the gift of the magi analysis plot

A Summary and Analysis of O. Henry’s ‘The Gift of the Magi’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘The Gift of the Magi’ is a short story by the US short-story writer O. Henry, whose real name was William Sydney Porter (1862-1910). His stories are characterised by their irony, their chatty narrative style, their occasional sentimentality, and by their surprise twist endings.

All of these things became something of a signature feature, and ‘The Gift of the Magi’ embodies them all to some extent. But what does this Christmas story mean?

You can read ‘The Gift of the Magi’ here before proceeding to our summary and analysis of O. Henry’s story below.

We discuss some of the key themes of ‘The Gift of the Magi’ in a separate post.

‘The Gift of the Magi’: plot summary

It is Christmas Eve. Jim and Della are a married couple living in a modest furnished flat in New York. They have little money. The story opens with Della upset because she has just one dollar and eighty-seven cents to spend on a Christmas present for her husband.

The narrator tells us the married couple each have a possession in which they take great pride. For Jim, it’s a gold watch that had been his father’s and, before that, his grandfather’s. Della’s prized possession is her beautiful hair.

Della goes to a woman who deals in hair goods. This woman agrees to buy Della’s hair for twenty dollars. With the newly acquired money, Della goes to buy a platinum fob chain for Jim’s gold watch. This costs her twenty-one dollars, leaving her just eighty-seven cents in the whole world. When she gets home, she sets about curling what’s left of her hair so it looks presentable.

When Jim gets home, he is surprised by his wife’s actions, but when she explains why she had her hair cut off, he embraces her and gives her the present he has bought her: two jewelled tortoiseshell combs she has long admired in a shop window. The combs are useless to her until her hair grows out again, but at least she can give Jim his present …

But in a last twist, Jim tells Della that he sold his gold watch to pay for the expensive combs he bought for her. So now, she has two combs but no hair to use them on, and he has a platinum fob chain for a gold watch he no longer owns.

‘The Gift of the Magi’: analysis

Many of O. Henry’s short stories – the majority of which stretch to only five or six pages – are marked by their ironic twists, and ‘The Gift of the Magi’ is a good example of this typical feature of his work.

In their attempts to buy each other their dream Christmas gift, young Jim and Della end up sacrificing the very things that their presents are designed to complement: the combs for Della’s (sold) hair, and the chain for Jim’s (sold) watch. As the narrator observes in the final paragraph:

The magi, as you know, were wise men – wonderfully wise men – who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. 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 O. Henry is not inviting us to laugh at their folly, but to celebrate their sacrifice. Indeed, what motivated them was not foolishness but wisdom, as the narrator remarks in the story’s closing words:

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.

So there are, in a sense, two surprise twists at the end of ‘The Gift of the Magi’: the trademark plot twist which characterises most of O. Henry’s short stories, and the narratorial ‘twist’ in which he overturns our initial response – which might be to laugh good-naturedly at the unhappy turn of events which have just been narrated – and makes a moral point that Jim and Della behaved out of wisdom, even though they ended up with ‘useless’ presents from each other.

This is all well and good, but it’s worth noting that the narrator doesn’t gloss why he believes that Jim and Della were ‘wisest’ of all gift-givers. Of course, ‘wise’ here is suggested by the Magi, the Zoroastrian astrologers who, in the Gospel of Matthew , visited the infant Jesus and brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh: hence the title of the story.

But what makes Jim and Della wise? And why doesn’t O. Henry tell us? Is it because he wanted us to make up our own minds, or did he assume that the answer was fairly self-explanatory?

The latter seems more likely. For surely the ‘moral’ of ‘The Gift of the Magi’, given its Christmas setting and the fact that Jim and Della clearly love each other and treat each other well despite having no money to afford the finer things in life, is that love is more important than possessions. And when it comes to Christmas and buying gifts for our loved ones, it really is the thought that counts.

But there’s a little more to ‘The Gift of the Magi’ than this rather hackneyed old adage, which would reduce the story to a sentimental and rather twee fable about ‘giving being better than receiving’ and ‘love being more important than money’. Both of these statements are relevant to the story, but what is also relevant is the element of sacrifice the two characters make, and their reaction to learning the implications of this.

So Jim is happy to part with a gold watch that has been passed down the male line for three generations, while Della is happy to lose her hair (which would, despite her protestations, take many months to grow back fully) in order to purchase the gift the other one most desires. But with the story’s twist, they learn that their personal sacrifices – committed for their love of the other one – have been in vain.

