Write a 4 paragraph essay explaining how irony helps develop the theme of “The Story of an Hour” “The Necklace” and “The Gift of Magi“. Make sure to use two or more examples of from memory (NO QUOTES) from each story and at least two sentences of commentary for each example.

“The necklace” is by Guy De Maupassant

“The story of an hour” is by Kate Chopin

“The gift of magi” is by O.Henry

Also you can use situational, dramatic, cosmic irony. And the theme has to be a full statement.

Answer preview

In “The Gift of the Magi,” Henry paints a young couple Della and Jim, who are poor. Della cuts her most prized possession, long hair, and sells it for money to buy her husband a Christmas gift. Both characters valued each other. The situational Irony revealed when Jim comes home to find out that she cut her hair. He realizes the Irony first because he had bought her expensive combs for her hair as a Christmas gift. Della had been longing for the combs, but now that she had them, she didn’t have her long hair. Another ironic plot twist occurs when Jim discovers that Della had sacrificed her hair to buy him a chain for his pocket watch. The story reaches a crescendo when Jim uncovers that he sold his watch to buy Della the expensive combs. The Irony in this story depicts the great sacrifices both characters made for each other. Their love for each other makes each one of them give up what they hold dearest. The author calls them magi because of their selflessness. (Henry, 1958)

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