9. In which of the following resides the irony in the short stories “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace?" (1 point)
The protagonists value objects more than people.
The protagonists want to escape their low social status.
The protagonists struggle for something that proves to be useless.
The protagonists learn to value hard work and loyalty instead of wealth.
The protagonists struggle for something that proves to be useless.
im sorry to misjudge you but are you sure
Yes, I am sure. The irony in both "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Necklace" lies in the fact that the protagonists, in their pursuit of material possessions, make great sacrifices and ultimately obtain the very things that end up being useless to them. In "The Gift of the Magi," Della sells her most prized possession, her hair, to buy a chain for Jim's watch, only to find that Jim has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair, rendering their gifts useless. In "The Necklace," Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace to wear to a party, only to lose it and spend years working to pay off the debt incurred from buying a replacement, only to realize that the original necklace was a fake and therefore essentially worthless.
The irony in both "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Necklace" resides in the option: "The protagonists struggle for something that proves to be useless." In both stories, the protagonists go to great lengths to obtain what they believe will bring them happiness and fulfillment – Della in "The Gift of the Magi" sells her hair to buy a watch chain for her husband's prized possession, while Mathilde in "The Necklace" borrows an expensive necklace to wear to a high society event. However, in the end, their efforts are in vain as Della's husband sells his watch to buy her combs for her hair, and Mathilde discovers that the necklace she borrowed was actually a fake. This irony highlights the theme of the value of material possessions and the fleeting nature of human desires.
To identify the answer, let's first understand the concept of irony. Irony refers to a situation or outcome that is different from what is expected or contrary to what is intended. Now, we need to analyze the short stories "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Necklace" to determine where the irony lies.
In "The Gift of the Magi," the irony can be found in the protagonists' actions. Della, the wife, sells her beautiful long hair to buy a chain for her husband's prized pocket watch, while Jim, the husband, sells his pocket watch to purchase combs for Della's long hair. The irony here lies in the fact that both characters sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy something that the other character can no longer use due to their own sacrifice.
In "The Necklace," the irony can be found in Madame Loisel's pursuit of wealth and social status. She borrows an expensive necklace to attend a high-class event but ends up losing it. She then spends years working to repay the debt incurred when she buys a replacement necklace, only to discover that the original necklace was a cheap imitation. The irony lies in the fact that Madame Loisel sacrifices everything for something she believed was of great value when, in reality, it was worthless.
Comparing the options provided, the correct answer would be: The protagonists struggle for something that proves to be useless. In both stories, the main characters go through great lengths and sacrifices to obtain something they believe to be significant, only to discover that it is ultimately worthless or holds little value.