What is the true "gift" in "the gift of the Magi"?
In "The Gift of the Magi" O' Henry uses symbolism in reference to the Three Magi (The 3 Wisemen). They come bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The gold is a symbol of love, the frankincense and myrrh were used to burn and had a sweet aroma.
Why is "the gift of the Magi" an interesting story?
"The Gift of the Magi" is still a popular story today because of its interesting plot. In the story, a young couple is trying to get gifts. Jim buys his wife a set of combs, only to learn that she has sold her hair. Delia buys Jim a watch band, only to learn that he sold his watch to buy her combs for the beautiful hair she no longer has.
What is the main idea of "the gift of the Magi"?
Themes
- Generosity. "The Gift of the Magi" is a Christmas story, and it functions as a parable about both the nature of love and the true meaning of generosity.
- Love. Henry contrasts the warmth that exists between Della and Jim with their bleak surroundings. ...
- Wealth. ...
What is the moral of the gift of the Magi?
The moral, of " The Gift of the Magi " is that unselfish love is the greatest of all gifts, and those who realize this fact are the wisest. This theme is explicitly stated by O. Henry at the end: "I have lamely related...the chronicle of two foolish children...who most unwisely sacrified for...
What is a short summary of The Gift of the Magi?
Lesson Summary It takes place at Christmas time and tells the story of Jim and Della Dillingham, a poor, young married couple who don't have enough money to buy each other Christmas gifts. As The Gift of the Magi unfolds, both sell their most prized possession to pay for a gift for the other.
What is the main theme of the story The Gift of the Magi?
The theme of the story is that the greatest gift of all is unconditional love. Through the sacrifices Della and Jim make for one another, they prove love is more important than material possessions. As the narrator says: “Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.”
What is the conclusion of The Gift of the Magi?
O. Henry is known for his "twist endings," and the ending of "The Gift of the Magi" is probably the most famous of them all. At the end of the story Della cuts and sells her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch, and Jim sells his watch to buy Della combs for her hair. Here we have a classic case of irony.
What is a theme of this story?
The term theme can be defined as the underlying meaning of a story. It is the message the writer is trying to convey through the story. Often the theme of a story is a broad message about life. The theme of a story is important because a story's theme is part of the reason why the author wrote the story.
What was 3 themes in The Gift of the Magi?
The main themes in "The Gift of the Magi" are generosity, love, and wealth. Generosity: Generosity drives both Jim and Della, who, despite living in poverty, want to give each other meaningful gifts.
What lesson did you learn from the story of The Gift of Magi?
To become wealthy is a dream for many people because they think as you get more money, and then you can get the better life quality. However, I found the wealth is not only the most important thing for humans, but also being happy and giving others happiness are important.
What is the resolution in The Gift of the Magi?
The resolution is when they realize that the true gift is that they both gave up each of their greatest possessions for each other. They care so much for each other. The falling action is when they both put away their gifts, celebrate Christmas together, and eat.
What is the climax of gift of the Magi?
Climax: The climax in The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry is when Jim and Della show each other the gifts they had bought for each other.
Who wrote the gift of the Magi?
The Gift of the Magi is a short story written by the noted American author O. Henry. It was first published in 1906 as part of an anthology of short stories called The 4 Million. The story is known worldwide, and numerous versions of it have been created. It has been made into live productions, cartoons, movies and television specials.
Why did Della remember her gift to Jim?
Then Della remembers her gift for Jim and gives it to him to cheer him up. But it doesn’t. Jim tells her that in order to get enough money to buy the combs, he had to sell his watch.
Who brought the first Christmas gift to Jesus?
The story ends with the storyteller comparing Jim and Della’s gifts to the gifts of the Magi: the three wise men who are said to have brought the first Christmas gifts to the baby Jesus.
What does Della say to her when she asks him about his Christmas present?
When she questions him, he hands her a gift and tells her that it is his Christmas present to her and that she will understand his reaction once she sees it.
What is the story of the gift of the Magi?
The Gift of the Magi. The story begins with Della despairing over the meager amount of money she’s managed to save over the past few months by pinching pennies. She had been hoping to save enough to buy her husband Jim a worthy Christmas present.
Why does Della tell Jim she did it?
Della tells him that she did it in order to buy a proper Christmas present for him. Jim snaps out of his shock, hugs Della, and throws a package on the table. He explains that no haircut could make him love her any less, but that he was surprised because of the present that he bought for her.
Why did Jim sell his watch?
Jim sits back on the couch and smiles, then admits that he sold his watch in order to buy the combs. The narrator wraps up the story by describing the magi who invented the art of giving Christmas presents.
Why does Della open the package?
Della opens the package to find expensive tortoiseshell combs for her long hair. She’s ecstatic for a moment before she begins crying, and Jim has to comfort her. Suddenly, Della remembers her present to Jim, and asks to see Jim’s watch so that she could put the new chain on it.
What is the story of the gift of the Magi?
The short story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry likely takes place just before Christmas in the early 1900's. Most of the action is in the cheap apartment of Della and her husband Jim. Della had only a dollar and eighty-seven cents saved to buy Jim a Christmas present, which just wasn't enough. She decided to sell her long, beautiful hair for twenty dollars. She took her newfound wealth and bought Jim a fabulous platinum fob chain for the pocket watch that had been in his family for generations. She worried briefly what Jim would think of her short, close-cropped curls, but it was too late.
What does it mean when a person sacrifices their gifts to give something to someone else?
Whether the gifts were of use or not, the point is that these people sacrificed to give something to someone else, which means that they carry great value whether the receiver can actually use them or not.
What did Jim tell Della about her haircut?
