Author’s Introduction
O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) (1862–1910), was an eminent American short story writer. His short stories are a source of wit, wordplay, and twist endings. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Porter worked as a pharmacist, draftsman, and bank teller before turning to writing.
In 1896, he got a three-year prison sentence being accused of embezzlement in a bank audit. During his time in prison, he began writing stories, adopting the pseudonym “O. Henry” to conceal his identity. His tales romanticize the common stories of common people.
After prison, O. Henry became a prolific writer and published over 600 short stories, including The Gift of the Magi, The Duplicity of Hargraves, and The Ransom of Red Chief. He also wrote the novel Cabbages and Kings. His works often depicted ordinary people in urban settings, reflecting themes of love, sacrifice, and irony.
Notable collections include The Four Million (1906), featuring his most famous story, The Gift of the Magi, and The Voice of the City (1908). The Gentle Grafter (1908), Roads of Destiny (1909), Options (1909), Strictly Business (1910), and Whirligigs (1910). Whirligigs contains perhaps Porter’s funniest story, The Ransom of Red Chief.
O. Henry’s legacy endures as a master storyteller whose works continue to captivate readers with their humor, warmth, and unexpected endings. He died in 1909 while being a heavy drunkard that deteriorated his health and became a cause of his death.
Historical Overview
O Henry’ The Gift of the Magi is a classic piece of work, first published in 1905 in the New York Sunday World as Gifts of Magi. Then it was published as The Gift of Magi in 1906, O Henry’ short story collection The Four Million.
The setting of the story is early 20th-century, New York City, a period of rapid urbanization, economic disparity, and social challenges depicted through the central characters of Jim and Della. This touching tale is appealing for its themes of selfless love and sacrifice which resonate across cultures and times.
The title draws a parallel to the Biblical account of the Magi, wise men from the East who brought precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to pay homage to infant Jesus. These gifts were the symbols of love, devotion, and reverence that show the Magi the epitome of selfless giving. O. Henry cleverly parallels their generosity with the story’s protagonists, Jim and Della by their virtues in their everyday lives.
Summary
The Gift of the Magi is a short story of intense love and sacrifice of young partners Jim and Della. Della sitting in her modest apartment sounds busy counting the savings, a day before Christmas. Della with Jim lives in a small and cheaply furnished apartment. They were better but now are suffering from hard times.
Jim and Della had a great love for each other. Each of them wished to give a nice gift to the other on the happy occasion of Christmas. Both were very poor and did not have enough money to purchase gifts. Their presents revealed their profound love for each other.
For months, Della saved this money from the daily tight grocery budget so she could purchase a golden chain for Jim’s watch as a Christmas gift. Her saved amount of $1.87 was far from enough. Being Disheartened, Della Breaks down, and cries, realizing the fact of not buying a gift for her partner.
After some time, she wiped her eyes, looked out the window, glanced into the worn mirror on the wall, and hit upon a plan at once. She let down the stream of her beautiful brown hair, her cherished possession and Jim’s favorite. She thought for a moment, decided and determined to sell her hair for the sake of buying Jim a gift.
She left the apartment after wearing her worn coat and hat and went to a dealer in hair goods Madam Sofronie’s shop. She asked the price of her hair and Madam Sofronie agreed to buy her beautiful hair for $20.Having money in hand, Della spent the day searching for the perfect gift for Jim.
Jim’s cherished possession was his family heirloom (a gold pocket watch). Finally, she found a beautiful platinum chain for Jim’s watch perfectly. She considered it most valuable even from selling her hair and most of her remaining savings. Passionate about her purchase, Della returned home, thrilled to surprise Jim.
Back at the apartment, Della took a glance into the mirror and tried to style her short hair. She started talking to herself and worried about how Jim would react to her drastic change. Would he still find her beautiful? When Jim arrived, he noticed her short hair, his expression unreadable, leaving Della nervous.
Fearing Jim might be upset, she explains quickly that she sold her hair to buy him a Christmas gift. In spite of that, Jim hugs her, reassuring her that his love for her is unchanged. Thereupon, Jim put his hand into his pocket, took out a packet containing a set of luxurious jeweled combs, and gave it to Della, whom she had long admired in a shop window.