But they are happy about this, not because of the gesture of buying the gift but the great cost that it has incurred for the other. Love, O. Henry seems to say, is about giving up that which you most treasure in order to show your beloved – whom you should love even more – the extent of your devotion.

In other words, what is remarkable about ‘The Gift of the Magi’ is that its moral seems to be not just ‘giving is better than receiving’ but ‘giving and losing is all that matters’, since what they receive is of no practical use to them.

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The Gift of the Magi

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Gift of the Magi: Introduction

The gift of the magi: plot summary, the gift of the magi: detailed summary & analysis, the gift of the magi: themes, the gift of the magi: quotes, the gift of the magi: characters, the gift of the magi: symbols, the gift of the magi: literary devices, the gift of the magi: quiz, the gift of the magi: theme wheel, brief biography of o. henry.

Historical Context of The Gift of the Magi

Other books related to the gift of the magi.

• Full Title: The Gift of the Magi
• When Written: 1905
• Where Written: New York City
• When Published: 1905
• Literary Period: Realism
• Genre: Short story/Parable
• Setting: A city, probably around the beginning of the 20th century
• Climax: Della opens her present and finds the combs
• Antagonist: Poverty
• Point of View: Third person omniscient, with a focus on Della’s perspective

Extra Credit for The Gift of the Magi

“Grift of the Magi.” “Gift of the Magi” has inspired numerous pop culture references, including a Sesame Street holiday special and a Simpsons episode called “Grift of the Magi.”

Banana Republic. O. Henry coined the term “banana republic” to describe a small tropical nation with a narrowly agrarian economy when he fled to Honduras to escape trial in 1886.

The Gift of the Magi

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Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

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Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Analysis: “The Gift of the Magi”

Gift giving is at the heart of the story. O. Henry wrote “The Gift of the Magi” as a Christmas story, and the title references the first gifts given in the Christmas tradition. The Magi were three kings who traveled to see Jesus shortly after his birth. The kings brought priceless gifts with them: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. O. Henry juxtaposes the Magi’s gifts with the gifts that Della and Jim give each other for Christmas. Even though they cannot afford to buy each other nice things, they make extraordinary sacrifices to do so. The weight of the sacrifice highlights their love for each other and adds value to the gifts they give. At the heart of the story, however, is a sense of irony . The gifts they buy each other (a hair comb and a watch chain) are useless because they each sold their most valued possession.

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The Gift of the Magi Plot Analysis

Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice., initial situation, "one dollar and eighty-seven cents. that was all." (1).

The story's opening sentences confront us right away with the problem : Della only has $1.87 to buy a Christmas present, and it's Christmas Eve. After the first paragraph, the narrator gives us a bit more fleshing out of the situation. Della's in a meager flat, she and her husband Jim are poor, she loves her husband more than anything else in the whole world. Plus, she positively needs to buy him the perfect Christmas present. With $1.87. When Della lets down her hair, we also learn the other most important fact for the story: her hair and Jim's gold watch are the only prized possessions the couple has. Everything is now set up for the rest of the story to unfold.

Della sells her hair.

The conflict is supposedly the moment where the "problem" in the story appears, but this story began right from the first with a problem. In "Gift of the Magi" the point of conflict actually solves the first problem and replaces it with a second. By selling her hair, Della gets the money to buy Jim a great present, eliminating the first problem through decisive action. Shortly thereafter she finds the perfect present, so neither the money nor the present is the issue any longer. But now there's a new problem: will Jim be pleased by Della's action and appreciate her gift, or will he be angry with her for parting with the hair he loved so much?

Complication

Jim is shocked by della's short hair..

When Jim arrives, he doesn't seem to react well: he stares at Della and can't seem to process that her hair is gone. But it doesn't look like he's angry, so much as simply shocked. Della can't quite understand what kind of reaction he's having, nor can we. This creates suspense; we want to know what it is he's actually feeling. We also want to know how he'll react to Della's gift. When Jim snaps out of his shock, he tells Della (and us) that his reaction will make sense when Della opens the present he bought her…

When Della opens Jim's present to find the combs, we understand why Jim was so shocked. It also becomes clear now that he's not angry with Della, and he assures her he'll love her no matter how she looks. Although the climax doesn't fully "predict" the ending, it is the first half of the twist. And if we do get to thinking about where Jim got the money to buy those combs, we might be able to guess what happens next.

Della's Turn

We're still waiting to know how Jim will react to Della's gift, and we might also be wondering just how he got the money to buy those expensive combs. Della gives Jim the watch chain, and…

So…how about those pork chops?

