Essay on The Gift of the Magi - 4446 Words

Many critics agree, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is, in all respects, an amazing and one of a kind story. One critic says, â€Å"Ironically, Fagin arrives at something utterly crucial to the success of The Gift of the Magi: that it has everything—an absorbing (if short) narrative drive and a twist ending that makes it wholly original† (Korb). Even renowned critic, Rena Korb, agrees; O.Henry did an excellent job with this story. Though O. Henry wrote many great stories, one of his most famous, and favorite, stories of all time is â€Å"The Gift of the Magi.† â€Å"The gift of the Magi† is a classic about a couple who sacrifices their happiness for the other. It is one of Henry’s most popular stories by far; even being remade many times. Such a popular story†¦show more content†¦O. Henry included two more quotes, â€Å" Her eyes were shining brilliantly†¦.† and â€Å"†¦it terrified her,† to show that her emotions changed many times. Dellas emotions went from being sad, to being hopeful of getting money, and then to terrified that she would no longer be accepted by Jim. Though Dellas emotions change, Della is still static overall. Without being directly stated in the story, it is shown that Della loves Jim in the beginning and also loves him at the end. Della even went to lengths of having her hair cut off in order to please him with a great gift. Throughout the entire story, hints are displayed, telling the reader that Della loves Jim (Henry). A major show of this being that she cut her hair off just to get him a good present. Critic Rena Korb talks about the sacrifice of goods stating, â€Å"convey†¦ unselfish sacrifices we make for those we love†¦. Not sentimental, but universal truth† (â€Å"The Gift of the Magi†). Interpreted, this means that people give up things close to themselves in order to please people they love. Everybody does it, so nobody can say that t hey have not, or would not. Della is no different. Also, since there is no concrete proof of these feelings, it leads to the realization that there is indirect characterization and also sort of shows that the story is not driven to characterize the people. â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is a plot driven story, not a character driven one (â€Å"The Gift of theShow MoreRelatedThe Gift Of The Magi1132 Words   |  5 PagesThe Magi refers to the Wise Men or Kings in the Gospel of Matthew and Christianity. They visit Jesus after his birth and bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to him. Also, they are important figures of celebrations of Christmas. Christmas gifts are precious, so people want to receive the most valuable gifts at the end of the year, such as the gift of Magi. A famous American writer O. Henry creates The Gift of The Magi, a short story of giving gifts on Christmas Eve, which is a common themeRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi1271 Words   |  6 PagesThe Gift o f the Magi Ashlee Stevens ENG125: Introduction to Literature Amy Sloan September 10, 2012 Ashford University The Gift of the Magi The Gift of the Magi was about sacrificial love. The story explained how important it is to be willing to sacrifice for the one that you love. No matter what the circumstance, if a person can unselfishly give of themselves for another, they can experience life in a whole new way. Many people give what is not important to them andRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi2202 Words   |  9 PagesThe Theme of â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† William Sydney Porter, or O. Henry as it is widely known, is one of the most famous names in American literature. He was a master short-story writer of nearly 300 short stories. With a very inventive mind, he made plots for his stories from the commonplace things. The settings of his stories were drawn from his experience and, likewise, his characters were based on actual people he had known. In rapid-moving prose, he developed his stories imaginatively andRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi1377 Words   |  6 PagesLITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY THE GIFT OF THE MAGI The Gift of the Magi is one of the most popular short stories by O. Henry, a pen name for William Sydney Porter - a renowned American author. Originally published in 1906, in O. Henry’s second collection of short stories, The Gift of the Magi which displays all of the major O. Henry traits in abundance has given him credit for his genuine talent. It has been retold in various forms since then, especially at Christmas time. The storyRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi853 Words   |  4 PagesHow far can a couple go in getting a gift for their love ones on Christmas day? â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is mainly about a young married couple who doesn’t have enough money to buy each other Christmas gifts. Having only one dollar and eighty-seven cent Della, one of the main character, decides to sell her hair for only twenty dollars. This gives Della an opportunity to buy her husband, Jim a gift. Meanwhile, Jim who also is buying Della a present is having trouble with mo ney, he decides to sell hisRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi1022 Words   |  5 Pagestime-less works of art, the Marxist sees them as constantly formed by their social contexts in ways which they themselves would usually not admit† (Barry 152). His claim is certainly evident through a careful analysis of O’Henry’s short story. The Gift of the Magi appears to be a bittersweet story about a couple that would truly give up their most prized possessions to convey their love to one another at Christmas. However, a Marxist approach to the tale reveals the complexities of a capitalist societyRead MoreThe Gift of Magi and Its Background792 Words   |  4 PagesThe Gift of the Magi and its Background Mindy Phillips Introduction to Literature ENG125 Instructor Julie Alfaro January 21st, 2013 In my paper I am going to be describing the short story The Gift of the Magi. Throughout my paper I am going to describe what I feel is the theme of the story itself. I will also be explaining and identifying symbolism used and described in the story, as well as talking about the point of view that the narrator used in the story. Finally, I will be describingRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi Analysis1757 Words   |  8 Pagesalmost complementary as either word may serve as the precedent of the other word. Having stated the latter as the foundation of true love and of living a happy life, two stories with similar themes about true love come to mind. Upon reading The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and The Pianist in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot by Shao Wang, both authors use the protagonists’ actions, situations, and the protagonists’ words to clearly demonstrate the value or the theme of true love and sacrifice. When readingRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi Analysis808 Words   |  4 PagesAuthor, O. Henry in his short story, â€Å"The Gift of The Magi†, claims it is okay to sacrifice for others. He supports his claim be first using a logical appeal to show Della’s self sacrifice, then using another emotional appeal to show Della and Jim’s love for each other, and finally using a logical appeal to show Jim’s sacrifice for Della. Henry’s purpose is to inform others about Della and Jim’s sacrifice in order to show that it is okay to sacrifice for others. He establishes a sad and wonderfulRead MoreSummary â€Å"the Gift of the Magi†1235 Words   |  5 PagesSummary â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is a wonderful short story. It is the brilliant story that shows the true meaning of selfless love that the author tries to let the readers to know from the Christmas gifts. It is not what the gifts are , but the meaning behind the gifts is more important. This text is a story about Della and Jim Young , a married couple with very little money. On the