Symbolism In The Gift Of The Magi

One dollar and eighty seven cents.That was all.Three times Della counted it.One dollar and eighty seven cents and the next day was Christmas.In the story “The Gift Of The Magi” the main character Della cuts her hair,which is her prized possesion to buy a tab chain for her husband.Jim’s pocket watch.In this story the author shows us how people sometimes sacrifice for love.Unfortunetely Jim sells his watch to buy Della a set of combs for her hair.

In the story the main literary element is theme,which is impacted by character, conflict,irony,setting point of view,symbolism,tone and mood.The theme in this story is love is a better gift than any item.The setting of the story impacts the theme because Della and Jim live in a poor community and

Henry,these essences are one and the same.The author suggests that sentiment does not have to be sacrificed to the cause of realism.

The symbolism in "The Gift Of The Magi" is based upon the gifts given by Jim and Della.Both Jim and Della gave up a possesion the forfieted the importance of the gift they would receive from their spouse.The gifts showing the importance of giving everything of themselves.The key note in the story is that both Jim and Della do not focus on what they have lost ,but instead are touched (as the reader is) by the gifts that they have received.

0. Henry often chose to translate tragedy or misfortune into an emphasized regard and tenderness for the unlucky or the underdog.He never cared for the so-called higher classes but preferred to cull his characters,and his sympathies,from watching ordinary people on the streets and in the shops and cafes.This perspective on the world around him is highly visible in "The Gift Of The Magi", where ,to enforce his quasireligious message,he counterpoints the elements of love and caring with those of poverty and

Henry 's story tells us that it is not the gift that is important but the thought behind it.Jim should understand and appreaciate all the thought that Della had given to his present.She had spent the whole year saving up money to buy him something especially something nice,and she had also spent the whole year thinking about what she should get.She not only decided on a watch-fob but then spent a long time deciding exactly what kind of watch-fob it should be.O Henry 's Christmas story tells us that real love is always shown in caring more about someone else than we care about ourselves.Jim and Della really love each other Della cares more about him than she does about herself,and Jim cares more about her than he does about himself.These are thoughts and feelings that go with the spirit of Christmas and may not necessarily prevail throughout the entire