Della is relaxed by his thoughtful gesture but tearfully realizes she cannot use the combs until her hair grows back. Putting aside her emotions, she eagerly presents Jim with the platinum chain for his watch. Jim smiles, confessing that he sold his valuable watch to buy her the combs. Both were taken aback to see each other’s gifts. Della had beautiful combs but no hair and Jim had a chain but no watch.
Without taking it to heart, The couple shares a sad moment, realizing the sacrifices they made for each other. They kept loving each other passionately. Though their gifts are now practically useless, they symbolize their deep love and selflessness. The narrator ends the story by declaring Jim and Della even wiser than the Biblical Magi, for their actions reflect the true spirit of giving.
Although they reflect the spirit of the Magi, the wise men of the East who brought presents for the newborn Jesus. They wished to celebrate their Christmas in a conventional way by presenting gifts to each other. The gifts of either side were as precious as those given to Christ on his birth. All this makes life worth living, attractive, and delightful.
Characters
Della: Della (Heroine) of the love story is a loving, selfless, and resourceful young woman who values her relationship with Jim above everything else. Despite the financial constraints, she is resolute to give him a meaningful Christmas gift. She embodies the spirit of unconditional love and sacrifice that serves as a symbol of devotion in the face of adversity.
Jim: The Hero is a selfless, hardworking, and devoted partner. He deeply values Della and their relationship, prioritizing her happiness over material possessions. He sells his family heirloom, a gold pocket watch, to buy a set of brown combs for Della’s hair. Jim is humble and has the ability to cherish emotional connections over material wealth.
Madame Sofronie: She is practical and has a professional attitude. She looked somewhat detached in the story, focusing solely on her business. She presents a contrast sharply with the emotional depth of Jim and Della. She buys Della’s hair for $20 without getting sentimental, playing a functional role in facilitating Della’s sacrifice.
Theme
The Gift of the Magi centres around the theme of selfless love and sacrifice, exhibiting the true spirit of giving. The story throws light on the value of a gift, which lies not in its material worth but in the care, love, and selflessness behind it. It presents a contrast between materialism and the emotional value of giving while society places importance on expensive and tangible things.
Despite the poverty, Jim and Della are willing to sacrifice their possessions to bring happiness to one another. Through mutual sacrifice, they highlight the depth of their love and their willingness to put each other’s happiness more valuable rather than anything else.
Irony is another theme of this story as their gifts are of no use due to their favorite belongings’ sacrifice. However, the act of giving and the intention behind it are more meaningful than the physical gifts themselves.
It also reflects on the human capacity for generosity. It shows how love can inspire individuals to make personal sacrifices, selflessness, and devotion are the most significant and valuable gifts of all. It explores the changing power of love that transcends material wealth and possessions.
Analysis
The Gift of Magi by O Henry is a classic story that explores the theme of love, the true spirit of giving, sacrifice, and selflessness. It reflects the poverty of a loving couple, unable to buy presents for each other but trying hard, selling their only valuable things to make themselves happy.
One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all.
After sacrificing her hair, Della contemplates before the mirror and becomes scared for a short time, then regains her strength and is confident about Jim who won’t get annoyed with her.
If Jim doesn’t kill me,” she said to herself, “before he looks at me
a second time, he’ll say I look like a girl who sings and dances for money.
But what could I do—oh! What could I do with a dollar and eightyseven cents?”
The story is set in a shabby apartment in New York City where this poor but modest couple residing and a Gold watch and beautiful brown hair were more than physical objects. They symbolize their personal pride and individuality. By sacrificing their belongings, they transcend materialism and demonstrate love as their greatest possession.
The Gift of Magi deals emotionally with capturing universal experiences such as the power to give, the challenges of financial constraints, and the joy and pain of self-sacrifice. The story is a critique of the commercialization of gift-giving, reminding readers that the essence of Christmas lies in love and giving rather than material wealth.
It resonates with the resilience of human beings. Despite their struggles, Jim and Della remain optimists and resourceful, finding ways to express their love even in poverty. This optimism serves as an inspiring reminder of the strength and beauty of human connections.
