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The Greatest Gift By Philip Van Doren Stern

Decent Essays

In “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern, the theme of appreciating your life no matter how much or how little someone has is conveyed through tone and characterization throughout the story. It is quickly learned that George doesn’t see value in his life or think he has a purpose: “‘I’m stuck here in this mudhole for life, doing the same dull work day after day’” (Van Doren Stern 2). The way George talks about his life builds up the idea that he wants to get out of the small town he lives in, stop working where he does, and have a more exciting life. He talks down to himself and has a very sour outlook on what he does. Calling the town he lives in a mudhole indicates how he wants more than a small town life. George believes that living in a small town directly means life will be small as well. This highlights how he has not yet learned that everything has value including him, his job, and his life in general. He has not been able to value the good parts of his life because he sees the bad in everything. …show more content…

But now the music almost tore his heart out” (Van Doren Stern 5). When he walks past the Church and hears “Holy Night” George is brought back to going to church with his family. This makes him miss his wife and kids. He already knew that his wife was married to an alcohol and who should be his family isn’t in a good, safe home. This is one of George’s changing points which emphasizes that he his important to everyone in his life and things aren’t the same without him. Even though he thought they would

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