Presented with his gift, Jim calmly reveals (with a smile) that he sold his watch to buy Della her combs. So her present is useless too. Well, that does it for the Christmas presents. Not much left to do but eat those pork chops.

Pretty fly for magi.

In the narrator's final paragraph, which is definitely a "zoom out" of epic proportions, the narrator tells us that it doesn't really matter that Jim and Della's presents turned out to be useless. They are the wisest givers of all – in fact, they're the magi. We leave feeling satisfied and happy.

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Literature › Analysis of O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi

Analysis of O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on May 24, 2021

Although many critics do not view O. Henry ’s stories as first-rate literature, some of his many hundreds of tales have become classic. “The Gift of the Magi,” touching as it does a common human cord, is one of those stories. Not tragic, perhaps sentimental or a little didactic, it combines the themes of married love and selfl essness with the techniques of suspense and the O. Henry surprise ending.

Della Dillingham Young and her husband, Jim, on the edge of poverty but deeply in love, wish to purchase Christmas gifts that will surprise and please the other. The narrator focuses on Della as she tries to figure a way to find enough money to buy her husband a fine gift. Each of them has a prize possession: Jim’s is a gold watch that belonged to his father and his grandfather, and Della’s is her long, thick, luxuriant hair. Suddenly Della realizes that she could sell her hair for enough money to buy Jim a gold chain for his watch. The touches of realistic detail add to the poignancy of her sacrifice: She had only $1.87 but, with the sale of her hair, she receives the $20 to buy the watch chain.

O. Henry/Wikimedia

At home, feeling shorn and sheepish, Della greets Jim with her school-boyish haircut. Because the narrator has focused on Della’s thoughts rather than Jim’s, readers feel suspense in waiting for his response. Not only does he tell her that he will love her no matter what she does with her hair, but he gives her two beautiful jeweled, tortoiseshell combs that she had admired. When Della gives him the watch chain, he suggests putting their fine presents away for a while: He has sold his watch so that he could buy Della the combs for her hair. The narrator points out that the two may have unwisely sacrificed their valuable possessions, but they are the wisest gift givers of all. Despite the moral and the sentiment—or perhaps because of them—“The Gift of the Magi” in its very simplicity appeals to a love and loyalty for which many modern readers, no matter how sophisticated, may still yearn.

Analysis of O. Henry’s Stories

BIBLIOGRAPHY Blansfi eld, Karen Charmaine. Cheap Rooms and Restless Hearts: A Study of the Formula in the Urban Tales of Porter Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Press, 1988. Henry, O. “The Gift of the Magi.” In Stories, edited by Harry Hansen. New York: Heritage Press, 1965.

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• The Gift of Magi

Introduction

The Gift of Magi is a short story written by an American short story writer, William Sydney Porter . He has written his literary works under the pen name of O’ Henry . This story was first published in 1905.

It is a sentimental tale of a financially upset couple. Both of them sold out their prized possessions in order to buy presents for each other for Christmas. In the end, their gifts become useless.

This story is written in the 19th century highlighting the economic disturbance of those times. It also throws light on the prevailing materialism in society. One can also find it a commentary on the sufferings and struggles of the middle class trying to overcome the upset financial situation.

The Gift of Magi Summary

Della Dillingham, holding 1.87 dollars in her hand wanders here and there in the room. She is worried because it’s Christmas Eve and she needs to buy a gift for her loving and caring husband to show that she loves her too.  Also, she feels like crying because she doesn’t know what to do.

Moreover, the couple lives in a small and simple apartment. James Young Dillingham is a gentleman and husband of Della. He works in an office in the city. Recently he was receiving 30 dollars a week which has drastically fallen to 20 dollars a week and due to which the family upsets a bit. 

The only pride with the Dillingham family is the gold watch James is having which is believed to be given to his father by his grandfather. On the other side, Della’s most beautiful thing is her hair. James loves her long brown hair.

Della is thinking about how to give James a gift. Meantime she comes in front of the mirror in her room. The narrator describes it as not a good mirror as it is thin and gets very difficult for anyone to catch his glimpse in it. However, Della is a thin girl so she easily catches a view of herself.

In all of her nervousness, she opens her hair which falls to its full length to her knees. She has beautiful brown hair which shines brightly. Upon seeing her hair, an idea probes in her mind. She rushes to the stairs and goes down to the street and sees the name of the shop on the street Mrs Sofronie. 

She runs towards the shop and goes inside and asks Mrs Sofronie whether she will buy her hair or not. She tells her to open her hair. When she sees her brown hair fall like a stream from top to her knees she at once says 20 dollars.

