characters are indeed sacrificing?