University:
Eastern Kentucky University
Course:
ENG 351 | American Literature II
Academic year:

2022
Views:

238

Pages:

2
Author:

esfredint7qo

“The Gift of the Magi” The short story by O. Henry “The Gift of the Magi” is based around Christmas time. It starts off with the amount of “$1.87”. That is all Della has to buy her husband a gift, and is overcome with what she can get with that little money. Jim and Della are very poor, but they love each other. She stares in the mirror, looking at her long beautiful hair that Jim loves so much and realizes what she has to do. She walks into town to the barbershop and asks how much they would pay her for her hair. They offer her $20, which Della buys Jim a platinum watch chain for his watch that has been passed down. Jim comes home at seven, and is shocked at Della’s new haircut. He gives her his gift for her, which is an assortment of the fancy hair clips that she has longed for. After crying, she gives Jim his gift, only to find out that Jim had sold his watch to pay for the combs. Love is the biggest theme that stands out to me in this short story. Two people that love each other so much that they are willing to give up their most prized possession in order to buy gifts. Their home is described as drabby, but also filled with the warmth that they have for each other. Another theme is wealth. When most people think about wealth, they think about the money that is in your pocket. They never think about emotional wealth, and how that can be just as fulfilling. It is cliche, but money can't buy happiness, and this is proven in this story. The basis of this short story is how these people are a gift to one another, and how they are happy with the effort that is put in and the love that they share. Jim and Della try their best for each other, and are still happy even in a drabby situation.