After the haircut, Della goes to the market to buy a gift for James. Now she has 21 dollars and 87 cents. She crosses the whole market and a number of shops until she finds a beautiful watch chain. When she looks at it she at once thinks of buying it. Eventually, she buys it and thinks like it was made for James. She returns home happily.  

Similarly, she is smiling and blushing that how happy and delighted James will be when he sees this beautiful watch chain as he was already in need of one.

Subsequently, she comes home and straightly goes to her room. Sitting in her room she thinks about her hair cut which seems more like a schoolboy cut. On this, she becomes slightly upset as it was her most beautiful and dear possession.  Due to this, she also imagines how badly James will feel when he comes to know her hair is gone. Then, she keeps waiting in her room for James to return home.

 At 7 o’clock, James arrives and she listens to his steps approaching the room. She excitedly goes downstairs and stops there as James looks at her strangely because of her haircut. She tells him not to look at her like that because his weird look is hurting her. She asks whether James loves her in long hair and will not love her like this. 

Upon hearing this from Della, James comes near her and says nothing can lessen his love for her. Then, he expresses his disappointment by showing the gift he bought for her. At that time, he says to Della if she sees what he has brought for her as a gift she would feel the same as he felt. Della steps towards the gift and as her white finger opens the box tears come out of her eyes.

There are two beautiful jeweled combs which she has seen in a shop and wanted it but she couldn’t buy it. James says that he sold his gold watch to buy this for her. Now her hair is gone so they are of no worth or use for her. Della, though upset, builds courage and says to James to forget about these gifts as they are worthy of not our use for now, and let’s enjoy our Christmas night as we are losing time.

Themes in The Gift of Magi

Endless love.

One of the themes of this story written by O’ Henry is the revelation of endless love between the couple. They both sell their valuable things to buy gifts for one another and to show how much they love each other. Della sells her hair and buys a watch chain for her husband and lover as he has not got a good chain with his family watch. So she sells her hair, a beautiful thing for her love.

One the other side James sells his family watch given to him by his father to buy a gift for her wife. This shows and proves how much they love each other. In the end, the love they are having for one another triumphs over the material things.

O’ Henry has tactfully interwoven the theme of inner and outer beauty. Throughout the story, one can see the narrator praising Della’s hair and Jim’s watch. Similarly, there are also the glimpses of outer beauty occurring in the prized gifts they bought for each other.

However, all those things possess only outer beauty as those are only material objects. The very inner beauty lies in both characters; the love they are having for each other. Those material objects also reflect the love and selflessness they are having. In the end, the objects of outer beauty fail but love gains victory.

Readers may find the spark of selflessness in both characters. This very element leads them to sacrifice. Della, being a woman of beautiful hairs, the only possession she has, sacrificed it for her love. She just wanted to see delightfulness on Jim’s face.

On the other hand, Jim also sacrificed his prized possession, passed down to him from generations for her wife. He wanted to give Della happiness on the Eve of Christmas. For this, he sold his watch.

Characters Analysis

Della dillingham.

She is the caring, beautiful, and loving wife of Jim Dillingham. She calls him Jim shortly and with love. Moreover, she has only prized possession that is her beautiful hair with the length from head to knees. Readers may explore most of the story through her perspective.

Similarly, she is described as an affectionate and selfless character. From the start of the story, she seems worried about how to purchase a gift of Christmas for her husband. She tried her best to save even a single penny. But in the end, money is not enough to buy any gift for Jim. So, she thought it best to cut her hair in order to buy him a fob chain. This shows her deep love for Jim and her selfless nature.

James Dillingham

James Young Dillingham called by Della as Jim is a gentleman of age 22 but has a burden of responsibilities of running home and family. Nevertheless the heavy burden, he seems content, quiet, and good-natured.

Just like his wife he has only prized possession of a gold watch passed down from generations. Similar in manner to his wife, he sold his prized possession and bought a gift of tortoise comb for Della. This describes his love and cares towards Della. 

Madame Sofronie

She is the owner of the hair shop to which Della sells her hair. She is described as a brusque and cold lady. Moreover, she so much to the point that she didn’t waste time in evaluating and paid twenty dollars for the hairs of Della.

Literary Analysis

This story recounts the endless love between the couple, the way they sacrificed their prized possessions for each other. On one hand, Della cut her hair to make enough money to buy a fob chain for Jim. On the other hand, Jim sells his gold watch, passed down from generations, just to buy a beautiful comb for Della.

