The Gift of the Magi - Essay Example

In the story, O. Henry uses a detailed, humorous, and well-meaning tone. The writer uses a detailed tone for the story by showing the Della’s, the main character, emotion, action, and her environment in detail. The author describes in-depth how Della worries about what to buy for her husband Jim’s at Christmas. The story describes Della’s emotion when he writes: “There was clearly nothing to do but to flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So, Della did it. This instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating” (O.

Henry 164). Della’s actions and emotions are explained in detail from the following passage. “After Della cut her hair, she got her curling irons, lit the gas, and went to work, repairing the ravages made by generosity. This is always a tremendous task, dear friends, a mammoth task“(O. Henry 166). A humorous tone is shown when the author explains about the main characters. This is evidenced in the story when Della says to herself, “If Jim does not kill me,” he will take a second look at me and say that I look like a Coney Island chorus girl.

But, what could I do? Oh! What could I do with a dollar and eighty seven cents?” (O. Henry 166). . Henry 166). The two main characters in “The Gift of the MAGI” are Della Young and James Dillingham Young. Della Young is a positive and honest person because she sells her long beautiful long hair in order to buy a gift for her husband at Christmas. This is shown in the following passage: “pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheek burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied” (O.

Henry 164). In the story, it is shown that Della is an honest person. James Dillingham Young is Della’s husband. He looks thin and very serious. He appears tired because of the burden of taking care of his family. As such, he needs a new overcoat and gloves (O. Henry 166). Also, he sells his gold watch, which was his grandfather’s, in order to buy a Christmas gift for his wife. “The Gift of the MAGI” addresses the true love between two people, even though they are very poor. The story states that “Della and Jim live at home.

He is paid eight dollars per week. As such, they are poor. However, they love and cherish each other very much” (O. Henry 164). Also, the writer conveys a theme within the characters through evidence. Della and Jim think about what gift to buy for each other for Christmas. Della’s response is to “cut her hair, which ripples and shines like a cascade of brown water because she wants to buy a gift for Jim” (O. Henry 165). Also, “Jim wants sell his watch because he wants to give Della a luxury comb.

Della especially liked the ones in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs are like pure tortoise shells with jeweled rims. The shade can be worn in beautiful varnished hair” (O. Henry