O. Henry's short story "The Gift of the Magi" serves as a beautiful portrayal of pure love, non-material values, and devotion. Rehman et al. (2018) describe it as a story that highlights love, compassion, and care amidst extreme poverty. In typical O. Henry fashion, the story is set in a backdrop of gray rooms and cheap furniture, depicting the lives of poor working-class individuals who find warmth and kindness in their circumstances. The central message of the story revolves around the idea that love is the greatest gift of all, overshadowing the importance of material possessions.
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'The Gift of The Magi: a Reflection of Pure Love and Sacrifice'
The story follows the lives of Jim and Della, a young couple living in a rented flat, struggling to make ends meet. They possess few valuable items, with Jim owning a gold watch passed down from his father, and Della possessing long, beautiful hair. The plot unfolds on Christmas Eve as they both strive to find the perfect gifts for each other. Della, with only $1.78 in savings, desires to buy Jim a gift that is far more expensive than what she can afford. In a courageous act of selflessness, she cuts her hair and sells it to buy a chain for Jim's watch. On the other hand, Jim sells his watch to purchase a set of exquisite combs for Della's hair. When they exchange their gifts, they realize the irony of their actions, as they have given up their most precious possessions for gifts that have become useless. However, their love and sacrifice for one another bring them immense happiness.
O. Henry refers to Jim and Della as "the magi," drawing a parallel to the story of the magi who brought gifts to Jesus after his birth (O. Henry, 2019, p. 15). Although the magi's gifts were more valuable, their true worth lay in the reverence behind them. Similarly, Jim and Della's gifts were not valued by their price, but by the love and sacrifice embedded within them.
"The Gift of the Magi" teaches us that those who give are happier than those who receive, echoing a popular belief. O. Henry often explores the theme of love in his works, emphasizing non-material values despite his own experiences with poverty. Through the story, the author raises the question of moral attitude, suggesting that possessions hold no significance in the absence of love. The love shared between Della and Jim exemplifies pure and generous love, which is willing to sacrifice everything. O. Henry concludes that those who give and receive gifts with love are the wisest of all (p. 15). The author himself displayed such acts of sacrifice for love, as he worked hard to collect money for expensive Christmas and birthday presents for his daughter while imprisoned, causing her to believe he was in a distant country.
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In conclusion, "The Gift of the Magi" demonstrates that love is the essential value that helps individuals overcome struggles. The story illustrates that gifts hold value not in their ease of acquisition, but in the sacrifices made to obtain them. Even in the presence of cheap interiors, love prevails as the driving force that truly matters. The themes of generosity, devotion, and the desire to give all stem from the central theme of love, as encapsulated by the proverb "Love is the greatest gift of all."
- O. Henry. The Four Million: The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories. First Avenue Editions, 2019.
- Rehman, Hassin ur, et al. “Sacrification of Beloved Things for the Sake of True and Pure Love with the Special Reference of the Gift of Magi by O. Henry.” International Journal of English and Education, vol. 7, no. 1, 2018, pp. 264-269.