However, their sacrifices also elaborate foolishness. They bought one other beautiful and prized gifts but that turns out in vain. Tortoise comb is useless without Della’s hair. In the same way, the fob chain is useless with Jim’s gold watch. This alludes to the very gifts brought by wise men for Jesus on his birth. Similarly, those gifts were also useless for Christ but all that matters is love and sincerity with which gifts are bought.

The couple expressing the way of love is also weird. This depicts the materialism that was prevalent in those times. The 19th century was the age of industrialism which sprouts out materialism, economic disturbance, and class consciousness. Readers can find the aforementioned glimpses when both characters chose materials to express love for each other.

Moreover, the view of their apartment also mirrors the middle-class society of those times. Jim was overburdened with financial responsibilities. Though, he struggles a lot but couldn’t stabilize his family.

Despite low income, they have maintained to furnish their apartments so the people can socialize with them. This highlights the concept of that society that everyone socializes with materials, not with humans. Emotions and feelings were kept aside.

O’ Henry seems to be rebuking the concept of materialism. He alludes to the Queen of Sheba and King of Solomon to represent the jewels and wealth by comparing them with the possessions of Della and Jim. He is of the view that strong emotions are attached to those things; Della’s hairs and Jim’s watch. However, they sacrificed it for love.

In this way, he criticizes society’s proclivity towards material gains. He seems to advocate the value of sincerity and love that society lacked. Though those three kings also bought precious presents, their emotions and sincerity are counted anyway.

In the end, O’ Henry calls both of the characters wise. There he makes it explicit though both of them sold out things to buy gifts for Christmas. However, the only thing that beheld the couple and remained until the end was love.

O’ Henry uses the situation of Christmas to highlight that occasion not just means exchange of gifts. Rather it means unity, sincerity, and love. Even without materials, you can celebrate it if one’s heart is pure.

Significance of the Title

The title of this story can be elaborated with two perspectives.

Firstly, the title is a biblical allusion of three wise men or kings who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh for Christ on his birth in Bethlehem.

Likewise, O’ Henry develops this idea of precious gifts and love via Della and Jim’s character. Della and Jim have sacrificed their most prized possessions for one another so they are relatable with aforementioned wise men.

The story takes place in a tiny apartment which costs eight dollars a month. However, the location and time period is not explicitly mentioned. But one can assume that the story is set in the early 1900s in New York.

O’ Henry has used the following symbols in the story:

Della’s Hair

In the story, Della’s hair represents her youth and beauty. O’ Henry uses incredible imagery to describe her hair by depicting its length to her knees. Besides these, Della’s hair is also a symbol of love and sacrifice that she did for her husband Jim. She wanted to give him a precious present to show her love. However, she didn’t have enough money, so she cut her hair just to buy Jim a precious gift.

Jim’s Gold Watch

Jim’s gold watch has passed down to him through generations. This expresses the sentiments of Jim’s ties to his family. Moreover, it also symbolizes his love for Della and the time he spent working to support the household.

Nevertheless, the memories attached to the gold watch he sold it out to buy a beautiful gift for his wife Della. Given that, it represents the unstable financial position of the young couple as well.

O’ Henry has used incredible imagery at different places to mirror the exact view before the readers. At first, O’ Henry describes the mortification of Della of being a miser. He draws colour imagery to paint the image of Della’s cheek that “one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony”.

Moreover, O’ Henry has tactfully depicted the doleful feelings of Della that readers are fully able to understand it. The narrator says “She stood by the window and looked out dully at a grey cat walking a grey fence in a grey backyard” . This provides glimpses of her sorrows and disappointment as she hasn’t enough money to buy a gift for Jim at Christmas.

Similarly, O’ Henry shows the apartment of a young couple. He uses pun on certain words to contradict the outlook of Della for her house. He describes “ It did not exactly beggar description “. However, then he uses the phrase “mendicancy squad” which also means beggar. 

In this way, he shows that the apartment is tiny and in the possession of a financially unstable couple but they have managed to keep it well with all they have.

Likewise, O’ Henry pinpoints Della’s meagre situation by saying “ On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat”. This depicts how poor she is surviving a little.

Further, Della’s hair and Jim’s watch worth is described by comparing it with Queen of Sheba and King of Solomon. By this O’ Henry describes how Della makes Sheba envious by the charm of her hairs. Even King Solomon’s treasures lose their worth when Jim passes by with his watch.

Literary Devices

Verbal irony.

