For the month of December, we read two short stories: O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi and Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory. The following are the discussion questions we used:The Gift of the Magi
1. Jim and Della are not people of means. Is it the time of the year that motivates people to spend beyond their means? Are the expectations of gifts as powerful as they appear to be here?
2. The old adage "it's the thought that counts" is often quoted when something is given that may not quite measure up to the expectation. Does this apply to Jim and Della?
3. Jim and Della each made a selfless-sacrifice of something of great personal value to buy a nice gift for the other. What impact do you think this sort of selfless-sacrifice might have on a relationship?
4. Given the reaction of both Jim and Della concerning the entire situation, do you think that these gifts were appreciated? +/-
5. What can we learn from Jim and Della about receiving gifts? About giving gifts?
A Christmas Memory
1. Which character did you identify more with, Buddy or his friend? Why?
2. What do you think the author would like the reader to come away with after reading his story?
3. Do you think Buddy changes in the end of the story? If so, how?
4. How has this story impacted the way you view or feel about the holiday season?
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