In “The Gift of the Magi,” what is the irony in O. Henry's description of Madame Sofronie, the hair dealer?
Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."
A. Della gets less money for her hair than she had expected.
B.Madame Sofronie's name leads us to expect elegance, but she
looks ordinary instead.
C.Madame Sofronie has changed so much that Della does not
recognize her.
D.Madame Sofronie speaks little English, so Della has trouble explaining what she wants.
Any answers?
The irony in O. Henry's description of Madame Sofronie, the hair dealer, is option B: Madame Sofronie's name leads us to expect elegance, but she looks ordinary instead.
The irony in O. Henry's description of Madame Sofronie, the hair dealer, can be found by examining the given options:
A. Della gets less money for her hair than she had expected.
This option does not directly relate to the irony in O. Henry's description of Madame Sofronie. It is true that Della does not receive as much money for her hair as she had hoped, but this does not pertain to the irony in the description.
B. Madame Sofronie's name leads us to expect elegance, but she looks ordinary instead.
This option correctly identifies the irony in O. Henry's description of Madame Sofronie. The irony lies in the contrast between Madame Sofronie's name, which sounds elegant, and her actual appearance, which is described as ordinary.
C. Madame Sofronie has changed so much that Della does not recognize her.
This option does not accurately reflect the irony in O. Henry's description. There is no mention of Madame Sofronie changing or Della not recognizing her in the given description.
D. Madame Sofronie speaks little English, so Della has trouble explaining what she wants.
This option does not relate to the irony in O. Henry's description. Although it is mentioned that Madame Sofronie speaks little English, this does not contribute to the irony in the given description.
Therefore, the correct answer is: B. Madame Sofronie's name leads us to expect elegance, but she looks ordinary instead.