William Sydney Porter
On this site you will find a short biography and photograph of William Sydney Porter, as well as lists of his works and of resources for more information on him. What have you learned about the author from this site? Record your answer in the Web Links Activity Log.

O. Henry Short Stories Page
This site contains more short stories by O Henry. Read the story "The Last Leaf" and compare the ending with "The Gift of the Magi." How does Behrman's "gift" measure up to Della's and Jim's? Discuss your opinions with a small group of classmates.

O. Henry Literary Criticism: Gift of the Magi
Visit this link from the O. Henry Short Stories Page and browse the criticism of O. Henry's works, especially "Comments on 'The Gift of the Magi'." Then write a critical paragraph on what you perceive to be the moral of this famous tale.