The Gift of the Magi

The Gift of the Magi

When one pays close attention to this story, it is imperative to understand that one of the prominent themes that are present themselves is love. Love has been predominantly used by the author to help generate the plot of the story. The message in this story is that regardless of the fiscal situation that one could be in, love prevails in the end. It is sheer love that gives Jim the strength to work the heavily tiresome day. He confesses to his wife that he often thinks about the love that he has for her hair. In the story, he says, “…I like to see your hair every morning in the sun. At work, I think about your hair” (Henry, 2012). It is what makes him get back home to his waiting wife in good time. In the story, the author says, “…At seven o’clock, Della hears Jim at the door. He is never late. Della has her gift for him in her hand. The door opens, and Jim walks into the kitchen” (Henry, 2012).

As the story progresses, it is clear that regardless of the fact that this young couple lives in the shadows of their filthy rich and important people, and also despite that they live in a small apartment that barely has anything of value in it, Jim and Della have found love as their pillar and primary source of happiness in an otherwise unforgiving world. “Close relationships are significant to human well-being throughout life…” (Collins & Van Dulmen, 2006). It implies that the close relationship of genuine love that this couple has for each other is what literally gives them the strength to go through another day. So much do they love each other that they are both aware of the needs that the other individual needs. They understand each other’s love language, and they are willing to part with what is precious to them for the sake of the other. This is seen in the way Della parts with her long, flowing, beautiful hair to be able to buy the gold for her husband’s watch, and Jim, on the other hand, sold this very watch that his father gifted to him to be able to buy the expensive combs that his wife is always admiring. Lastly, it is crucial to understand that when reading and trying to understand the story, it suffices to conclude that without this theme, the story could not be unique at all or efficacious in any way. The inclusion of this theme is what spices up the story.

References

Collins, W. A., & Van Dulmen, M. (2006). ‘The course of true love (s). Origins and pathways in the development of romantic relationships. In A. Booth, & AC Crouter (Eds.), Romance and sex in adolescence and emerging adulthood: Risks and opportunities, 63-86.

Henry, O. (2012). The Gift of the Magi and other short stories. Courier Corporation

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Post your response in at least 150-200 words in the Discussion Area. By the end of the week, comment on at least two of your classmates’ submissions.

The Gift of the Magi

IMPORTANT NOTE: Your instructor will assign five short stories for the class to read and discuss this week. Check the Week 4 Announcement for a list of the assigned stories. You must choose one of these stories to earn credit on the assignment.

Prompt:

Select one of the stories assigned by your instructor, and develop a one- or two-paragraph response to the following:

Identify one of the main themes used in the story. Explain the message the author is conveying by telling the story in this way.
Provide at least one specific example and at least one quotation from the story to illustrate your point.
Discuss how this message affects your reading and interpretation of the story. Is the story more effective or powerful because this theme is included?
Theme refers to the underlying messages or major ideas presented in the story. The author presents some beliefs about life by telling the story in a certain way. You, as the reader, can interpret what message you received from reading the story, but you must be able to offer evidence to support your viewpoint by sharing examples and quotations from the story.

Tips

Remember to provide evidence for your claims in the form of quoted passages from the story. Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries should be cited according to APA rules of style, including in-text and reference citations. Quoted material should not exceed 25% of the document.