The Gift Of The Magi Analysis

Within this text the sacrifices were given to aid the life of a person that they love. All examples portrayed the theme as each character, due to their sacrifice, benefited another individual. Within society we see this

Particular situations that assess an individual’s identity often mirrors the beliefs and morals they prominently value. Due to the overwhelming significance that sacrifice plays in life, writers and artists have often displayed this theme through various forms of artwork, such as novels, plays, and paintings. Adding it as a theme within pieces of literature and art encourages individuals to reflect on their own sacrifices and how it affects their values. As a result, writers such as Arthur Miller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and William Shakespeare utilized the concept of sacrifice to emphasize the important values of reputation, unconditional love, and loyalty.

Della from “The Gift of the Magi,” and Hester from “The Rocking-Horse Winner” are the best examples of the two different sides of humanity. Mrs. James Dillingham or known as Della from “The Gift of the Magi,” is a loving housewife. By many she can be classified as a traditional woman that is fully devoted to her husband Jim. Della is a poor, but selfless woman, who sells her beautiful lengthy hair in exchange for a Christmas gift for her husband Jim. Despite selling her price possession, Della was an altruistic wife that felt the merit of her hair is too little compared to her love for Jim. “’…Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered,’ she went on with sudden serious sweetness, ‘but nobody could ever count my love for you…’” (Henry 6), that

The meaning of sacrifice is defined to be the action of given up something that is highly valued for the sake of having something else considered to have a great value. () However, based on theme the structure of sacrifice is made when one of the main character gives up or stand up for something they dearly care for no matter what the consequences are. In the novel “The Hungry Games”, the play “Romeo and Juliet” and the poem “Easter 1916” they each express the theme of sacrifice in a similar purpose. These works of literatures explain to its readers and audience that sacrifices are made it life to change the world or to make an impact.

Della was very desperate to get jim a gift she went and asked “Will you buy my hair?" She cut and sold her very luscious and valuable hair to get jim a setup for his watch Jim had also sold his watch to get della combs for her hair. Jim had finally said "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while...I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on." they both had thoughts to get them nice presents but they both gave up things that the other got a present for that item, by doing this they hurt each other.

Jim and Della perform an act of selfless love by their willingness to give something that held great value to them in order to get special presents for each other on Christmas. They do all of this out of love for the other. However, you will see that these gives prove to end up having no use in the end but that is not the main point. The main point is that although this ironic situation occurs, they both find joy in the thought that they would do this for each other. This love that they have for each other is far greater value than any gift that could be given. Jim doesn’t overreact or get angry with this conclusion.

Literary Thesis Essay What is sacrifice? What does it mean? The word sacrifice is only asserted with the selfless. O. Henry (the author of Gift of the Magi published in April 10, 1906) portrays sacrifice perfectly in the Gift of the Magi. The book shows sacrifice is given for the ones you love.

The story and video version of "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, are very different while still following the same main idea and theme. The base of both versions is both characters trading their own valuable item to buy a present to go with the others valuable item, which neither of them have anymore. This causes the theme to stay the same as well, it's the thought that counts. However the two versions do differ in the details, like how the video has one person both characters go to, to trade their item for their gift. The trader also causes other large changes, being the trader gives back what the characters traded so both can have their valuable item and their present that goes with it. Which lets everyone have a better Christmas, a

In "The Gift of Magi," Della and Jim sacrifice their prized possessions for each other and for love. Irony is represented in this story when Della and Jim both get each other gifts that mean a lot to each other. However, what they did not realize is that when Della cut her hair to to buy Jim a chain for his watch, she was unaware that Jim was going to sell his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The irony of their gift exchange is monumental as their unconditional love for one another took over for their own personal possession. Jim exclaims, “I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first." The magi which are described as wise men also signifies irony because Della and Jim's presents were more than wise. They represented that a gift does not need to be expensive to have value. A gift can be more meaningful just by the thought.

Strapped for cash and wanting to give her beloved husband the most luxurious gift for Christmas to express her deep passion for him, we are immediately introduced to the initial situation at hand. With only a dollar and some change to spend on Jim, Della is forced into a situation

Della is willing to cut her gorgeous and flowy hair so that she can afford a Christmas present for her husband Jim. Della’s hair is admired by everyone, but she would have felt guilty if she did not get Jim a present. When Jim is standing before Della and her shortened hair, she gives him a fob chain. Also, Della explains to him that she, “couldn’t have lived through Christmas without giving [him] a present” (Henry 264). Della has an altruistic disposition whereas Madame Loisel has a selfish and greedy personality.

Love is a defining force for Della and Jim too, overshadowing the poor condition of their finances. Jim and Della do not have much. They would most certainly be considered to be in the lower class, living in a little $8 a week flat in the city and going from a sufficient income of $30 a week to a less than adequate $20 a week with Jim in need of a new overcoat and pair of gloves (Henry). Henry articulates how their love for each other transforms their drab house and surroundings and gray circumstances into a warm and inviting refuge called home. “One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all Della had,” not nearly enough to get a gift worthy of her beloved Jim (Henry). She desires nothing but to please him and considers him worthy of something

Situational irony is another element that is present throughout the short story. Della and her husband both buy each other gifts for Christmas at the end of the story. Ironically, Della and her husband bought each other gifts for what they gave up: Della bought her husband a wrist watch strap and Jim sold his watch to buy Della the combs she wanted for her hair. In the short story, Jim is seen grieving about the fact that she had cut her hair off, “I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on,” (O. Henry 121). The ending is situational irony because the reader was expecting that Della would buy her

The gift of the magi by O. Henry and the sesame street version have many similarities such as how both of the relationships had been extremely close, and how they had sacrificed their belongings so the other could have a marvelous present, even though both had not have that much money at the time. Another similarity that the magi and the video have in common is they would do anything so other would have a outstanding Christmas. While there is many similarities there is also many differences. In the magi, Jim and Dell (main characters) were not able to receive their hair and pocket watch that they had once sold, but in the video they had received their prized possessions that they had once sold.

We live in a diverse and complex society, where veracity and altruism are just two pivotal components of living a happy life surrounded by love. Suffice to state, the words love and sacrifice are almost 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