The Gift of the Magi

Question

by O.Henry

In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name “Mr. James Dillingham Young.” The “Dillingham” had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, the letters of “Dillingham” looked blurred, as though they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called “Jim” and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.

"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry

Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

How does the second-person perspective used in this passage affect the passage's tone?

(1 point)
Responses

It provides the reader with a richer sensory experience.
It provides the reader with a richer sensory experience.

It increases the empathy that the reader has towards the characters.
It increases the empathy that the reader has towards the characters.

It makes them feel the same hopelessness as the main character.
It makes them feel the same hopelessness as the main character.

It makes the reader feel as if they are a character in the story themselves.

Answer 1

The passage you provided is actually written in the third-person perspective, not the second-person perspective. However, if we were to analyze the tone of the passage in relation to its perspective, we could deduce that the third-person narrative does help the reader feel connected to the characters and their circumstances.

Assuming the question is based on the perspective being analyzed, the most appropriate response would be:

It increases the empathy that the reader has towards the characters.

This is because the third-person perspective allows readers to observe the characters' situation and emotions, fostering a sense of empathy for their struggles without directly placing them in the narrative.