O’ Henry has applied verbal irony when describing the only prized possessions of both characters.  Firstly, he compares Della’s hairs with the jewels of Queen of Sheba that even Sheba would be envious of the beauty of her hair. On the other hand, he describes King Solomon despite the wealth that he would be anxious to hold Jim’s watch in his hands.

 However, in the end, both sacrificed their only prized possessions to buy gifts for each other. But those gifts; a fob chain is useless without Jim’s gold watch. Likewise, the tortoise comb is useless without Della’s hair. Their gifts are useless just like the gifts of those wise men who brought precious gifts for baby Jesus. But all that matters is love, intimacy, and sacrifice of those gifts.

Dramatic Irony

It happens when Della opens up Jim’s present finds a tortoise comb. For a short moment, she forgets that she had cut her hair and now it is useless for her.

Also, it may happen when readers beforehand know that Jim has sold his watch to buy the present for Della.

Situational Irony

It occurs when Della didn’t understand the expression of Jim’s face. She thought his love was gone with her hair. However, the reason was the wastage of Jim’s present for Della as she cut her hair.

Readers beforehand understood the weird expression of Jim’s face. But Della failed to comprehend that.

The title alludes to three wise men or kings who brought precious gifts for Jesus on his birth. Moreover, O’ Henry alludes to “ Queen of Sheba” and “King of Solomon” to describe the worth of both character’s possessions.

Hyperbole occurs when the narrator describes the prized possessions of both characters. Firstly he compares Della’s hair with “ Queen of Sheba” and how envious she becomes after seeing Della’s hairs despite Her Majesty’s jewels.

Secondly, he exaggerates the worth of Jim’s watch with the anxiousness of “King Solomon” just to catch a glimpse of it. He would forget all his treasures before this watch.

Metaphors, Personification, and Similes

One may find the narrator personifying Della’s haggling and desire of saving money with the power of bulldozers. The narrator says “Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer”. In the same manner, the narrator personifies Della’s embarrassment for being parsimonious with the burning “ one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony”.

Moreover, the narrator beautifies Della’s hair by metaphorically relating it to waterfall “ Down rippled the brown cascade”

Similarly, one can see similes when the narrator describes the hair cut of Della resembling “ like a truant schoolboy”. Moreover, with the help of simile narrator depicts her look after the hair cut “like a Coney Island chorus girl”

Genre & Tone

The Gift of Magi is a short story containing the elements of realistic fiction. It is told through a rueful and affectionate tone.

More From O. Henry

Short stories.

• A Retrieved Reformation
• The Green Door
• A Service of Love
• The Last Leaf
• The Ransom of Red Chief
• The Cop and the Anthem
• The Furnished Room
• Memoirs of a Yellow Dog

The Gift of the Magi Summary and Analysis  

Gift of the magi summary.

This article explains and presents the story Gift of the magi summary and analysis. The author is O. Henry. The period of this story Gift of the magi Summary is 1900 just before Christmas. Most of the actions are in the cheap apartment of Della and her husband Jim. Della was having only a dollar and eighty-seven cents as saving for buying a Christmas present for Jim.

As it was not enough money, she decided to sell her long and beautiful hair for twenty dollars. Then she bought a watch chain for the watch of her husband. Similarly, Jim had purchased tortoiseshell combs with jeweled rims for Della. Jim managed money for the gift by selling his watch. These gifts tie into this story of the wise men, or the Magi, who brought the gifts to the new-born baby Jesus.

Gift of the magi Summary in short

This article is dealing with Gift of the magi Summary by American author O. Henry. Gift of the magi Summary is given here in a brief way with proper analysis. Della is a devoted young married woman. On Christmas Eve she finds that she has only one dollar and eighty-seven cents as savings to buy a gift for her husband, Jim. She manages a reduction in the expenses for the family for this occasion. They are living in an eight-dollar-a-week flat. They are having bare minimum in their surroundings, which is even by the greatest stretch of the imagination, do not meet the standards of poverty. Still, Della determines that she cannot live through Christmas without giving the gift to Jim.

Della is struggling to find a solution to her problem. Then she gets an idea about it. She quickly puts on her brown coat and brown hat and then she moves towards a hairdresser named Madame Sofronie. Sofronie does cutting of her hair till shoulder and hence gives her 20 dollars for it.

After that, Della starts searching for the perfect present for Jim. She does a hard attempt to find a suitable gift, but she was disappointed due to not finding a suitable one. Then she remembers Jim’s most treasured possession, which is his grandfather’s gold watch. But Jim has to tie a leather strap to the watch as its original chain broke. Therefore she decides to buy the strip, as it will be precisely a suitable gift for him. She moves many shops and looking for just the right watch chain. Finally, she finds a handsome, platinum chain. Its cost is 21 dollars. Della buys it and then returns home with the remaining money left.

