Chapter 4
A Gift for Christmas
(i) Answer the following questions in your own words:
1. Why was Della crying?
Answer: Della was crying because she had only one dollar and eighty-seven cents, most of it in pennies, and the next day was Christmas. She wanted to buy a special gift for her husband Jim, but she didn’t have enough money. This made her feel helpless and sad.
2 Describe the poverty of Della's house.
Answer: Della’s house was a furnished flat that cost $8 a week. Signs of poverty were visible everywhere—the furniture was simple and worn out, and the living conditions were modest. Her husband, Jim, earned only $20 a week, which was not enough to cover all their expenses. This limited income reflected in their humble and struggling lifestyle.
3. What type of present had Della planned for Jim?
Answer: Della had planned to buy something fine, rare, and worthy of Jim — a special gift that would show her deep love and admiration for him. She wanted a present that would match the honour of being owned by Jim, someone she deeply cherished. Eventually, she chose a platinum watch chain that was simple, elegant, and perfect for his treasured gold watch.
4. What were the two prized possessions of Jim?
Answer: The two prized possessions of Jim and Della were:
- Jim’s gold watch, which had been passed down from his father and grandfather.
- Della’s long, beautiful hair, which was so lovely that it looked like a cascade of brown waters.
These were their most valuable and cherished belongings.
5. Describe the present Della bought for Jim.
Answer: Della bought a platinum watch chain for Jim. It was simple, elegant, and well made, and she felt it was worthy of his gold watch, which he valued deeply. As soon as she saw it, she knew it was the perfect gift for Jim. She paid twenty-one dollars for it, using the money she got by selling her long, beautiful hair.
6. How did Della manage to buy the gift?
Answer: Della managed to buy the gift by selling her long, beautiful hair to a shop that dealt in hair goods. She received twenty dollars for it. With that money and the $1.87 she had already saved, she bought a platinum watch chain for Jim, which cost twenty-one dollars.
7. What did Della think when she looked at herself in the mirror?
Answer: When Della looked at herself in the mirror, she felt nervous and self-conscious. She thought she looked like a boy because of her short, curly hair after selling her long locks. She even joked to herself, "If Jim doesn't kill me before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a boy." She was unsure how Jim would react to her new appearance, but she comforted herself, knowing that she had done it to buy him a special gift.
8 What was Jim's reaction on seeing Della's hair gone?
Answer: Jim's reaction was one of shock and surprise. When he first saw Della's short hair, he was momentarily speechless and seemed to struggle to hide his feelings. He didn't initially react as Della had feared, but instead, he was deeply moved. He soon revealed that he had also sacrificed something precious—he had sold his gold watch to buy Della a set of combs for her hair. This mutual sacrifice demonstrated the depth of their love for each other.
9. What explanation did Della give to Jim for getting her hair cut?
Answer: Della explained to Jim that she had sold her hair to buy him a special gift. She told him that she had cut off her hair and sold it so she could afford the platinum watch chain for his precious gold watch. She reassured him that it was a sacrifice she was willing to make because she wanted to give him something truly special for Christmas.
10. What was in the package that Jim had brought for Della?
Answer: The package Jim had brought for Della contained a set of beautiful combs for her hair. These combs were made of fine, tortoiseshell material, with jeweled rims, and Della had admired them for a long time. They were the perfect accessory for her long, beautiful hair, but since she had sold her hair to buy Jim's gift, the combs were no longer useful to her. This moment reflected the sacrifice and love they both shared for each other.
11. How had Jim managed to bring the present for Della?
Answer: Jim had managed to buy the present for Della by selling his cherished gold watch, which had been passed down from his father and grandfather. He used the money from the sale to buy the set of combs for Della's hair, knowing how much she had longed for them. This selfless act of sacrifice was Jim's way of showing his deep love for Della.
(ii) Answer the following questions in about 50 words each:
1. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. Why?
Answer: Della's expenses were greater than she had calculated because, despite her careful budgeting, the cost of living and other unforeseen expenses were higher than expected. With Jim earning only $20 a week, their income was limited, and everyday expenses took up more than Della had anticipated, leaving her with only $1.87 to buy a gift for Jim.
2. Describe the incident of Della's selling her hair in your own words.
Answer: Della was desperate to buy a special Christmas gift for Jim, but she only had $1.87. After much thought, she decided to sell her most prized possession — her long, beautiful hair. She went to a shop called M' me Sofronio , Hair Goods of All Kinds. There, she asked the woman, Madame, if she would buy her hair. Madame inspected it and offered her twenty dollars for it. Without hesitation, Della agreed and quickly sold her hair. With the money from the sale, Della then went shopping for a platinum watch chain for Jim, the perfect gift to go with his cherished gold watch. This act of sacrifice showed just how much she loved him.
3. Why was Della pleased with her selection of the present for Jim?
Answer: Della was pleased with her selection of the present for Jim because she felt that the platinum watch chain was perfectly suited for his cherished gold watch. It was simple but elegant, well-made, and matched the value and importance of the watch. Della was confident that Jim would appreciate the gift, as it was something special and worthy of his treasured heirloom. It reflected her deep love for him and her desire to give him something meaningful for Christmas.
4. Why does the storywriter call Jim 'a poor fellow'?
Answer: The storywriter calls Jim "a poor fellow" because, despite his deep love for Della and his desire to give her a meaningful gift, he is financially struggling. Jim's modest salary of $20 a week is barely enough to cover their living expenses, and he has to make a great sacrifice to buy Della a gift. To afford the combs he bought for her, he sells his prized gold watch, a family heirloom passed down through generations. This selfless act of sacrificing something so valuable highlights his poverty not just in material terms, but also in the sense of his inability to offer Della the gift she truly deserves without giving up something precious to him.
5. What do you think about the expression in Jim's eyes? Was it shock, surprise or anger? Why?
Answer: The expression in Jim's eyes was likely a mix of shock and surprise, but not anger. When he saw Della’s short hair, he was momentarily taken aback because it was such a drastic change from the long, beautiful hair he had admired so much. However, his surprise quickly gave way to love and understanding. Jim's reaction shows that he recognized the sacrifice Della made for him, and his love for her only deepened. Later, he revealed that he had sold his gold watch to buy the combs for her, showing that his shock was rooted in his own sacrifice and the mutual love they shared. His eyes likely reflected emotion, not anger, as he realized the depth of their shared devotion.
6. Both of them gave each other the gift of rare love. How? Explain.
Answer: Both Della and Jim showed their rare love for each other through selfless sacrifice.
- Della's sacrifice: She sold her long, beautiful hair, which was one of her most prized possessions, to buy a platinum watch chain for Jim. She didn’t hesitate to part with something that defined her beauty to buy him a gift worthy of his treasured watch, even though she knew it would change her appearance drastically.
- Jim's sacrifice: Jim, in turn, sold his precious gold watch, a family heirloom passed down through generations, to buy combs for Della's hair. His watch had deep sentimental value, but he gave it up to show his love for Della and to give her something she longed for.
In this way, both Della and Jim demonstrated their rare love by giving up what was most valuable to them in order to make the other happy. Their sacrifices were not driven by material gain but by a deep emotional connection, highlighting the true spirit of love in their relationship.
