The Gift of the Magi

The Gift of the Magi - O Henry

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[alert-primary] Short Summary [/alert-primary]

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Introduction:

    "The Gift of the Magi" is written by William Sydney Porter who is known as O. Henry. O Henry was a prolific short story writer who is known for his realism. In this short story, O Henry narrates that those who sacrifice for their love are as wise as magi.               

Short Summary: 

    "The Gift of the Magi" begins with Della feeling disheartened by the little money she has managed to save after months of saving. She has only $1.87 to buy a Christmas gift for his husband Jim. She longs to buy a lovely Christmas gift for Jim, though she has very little money.

    One day, she was looking at her reflection in a window and lets her long hair to fall down. Della's brown hair and Jim's gold watch, a cherished family heirloom, are their most prized possessions.

    In a moment of determination, Della rushes to a hair salon and sells her hair for twenty dollars. With this money, she purchases a simple yet elegant platinum watch chain, described as possessing “quietness and value,” much like Jim himself.
    Later, Della returns home to style her short hair and prepare dinner. When Jim arrives, he halts in surprise and stares at her hair. Della explains that she cut it to buy him a special Christmas gift. As Jim recovers from his astonishment, he embraces her and places a package on the table. He reassures her that no haircut could ever diminish his love for her, but he is taken aback by her gift.             Della opens the package to discover beautiful tortoise shell combs for her long hair. For a moment, she feels a surge of joy, but then tears well up in her eyes, and Jim comforts her. Suddenly, Della remembers her gift for Jim and asks to see his watch to attach the new chain. Jim leans back, smiling, and reveals that he sold his watch to buy the combs for her. 

        O Henry points out that even though Della and Jim might appear "foolish" because of their misunderstanding during the gift exchange, they are actually like the magi. Their willingness to give up their most treasured belongings to make each other happy shows that they are the "wisest," making them just as special as the original magi.

 

Characters :

Della is the main character and the story is mostly told from her viewpoint. She is young, loving, and selfless, often needing comfort from her husband, Jim, when she feels upset. Della deeply cares for Jim and struggles to find a meaningful Christmas gift for him, having saved only $1.87 all year. At the start, her most valued item is her long hair, which she decides to sell to buy a nice watch chain for Jim.
Jim, Della's husband, is just twenty-two and feels the pressure of providing for their home on a low income. Despite this stress, he remains content, quiet, and kind. He loves Della and sells his cherished watch, a family heirloom, to buy beautiful combs for her hair.
Madame Sofronie runs the hair shop where Della sells her hair. She is described as large and cold, dealing with Della in a direct and brisk manner. She quickly assesses Della's hair and offers her twenty dollars. This attitude contrasts sharply with Della and Jim, who prioritize love and sentiment over money. For Della, her hair holds great value, while for Madame Sofronie, it is just a commodity to sell.

Themes 

Love 

    Della is really worried that the money she has saved up by being frugal isn’t enough to get Jim a great Christmas gift. For her, the biggest problem that being poor creates for her happiness is that it limits how she can show her love. After the surprising ending, Jim relaxes on the couch and smiles, even when they find out that their gifts are now worthless. Even though the gifts themselves don’t matter anymore, the act of giving them is what truly counts: they both realize that they would give up their most treasured items for each other. Their love is more important than any material things. They didn’t just give each other presents; they gave each other their love.

Sacrifice 

     At the beginning of the narrative, Della and Jim possess only two significant items: Della's hair and Jim's watch. In an effort to alleviate their financial difficulties and provide each other with a meaningful Christmas gift, they each relinquish what they hold most dear. Regrettably, their sacrifices appear futile, as the gifts they purchase cannot be utilized. One could argue that they find themselves in the same position as before—without Della's hair and Jim's watch—yet the narrator suggests that their relationship has been deepened through their selfless acts of giving and sacrifice. The concluding paragraph emphasizes the essence of the magi, drawing a parallel between Della and Jim and these wise figures, and implying that the true significance of a gift lies in the thoughtfulness, generosity, and sacrifice that accompany it, rather than its material value.

Summation :

    "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry beautifully captures the themes of love and sacrifice. In this tale, Jim and Della each part with their most treasured possessions to buy gifts for one another, showing that their love is more important than any material item. The surprising twist at the end, where their gifts turn out to be unsuitable, highlights that the true value of their actions lies in their selfless giving. This narrative serves as a poignant reminder that the most significant gifts come from the heart, and that love is the greatest treasure we can possess.

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