At the flat, Della is worrying that Jim might not find her attractive without her hair as earlier. So, she spends the rest of the evening making her hair more presentable as much possible. Then she prepares the dinner. Jim comes back to home on the daily routine time. As soon as he sees Della without her long, beautiful hair, he stops shockingly. Della is clueless that what to make of his reaction. He is neither angry nor sad, just looking as surprised and confused. When Della questions him about, Jim gives her the gift and tells her that it is his Christmas present to her and she can understand his reaction only after seeing the gift. She opens it and finds that it contains a set of combs. He had bought this gift for her beautiful hair, and now she had no hair to put them in.

Then Della gives her gift to him to cheer him up. But, now it is the turn of Della for a surprise. The gift for Jim now has no use for him. Jim tells her that in order to arrange enough money to buy the combs, he had to sell his gold watch. After that, Jim smiles and tells her that they should keep the gifts with them to remind themselves about the love which exists between them for each other.

Analysis of the story:

This story is really a beautiful love story with a precious and important message. It ends with the storyteller comparing both gifts to the gifts of the Magi. Magi were the three wise men who are said to have brought the first Christmas gifts to the baby Jesus. Anyone can make a conclusion about their foolish characters. Because they gave up their most valuable possessions and were left with completely useless items. They had to sacrifice their most precious belongings in order to get these gifts. Thus they showed that their love was far more valuable to them than any such things. Therefore we should make the right impression about them as their gifts are displaying powerful themes of love, sacrifice, and hence the concept of true value and worth.

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3 responses to “My Greatest Olympic Prize Summary”

The wonderful summary thank you for this.

They did not belong to the family of gorden cook and you also didn’t write the spelling correct it’s James cook 😶😑

What’s funny is that Miss Fairchild said the line- “Money isn’t everything. But people always misunderstand things and remain stupid-” when she herself misunderstood the situation.

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“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry- Summary, Analysis, Characters & Themes

Table of Contents

About the Story : The Gift of the Magi

Analysis : the gift of the magi.

“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is a heartwarming story about love and sacrifice. The main characters, Jim and Della, are a poor but devoted couple. Each wants to give the other a special Christmas gift. In a twist of irony, they end up sacrificing their most prized possessions to afford gifts for each other. The story highlights the depth of their love and the true meaning of selflessness. It teaches us that the value of a gift is not in its material worth but in the love and sacrifice behind it.

Characters : The Gift of the Magi

The characters of “The Gift of the Magi” by are:

• Della Dillingham Young : A young woman with beautiful long hair who loves her husband, Jim, deeply.
• James Dillingham Young (Jim) : Della’s husband, who also loves her deeply. He is willing to sacrifice for her happiness.
• Madame Sofronie: A shopkeeper who buys Della’s hair. She is not very kind or sympathetic.

Themes : The Gift of the Magi

The themes of “The Gift of the Magi” by are:

• True love:  Della and Jim’s love for each other is the driving force of the story. They are willing to sacrifice their most prized possessions in order to make each other happy.
• Selflessness:  Della and Jim’s gifts to each other are not about material possessions, but about showing how much they care. They are willing to put the other person’s needs before their own.
• Generosity:  Della and Jim’s gifts are not expensive or extravagant, but they are meaningful and heartfelt. They show that it is the thought that counts.
• Sacrifice:  Della and Jim are willing to give up something important to them in order to make the other person happy. This shows that their love is strong and enduring.
• Unconditional love:  Della and Jim’s love for each other is not based on appearances or material possessions. They love each other for who they are.

Watch Full Video Summary of “The Gift of the Magi”

The Gift of the Magi Summary

Once upon a time, in a humble apartment in a bustling city, lived a young couple named Jim and Della Young. They were deeply in love but faced financial struggles that tested the strength of their relationship. It was a few days before Christmas, and the air was filled with the spirit of the season. The couple had little money, yet they were determined to make the holiday special for each other.

Jim worked long hours at a modest job, while Della devoted her time to managing their modest home. Despite their limited means, they cherished the love they shared. As Christmas approached, the couple found themselves in a predicament – they wanted to give each other meaningful gifts but had little to spare.

Della, with her long, flowing hair and radiant eyes, thought long and hard about what she could give Jim. She knew how much he cherished his prized possession – a beautiful gold pocket watch that had been passed down through generations. She also knew that Jim had been eyeing a set of expensive leather straps for the watch, hoping to enhance its elegance.