Jim told her that he didn't care what her hair looked like, then he handed her the present that he bought for her to explain himself.
What is the period of the gift of the magi?
The period of this story Gift of the magi Summary is 1900 just before Christmas. Most of the actions are in the cheap apartment of Della and her husband Jim. Della was having only a dollar and eighty-seven cents as saving for buying a Christmas present for Jim. As it was not enough money, she decided to sell her long and beautiful hair ...
What does Jim tell her about the gift he gave to her?
The gift for Jim now has no use for him. Jim tells her that in order to arrange enough money to buy the combs, he had to sell his gold watch . After that, Jim smiles and tells her that they should keep the gifts with them to remind themselves about the love which exists between them for each other.
What does Jim give Della?
When Della questions him about, Jim gives her the gift and tells her that it is his Christmas present to her and she can understand his reaction only after seeing the gift. She opens it and finds that it contains a set of combs. He had bought this gift for her beautiful hair, and now she had no hair to put them in.
How did Jim manage money for the gift?
Jim managed money for the gift by selling his watch. These gifts tie into this story of the wise men, or the Magi, who brought the gifts to the new-born baby Jesus.
What is Jim's most treasured possession?
Then she remembers Jim’s most treasured possession, which is his grandfather’s gold watch. But Jim has to tie a leather strap to the watch as its original chain broke.
Who brought the first Christmas gift to Jesus?
Magi were the three wise men who are said to have brought the first Christmas gifts to the baby Jesus. Anyone can make a conclusion about their foolish characters. Because they gave up their most valuable possessions and were left with completely useless items.
Does Della live through Christmas without giving Jim the gift?
Still, Della determines that she cannot live through Christmas without giving the gift to Jim. Della is struggling to find a solution to her problem.
What is the gift of Magi?
Verbal Irony. Dramatic Irony. Situational Irony. Allusions. Hyperbole. Metaphors, Personification, and Similes. The Gift of Magi is a short story written by an American short story writer, William Sydney Porter. He has written his literary works under the pen name of O’ Henry. This story was first published in 1905.
What is the meaning of the story "The Gift of Christmas"?
It is a sentimental tale of a financially upset couple. Both of them sold out their prized possessions in order to buy presents for each other for Christmas. In the end, their gifts become useless. This story is written in the 19th century highlighting the economic disturbance of those times.
How is Della's hair and Jim's watch worth described?
This depicts how poor she is surviving a little. Further, Della’s hair and Jim’s watch worth is described by comparing it with Queen of Sheba and King of Solomon. By this O’ Henry describes how Della makes Sheba envious by the charm of her hairs.
What happens when Della opens up Jim's present?
It happens when Della opens up Jim’s present finds a tortoise comb. For a short moment, she forgets that she had cut her hair and now it is useless for her.
What is Della thinking about?
Della is thinking about how to give James a gift. Meantime she comes in front of the mirror in her room. The narrator describes it as not a good mirror as it is thin and gets very difficult for anyone to catch his glimpse in it. However, Della is a thin girl so she easily catches a view of herself.
What does Jim's gold watch represent?
Jim’s gold watch has passed down to him through generations. This expresses the sentiments of Jim’s ties to his family. Moreover, it also symbolizes his love for Della and the time he spent working to support the household.
Where does the story of the sailor take place?
However, the location and time period is not explicitly mentioned. But one can assume that the story is set in the early 1900s in New York.
How much money did Della save for Jim?
The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories Summary. It is Christmas Eve, and after months of parsimony, young housewife Della has only saved $1.87 to buy her husband, Jim, a quality present.
What does Della look like when she buys Jim a fob watch?
When Della arrives home, she gazes at her new haircut, which makes her look like a “truant schoolboy” (11).
Who is the main character in The Gift of the Magi?
There are three principal characters in "The Gift of the Magi.". Most notably, Della is the loving and devoted protagonist of the story. There's also her husband, Jim, who works long hours for little money. The story also briefly mentions Madame Sofronie, who owns the hair shop where Della gets her cut.
What is the conflict in the Gift of the Magi?
'The Gift of the Magi': Conflict. The main conflict in "The Gift of the Magi" centers around the Dillingham Young's financial woes. Della doesn't have enough money to buy the gift she wants for Jim — and vice versa.
Why do Della and Jim give up their hair?
And even though they don't have much money, their relationship is filled with love. The day before Christmas, the both Jim and Della give up something they love very much in order to get the other a gift. That is, Della cuts and sells her hair at a local shop so that she can buy Jim a beautiful platinum watch chain.
What did Jim buy Della?
Meanwhile, Jim buys Della an exquisite set of combs she'd been wanting. Saddened by the fact that she no longer has hair to brush with them, Della presents her gift to Jim, who, upon seeing the watch chain, reveals that he sold his watch to buy the combs. The two put their gifts away and enjoy dinner together.
What is the symbolism of gold?
That is, they were of spiritual significance, representing Jesus's birth and, as many Christians believe, his sacrificial death and later resurrection: as a metal, Gold is a symbol of earthly kingship; frankincense, an incense, is a symbol of godliness; and, finally, myrrh, an embalming oil, is a symbol of death.
When was the gift of the Magi first published?
"The Gift of the Magi " was originally published in 1905 in The New York Sunday World, and, later, it was republished in the O. Henry anthology The Four Million. Typically, Henry's stories are marked by humor, twist endings, sentimentality, and life lessons; this story reflects all of those features.
Who wrote the gift of the Magi?
Written by O. Henry, "The Gift of the Magi" short story is a classic piece of American literature. It centers on a couple who don't have a lot of money and, as a result, find it difficult to buy each other Christmas gifts.
