A common activity for students is to create a plot diagram of the events from a story. Not only is this a great way to teach the parts of the plot but to reinforce major events and help students develop greater understanding for literary structures, such as five act structure.
Students can create a storyboard that captures the concept of the narrative arc in a story by creating a six-cell storyboard which contains the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell have students create a scene that follows the story in sequence using: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Della and Jim, a poor couple, struggle to buy Christmas gifts for each other.
Della has only $1.87 to buy her husband a gift, which is not enough.
Della decides to sell her hair for money so she can purchase a gift worthy of Jim. She gets $20 and can afford a platinum chain for Jim's heirloom watch.
Della and Jim exchange gifts. Jim has sold his watch to buy Della a beautiful set of combs.
They decide to put their gifts away until they can both use them.
Despite their errors, Della and Jim remain love one another, and learn a valuable lesson about sacrifice and love.
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Student Instructions
Create a visual plot diagram of "The Gift of the Magi".
Select any piece of literature and use it as a reference to explain literary structures. Such as using “The Gift of the Magi” to explain plot diagram and structure. Teachers can read and side by side explain what kind of structure is being used and how students can understand the story with the help of stages in the plot diagram.
Teachers can provide a brief definition of different types of literary structures but focus on only a few. Explain the significance and impact of different types and discuss why authors use a specific structure to convey a specific meaning.
Discuss how the text's overall meaning, tone, or topics are affected by the selected literary structure or approach. Encourage your pupils to think about the author's decision to utilize this structure and how it affects the reader.
If appropriate, relate the conversation to other books the students have read or are acquainted with. They may use this to examine how other authors employ the same structures or strategies for distinct ends.
After students become familiar with the concepts, organize creative exercises through which they can apply these concepts. For instance, story writing competitions on the same topic using different literary structures.
The story's rising action, climax, and falling action are all driven by Della and Jim making sacrifices for one another, as seen in the plot diagram. The story's plot and theme are heavily influenced by their sacrifices. The author also intends to impart the moral lesson of sacrificing for love over material objects.
The couple's conclusion that their sacrifices were worthwhile is highlighted in the resolution, which also highlights the depth of their love. It closes on a positive note that emphasizes the actual meaning of Christmas.
As Della and Jim prepare their surprise gifts, suspense, characterization, and foreshadowing all play a role in the mounting drama. The author also implies situational irony and symbolism to create suspense and drama for the readers as well as the characters.