Abstract

O. Henry is the pioneer of modern American short stories in the early twentieth century, and the twist ending is his particular style in his writing career. In his masterpiece The Gift of the Magi, he describes a surprising story with a twist ending by using his humorous and witty tone with a hint of sadness. The novel reveals the humanistic feelings, and the eternal subject of his works is the beauty of human nature. O. Henry’s novels not only reflect the people's noble and beautiful love at the bottom of society, but also expose and satirize the cruel social reality. By analyzing the embodiment of the humanism in The Gift of the Magi, this thesis provides the unique perspective for readers to realize the main theme and its artistical charm of the novel.

Key words: The Gift of the Magi; O. Henry; twist ending; humanism

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Introduction1

2.Introduction of The Gift of the Magi.2

2.1 The Summary of The Gift of the Magi. 2

2.2 The Life of O. Henry and His Writing Style.3

3.Introduction of the Humanism4

3.1 The Definition of the Humanism.4

3.2 The Background of the Humanism.5

3.3 The Origin and Types of the Humanism 6

4.Embodiment of the Humanism of The Gift of the Magi7

4.1 Humanism Reflected in the Characters.8

4.2 Humanism Reflected in the Plot10

4.3 Humanism Reflected in the Theme.11

5.Conclusion.12

References.14