Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
The Gift of the Magi / The Necklace, page 138
Compare Literature: Theme and Irony
A theme is a central idea or perception about life that is conveyed through a literary
work. Wanting something you can’t afford might be the topic of either story, but
each has a distinct theme. Irony is the difference between appearance and reality.
Irony of situation occurs when an event happens that violates the expectations
of the characters, the reader, or the audience. How does each story use irony for
effect? Complete the chart to compare the stories’ themes and irony.
Main Topic
Symbols
Irony
Theme
“The Gift of the
Magi”
BefOre READING
“The Necklace”
88
level Iv, unIt 1
0019-0126_MTS_G9_U1_Lessons.indd 88
Meeting the Standards
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5/4/09 10:12:07 AM
Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
The Gift of the Magi / The Necklace, page 138
Compare Literature: Theme and Irony (continued)
A theme is a central idea or perception about life that is conveyed through a literary
work. Irony is the difference between appearance and reality.
What do the themes of each story have in common? How are they different?
What details in the stories help to express the themes?
What is the ironic twist in each story? How does the use of irony affect the
development of the themes?
DUrING READING
© eMC Publishing, llC
0019-0126_MTS_G9_U1_Lessons.indd 89
Meeting the Standards
level Iv, unIt 1
89
5/4/09 10:12:08 AM