The narrator’s comparison of the couple to the Biblical Magi enhances their actions. It suggests that wisdom and love are reflected in acts of selflessness. The story is simple but delivers an everlasting and universal message about the strong power of love and the beauty of giving.
The Use of Literary Devices
Irony: The story showcases irony in the lives of the couple. Della struggling hard with circumstances saves one dollar and eighty-seven cents from the daily domestic expenses. While Jim, a poor man strives to make a livelihood for his family. Both sell their most liked possessions to give presents to each other.
Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two—and with a family to take care of! He needed a new coat and he had nothing to cover his cold hands.
Symbolism: The story has symbolic beauty where we see many phrases, showing symbols like
Della’s beautiful hair symbolizes her beauty and personal pride.
If a queen had lived in the rooms near theirs, Della would have washed and dried her hair where the queen could see it.
Jim’s gold watch represents legacy and material value.
The James Dillingham Youngs were very proud of two things which they owned. One thing was Jim’s gold watch. It had once belonged to his father. And, long ago, it had belonged to his father’s father. The other thing was Della’s hair.
The gifts of combs and chains symbolize love and selflessness.
Allusion: It gives references to the Biblical Magi like Jim and Della’s sacrifices to the wisdom and generosity of the wise men enhance the story’s moral significance.
Paradox: There is a paradox that Jim and Della’s gifts, though practically useless, are profoundly meaningful as symbols of love and sacrifice.
Contrast: The story presents a contrast between the couple’s material poverty and their emotional richness highlighting the depth of their love.
Madame Sofronie’s indifferent attitude highlights the contrast between commercialism and the emotional value of love and sacrifice.
Questions and Answers
1. How much did Della save for Christmas?
Ans. Della saved only one dollar and eighty-seven cents for Christmas Gifts.
2. Why did she feel pride in the beauty of her hair?
Ans. She felt pride in the beauty of her hair because it looked just like a falling stream of brownish water. It could reach below her knees. It the jewels and gifts of any queen could out-class
3. Why did she sell her hair?
Ans. She sold her hair because she wanted to purchase a Christmas gift for Jim but she did not have enough money to buy a good one.
4. Why did Jim sell the gold watch?
Ans. Jim did so because he, too, wanted to buy a gift for Della.
5. Why did they (Jim and Della) want to present the gifts?
Ans. They wished to present the gifts because they had a great love for each other and could not do without Christmas gifts.
6. Why did (Della) feel sad about losing her hair?
Ans. She felt sad because her hair was very beautiful. Jim had a great – fancy for her hair.
7. Why did not Jim welcome her when he stepped in?
Ans. Jim did not welcome her when he came in rather he was startled to see her without her hair.
8. What did he bring out from his coat?
Ans. He brought combs for the hair of Della for which she had a great love..
9. How beautiful was the gold watch chain?
Ans. The gold watch chain was very simple. It was made with pure and rich gold. Like all good things, it was plain.
10. What was the wisdom in selling the most valuable things?
Ans. The wisdom in selling the most valuable things was that both (Jim and Della) sacrificed for each other. Love for them was more significant than anything else.
11. How did the Magi want to celebrate Christmas?
Ans. The Magi were the wise men. They were the first to bring gifts to newborns. They celebrated Christmas after presenting gifts to Jesus Christ.
12. How much were they attached to each other in the story?
Ans. Both (Jim and Della) had a great love for each other. Both of them sold their most valuable things to buy gifts for each other.
13. Why did they sell their valuable things?
Ans. They did not have enough money to buy gifts for each other. They did not want to spend Christmas without presenting gifts to each other. So they sold their most valuable things to get money.
14. Describe the story in your own words.
Ans. The story tells us about the limitless love between a couple, Della and Jim. Both were poor and wanted to give presents to each other on the holy occasion of Christmas. Della bought a gold watch chain by selling her beautiful hair: Jim, too, bought costly combs for Della by selling his watch. The gifts of either side were as expensive as those given to Jesus on his birth.
15. What is the moral of the story?
Ans. The emotions of love have a great value. The couple sold their most loved precious things, only for their unshakable love.
About the Author
