The gift of the magi
O. Henry
O. Henry was a pen
name of William Sydney Porter. He was a pharmacist, draftsman, bank teller and
journalist and he also began writing. Later he was known as an American short
story writer and his short stories were known for their surprise endings with
witty narration.
In this story O. Henry has talked about the
life of middleclass and how they have brought a Christmas gifts for each other.
The title of the story is significant. It represents Biblical Magi. Magi is referred
as Wise men or Three Kings who have visited Jesus after his birth and brought
gifts also. They have officially begun to present gifts on Christmas. In this
story the title contains the reference of ‘Magi’, as they were known as Wise Man,
in this story the couple is with a wise intention and also their sacrifice for
each other proves them a wise couple.
The story starts with the description of
money Della has before the Christmas Eve.
“One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That
was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a
time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s
cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing
implied. There times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And
the next day would be Christmas.”
She wants to buy a gift for her husband
but she does not have enough money for that. The couple was poor and living in
a flat which was not so good but the love of both for each other was wealthy
and pure. They both have only two things which can be considered as a precious,
first was the golden watch of Jim and second was the long hair of Della.
“now, there were two possessions of the
James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride, One was Jim’s
gold watch that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s and the other was
Della’s hair”
There
is a beautiful description of her hair in the short story.
“Della’s beautiful hair fell about her,
rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knees
and made itself almost a garment for her.”
Finally Della decided to sell her hair
for money and buy a gift for her husband. She sold her hair to Mme Sofronie for
twenty dollars. She has now twenty one dollars and eighty-seven cents. She brought
a platinum chain for his husband’s gold pocket watch. When she went to the
house she found that Jim brought a set of combs for her by selling his watch
and now it was not useful for her. The description of the Della is opening a
gift is interesting,
“White fingers and nimble tore at the
string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! A quick
feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment
of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.”
Both have brought gifts for each other
by selling their favourite and things on which they can take pride. At last
both gifts were of no use. Though it is a story of comparing a true love gifts
with Biblical story of Magi, we can observe the concept of poverty,
materialization and artificial way of living the life. Both were poor but gifts
were important to give and their sacrifice for each other is the most precious
gift for each other.
At last the narrator presents a last paragraph
in comparison of these two couples with Magi.
“The magi, as you know, were wise men – wonderfully wise men –
who brought gifts to the new-born King of the Jews. They invented the art of
giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones,
possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I
have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in
a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of
their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that
of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive
gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the Magi.”
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