Extra Materials
O. Henry
O. Henry (born William Sydney Porter) was born in 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina, and died in 1910, in New York. O. Henry was one of the most famous American short story writers, especially for his collections of stories: The Four Million (1906), Heart of the West (1907), The Trimmed Lamp (1907), The Gentle Grafter (1908), The Voice of the City (1908), and Options (1909). His most famous work is the story The Gift of the Magi, in which he touches themes such as love and gift giving. The story shows how a young couple deal with the situation of buying Christmas gifts for each other without having enough money. O. Henry’s humorous and ironic writing style is clear in the story as well as his surprising endings (known as comic irony). Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/O-Henry https://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry
Nathália Fernandes Negrão, 17/10/2018
Valentine’s Day and Dia dos Namorados
Valentine’s Day, also called St Valentine’s Day, is celebrated in many countries on February 14th. The origin of this holiday comes from the 3rd century. Valentine was a Roman priest who was persecuted by an emperor called Claudius II for celebrating marriage ceremonies when it was prohibited by the emperor due to the war. Valentine was sentenced to death and was decapitated in the year 269 AD. People believe that before that happened he wrote a letter to the jailer’s daughter, whom he was in love with; the letter was signed “from your Valentine”. In Brazil, however, the equivalent holiday is called “Dia dos Namorados” and is celebrated on June 12th since 1948. The origin of this holiday comes from an advertisement campaign created by João Doria aiming at increasing sales in June that were not going well. Besides the date there are other differences between these holidays, for example, Dia dos Namorados is addressed specifically for those who are in a romantic relationship, while Valentine’s Day involves expressing feelings for all people you love. Source: http://www.bbc.com/portuguese/geral-38973884 http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16945378 http://www1.cbn.com/st- valentine- real-story
Rinaldo Mescouto Filho, 29/08/2018
