Choose one selection from the unit and describe the cause and effect of the character's(or the narrator's) values contained in each. The selections are listed below for your reference.

Question

"The Gift of the Magi"
"Fabric of Their Lives"
"To Be of Use"
"I Hear America Singing"
"The Necklace"

Answer 1

"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry is a story about a young couple who sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy each other Christmas gifts. The cause of their actions is their deep love and devotion for one another. The effect of their values is that they end up with gifts that are no longer useful to them, but their love for each other is strengthened. Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della's hair, while Della sells her hair to buy a chain for Jim's watch. The climax of the story is when they both reveal their gifts to each other, and they realize that their love and sacrifice was the greatest gift of all. The story conveys the moral that true love and selflessness can overcome any hardships and challenges.