What is the summary of the gift of Magi?
“The Gift of the Magi” is a 1905 short story by O. Henry about Jim and Della, an impoverished young couple who make sacrifices in order to buy each other meaningful Christmas gifts. Della sells her beautiful hair in order to buy a nice watch chain for Jim’s beloved heirloom watch.
What is the main theme of The Gift of the Magi?
The main themes in “The Gift of the Magi” are generosity, love, and wealth. Generosity: Generosity drives both Jim and Della, who, despite living in poverty, want to give each other meaningful gifts.
Are Jim and Della really foolish?
Della and Jim are wise, because they each sacrificed something they loved for a gift for someone they loved more than the sacrifice itself. They were foolish because they did not even ask each other what they wanted and they waited to the last minute to get a gift. by Sydne W. they knew what each other wanted.
Why did Jim and Della want to present the gifts?
Jim and Della wanted to present the gifts to show their affection and appreciation for each other.
What is a theme of the story?
The term theme can be defined as the underlying meaning of a story. It is the message the writer is trying to convey through the story. Often the theme of a story is a broad message about life. The theme of a story is important because a story’s theme is part of the reason why the author wrote the story.
What does the last paragraph of the gift of the Magi mean?
At the end of the story Della cuts and sells her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch, and Jim sells his watch to buy Della combs for her hair. Here we have a classic case of irony. The determination to find the perfect gift leads each character to make a sacrifice; that sacrifice makes each gift useless.
Why does O’Henry designate Jim and Della as wisest?
Della and Jim are wise, because they each sacrificed something they loved for a gift for someone they loved more than the sacrifice itself.
Why is Jim shocked that Della cut her hair?
The reason he is shocked to see her without her long hair is that he also wanted to get a nice Christmas present for Della. He gives her the present wrapped in paper and Della unwraps it to see that Jim had bought her a set of beautiful combs for her hair. She had seen them in a shop before, but they were so expensive.
How did Jim pay Christmas gift to Della?
In order to afford a gift for each other, Della and Jim (independently) sell their most prized possession to get money for the gift. Jim sells his watch. Della’s gift to Jim is a chain for his watch (which he just sold). Jim’s gift to Della is a set of combs that she wants for her hair (which she just sold).
What is the relationship between Jim and Della?
Their relationship is unselfish, which is the point of the story. They love each other so much that each sacrifices the possession most valuable to him or her in order to purchase a fine gift for the other. And their relationship is reciprocal; Della loves Jim as much as he loves her, and vice versa.
