Ties to Literature

Samuel Totten

Founder and Director of the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Directions:

Read O’Henry’s “Gift of the Magi” to the students (it’s only about two and a half pages long). Then, without any discussion, have the students write a story when either they or someone they knew gave something extremely precious they owned to someone else out of great admiration and/or love. Or, if students have never given such a gift they can write about their being a recipient of such a gift. Note: If students have never given such a gift or been a recipient of one, then they should be given the opportunity to write about a person who they would one day give such a get to and why—and, if they have any idea as to what such a gift would be they should be encouraged to mention it and comment on why they would choose that particular gift.