Read O. Henry's story, "The Last Leaf", and compare its themes of sacrifice and irony with "The Gift of the Magi". Your essay should be at least 4-5 paragraphs in length. Be sure to: include an introduction; use evidence from the sources to support your explanation; and include a conclusion. Your essay will be graded on the following criteria: Begin your introduction with a creative hook, then mention the stories (author and titles) and themes you will write about. Lastly, write a thesis statement stating your claim, or opinion. Your claim should focus on the themes of the book and how the author develops it. 1. The writer grabs readers' attention with a hook such as an interesting fact, a bit of dialogue, a vivid description, or a relevant quotation. 2. The writer provides background information about the stories before making the claim. 3. The writer's claim considers a theme of the stories and how this theme is developed by the author. 4. The writer establishes and maintains a formal style and persuasive tone. 5. The writer's spelling is correct throughout the writing and citations. Punctuation is correct.