Determined to make Jim’s Christmas special, Della decided to sell her most prized possession – her luscious, chestnut hair. It was a decision made out of pure love, a sacrifice that she believed would bring joy to her husband’s heart. With a heavy heart, she visited a local hair salon and exchanged her locks for a modest sum of money.

With the money she earned, Della set out to find the perfect gift for Jim. She searched high and low, but all her efforts fell short. In the end, she settled for a set of exquisite leather straps for Jim’s treasured watch. The straps were finely crafted, adding a touch of sophistication to the old timepiece. Della was excited about the joy she anticipated Jim would feel when he received the gift.

Meanwhile, Jim, a handsome young man with a heart full of love for his wife, faced a similar dilemma. He wanted to give Della a gift that would reflect the depth of his affection but had limited resources. Jim cherished Della’s beautiful, long hair and admired its silky texture. He knew that Della often gazed at a delicate set of combs with jeweled rims in a shop window, dreaming of adorning her lovely hair with them.

Determined to make Della’s Christmas special, Jim decided to part with his most prized possession – his beloved gold pocket watch. He knew the watch held sentimental value, having been passed down through generations, but he believed that sacrificing it for Della’s happiness was worth it. With a heavy heart, Jim sold the watch to a local jeweler, receiving a sum of money that he hoped would be enough to purchase the combs Della had admired.

With the money in hand, Jim rushed to the shop, eager to buy the perfect gift for his wife. He marveled at the exquisite combs, their jeweled rims sparkling in the soft light. He knew Della would be overjoyed to receive such a beautiful and thoughtful present.

As Christmas Eve approached, Jim and Della found themselves in a situation where each had sacrificed their most cherished possession for the other. Little did they know that their gifts would render each other’s possessions useless.

On Christmas morning, the couple exchanged their carefully wrapped gifts. Della presented Jim with the elegant leather straps for his watch, her eyes shining with anticipation. Jim, in turn, handed Della the jeweled combs, eager to see her delight.

However, their joy was short-lived when they realized the extent of each other’s sacrifices. Della’s gift, the leather straps, was rendered useless without Jim’s watch, and Jim’s gift, the jeweled combs, was equally useless without Della’s long hair to adorn.

In that moment, as the truth unfolded, the couple faced a mixture of emotions – surprise, disappointment, and ultimately, a profound understanding of the depth of their love. They realized that the material possessions they had sacrificed were insignificant compared to the love they shared.

Jim and Della held each other close, tears streaming down their faces. In the simplicity of that moment, they discovered the true meaning of Christmas – a celebration of love, sacrifice, and the enduring bond between two souls. The gifts may have been impractical, but the love that inspired them was timeless and priceless.

As the story of Jim and Della Young spread, it became a testament to the spirit of giving, selflessness, and the enduring power of love. Their humble apartment, once filled with the scent of sacrifice, became a haven of warmth and understanding. And so, in the heart of a bustling city, amidst the twinkling lights of Christmas, the Youngs embraced the true essence of the season – the gift of love that transcends material possessions and lasts a lifetime.

What is The Gift of the Magi summary?

A young couple makes great sacrifices to buy each other Christmas gifts that they can’t use.

What is the main idea of the gift of Magi?

True love is more important than material possessions.

What are the 3 gifts of the Magi and what do they represent?

The three gifts of the Magi are gold, frankincense, and myrrh, representing Jesus’ kingship, divinity, and humanity.

What did Jim sacrifice in The Gift of the Magi?

Jim sacrificed his precious heirloom pocket watch to buy combs for Della’s hair.

Why Jim and Della are called the Magi?

Jim and Della are called the Magi because they sacrificed their most prized possessions to express their love for each other, just like the Magi gave gifts to baby Jesus out of love.

What does the gift of Magi teach us about love?

The Gift of the Magi teaches us that true love is selfless and willing to make sacrifices for the happiness of others.

Why did Della sell her hair?

Della sold her beautiful hair because she wanted to buy her husband Jim a special Christmas gift.

What is the irony in the gift of Magi?

The irony in “The Gift of the Magi” is that the couple’s loving sacrifices for each other end up rendering their gifts useless.

What is Jim’s greatest possession?

Jim’s most prized possession is a gold pocket watch handed down from his father.

What is the surprise ending in the gift of magi?

The surprise ending in “The Gift of the Magi” is that both the husband and wife sacrifice their most prized possessions to buy gifts for each other, only to find that their gifts are now unusable.

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