Theme In The Gift Of The Magi English Literature Essay

Theme In The Gift Of The Magi English Literature Es gradeThe baloney The Gift of the Magi which is written by O. Henry follows a young married couple who feed their most prized possessions to profane a Christmas gift for one another. Though the story tells the tale of two people, a large portion of the story involves sideline Della on her quest to find a gift for Jim. The worry and unease that Della introduces toward buying a gift is not caused by wanting to show love to her husband but alarm of rejection. Della fears that by breaking customs she will also break Jims heart, severing his love for her.Jim and Dellas main date is money. While Jim is introduced to the story early on and does not make an visual aspect until later it can be implied that his external involvement is money. Jim now faces the inseparable conflict of thinking of how he can support his family on his cut back income. As a man who has the task of supporting his family he experiences a guilt for not being able to provide his harming married woman with the luxuries she so deserves. Della must face the fact that even though she has saved, her penny pinching was simply not enough for the amount she needed. Della then faces inside conflict as she tries to come up with appearances to get more money. The money that presents an external conflict has Della retreat inside of her mind to face her internal conflict. Her first eyeshot to get money by cutting her blur was a reference to not only customs duty but of womanish roles. Della rapidly pulls down her hair(160) so when she visits Madame Sofronie to have it cut it is not questioned, because women do commits for their husbands and it was accepted. Della offering her most precious possession sees it as the only way she can say to her husband that she is truly grateful.Della runs and ransacks stores looking for the gift that she cute for her husband. Her ransacking of the stores symbolizes and can be compared to Jim who, can be safely said, foray his brain on what the following(a) option he was to take aft(prenominal) the pay cut. She eventually is able to find a gift and hurries home. The next scene when Della arrives home and takes the moment to fix her hair up beforehand her husband arrives home symbolizes her ability to imitate her husband and turn a bad situation into a good situation. This is most relevant to say that Della and her husband are equally matched in how they make decisions and in explaining in how both could give up their most precious possessions in thought of one another.Thinking of the other person is what causes the story to reveal situational caustic remark in its ending. Della and Jim Dillingham have met the result of the actions and that is Della has cut and sold her hair to hold a gift of hair clips and Jim has sold his watch to receive a watch chain. The fact that Jim has sold the watch which has been in his family for years and chose to capitulate the tradition of pa ssing along the watch is ironic. Jim has broken one tradition to enter into another one, the tradition of making hard sacrifices for those you love. Della who is unaware of the sacrifice that was made on her behalf is also unaware that the tradition that she wanted to turn away breaking was broken by her husband. Della confirms that the tradition of exchanging gifts is broken when her husband says lets put our Christmas presents away and keep them awhile (162), but is reassured that tradition is dummy up present when they spend Christmas enjoying each others company.O. Henrys Gift of the Magi was a story not only abtaboo the sacrifices made in love but the fear of breaking tradition. Della Dillingham sacrificed her hair to buy a gift of appreciation for the loving husband who provided for her. James Dillingham sacrificed tradition when he sold his watch to buy a present for his beloved wife only to return to tradition by making such a sacrifice fueled by the love he had for her. T he story of the Dillinghams ended ironically when their gifts canceled each others out but the gift of love that was shown by embracing the tradition that comes with accredited Christmas spirit will last a lifetime.