The Gift of the Magi Essays - Irony, The Gift Of The Magi

The Gift of the Magi The Gift of the Magi is a story authored by O. Henry. The story features two main characters, Della and her twenty two year old husband Mr. James Dillingham Young. The couple is simply referred to as Jim and Della respectively within the story. The story has a very interesting turn of events clustered with emotions of love and care. It eventually culminates into a surprising end where the characters exchange Christmas gifts acquired after selling their most precious possessions for the sake of offering each other Christmas presents. The story starts on a Christmas Eve with Della bursting into tears on the couch. Della is saddened by the fact that she has only been able to save a measly $1.87 dollars from her grocery and shopping money in order to get money to buy her beloved husband a gift. Despite all the humiliation from constant haggling and bargaining she still has not been able to get enough to buy Jim a present that would really befit him. She feels that she cannot get Jim a present worthy enough to express her love for him. This first encounter with the couple portrays the poor state of life that the couple is sharing. The youngs have sunk into poverty and hard times. The description of their apartment in the story shows a poor state of life characterized by a poor pay amounting to $20 dollars a week and high expenditure on basics. Jims salary has shrunk from $30 dollars to $20 dollars per week and they are barely trying to survive on the $12 dollars that is left after paying for their rent which amounts to $8 dollars per week. Dellas deep contemplation and sentiments of helplessness show how much she loves and appreciates Jim, and as a result she would like to offer him the best. Her deep concern and love can be seen in these two quotes: Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. This statement indicates how deeply concerned Della is about the situation. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him: Something fine and rare and sterling, something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim. This statement shows how much Della values Jim and it portrays her deep love for him. The portrayal of Dellas concerns is used to build the theme of love that greatly features within the story. It also serves to indicate the desperate state of poverty that the couple lives in.After contemplation and crying Della powders her cheeks and takes a look at her self in the pier glass by the window. At this point in the story the readers learn that the couple has two most important and priced possessions-Dellas hair which is long and beautiful and Jims watch which has been a family possession passed down through generations from fathers to their sons. The narrator in the story emphasizes the worth of these priced possessions by indicating that they would be coveted by even the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon-greatly known for their wealth. It is while viewing herself in the mirror that Della gets a brilliant idea on how to acquire money to get Jim a gift that is worth the love she has for him. Della leaves the house hurriedly for Madame Sofronies store. Madame Sofronie retails hair products and Della decides to sell her hair to Madame Sofronie. She quickly accepts the sell for a twenty dollar price. Dellas hair is shaved and she gets her $20 dollars. She quickly hurries off to the shops to seek a present for Jim. Della loves her hair because we are told she shed tears at the thought of selling it, but hurried off to conclude the sell before her mind could change. This strong resolution done for the love of Jim is a great sacrifice and it is at this point in the story that the second strongest theme of the story develops-the theme of sacrifice which is born out of love-the earlier theme in the story. While at the shops Della buys Jim a platinum chain for his