Examples Of Imagery In The Gift Of The Magi

In "The Gift of Magi," Della and Jim sacrifice their prized possessions for each other and for love. Irony is represented in this story when Della and Jim both get each other gifts that mean a lot to each other. However, what they did not realize is that when Della cut her hair to to buy Jim a chain for his watch, she was unaware that Jim was going to sell his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The irony of their gift exchange is monumental as their unconditional love for one another took over for their own personal possession. Jim exclaims, “I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first." The magi which are described as wise men also signifies irony because Della and Jim's presents were more than wise. They represented that a gift does not need to be expensive to have value. A gift can be more meaningful just by the thought.

This leads to her idea of selling her most prized possession: her hair, to get Jim his present. Meanwhile, Jim decides to sell his most prized possession which was a pocket-watch that was passed down from his grandfather to his father and then to him. He sells that watch and buys Della a set of beautiful tortoise shell combs for her hair. Thus leading to the use of situational irony in which they both receive gifts for something they gave up in order to give the other a gift.

The author uses imagery to interest the reader in her story that may seem mundane without the imagery. An example of this happening is when Jeannette is going to her new school in Welch it was her first day and the teacher picks on her because she did not have to give the school her records to her not having them as that is happening a tall girl stabs her out of nowhere“I felt something sharp and painful between my shoulder blades and turned around. The tall black girl with the almond eyes was sitting at the desk behind me.

"Thy love is such I can no way repay,..." is another example of imagery (9). Symbolizing how great her love is for her husband, she is expresses there is no way to purchase or pay for true love.

In the story “Oranges”, by Gary Soto, imagery helps develop a theme by giving you the ability to painting a picture in your head, which creates the theme of love. For example, “[I] asked what she wanted- Light in her eyes, a smile Starting at the corners Of her mouth”(Soto,1), shows that he was able to make her really happy just because he had asked her what she wanted from the candy aisle. The Author is creating a picture for us by talking about his first love that he had had, using the sensory details to describe it and show us how the mood of the memory helped create this past moment. Another example being “I peeled my oranges that was so bright against the gray of december that, from some distance, someone might have thought I was

In The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry (1906), Della is one of two main characters, the other being her beloved husband, Jim. On Christmas Eve, Della has saved very little for a present for Jim when she decides to sell her most prized possession, her long beautiful hair, for more money. After doing this, and buying the perfect gift,

Strapped for cash and wanting to give her beloved husband the most luxurious gift for Christmas to express her deep passion for him, we are immediately introduced to the initial situation at hand. With only a dollar and some change to spend on Jim, Della is forced into a situation

Love is a defining force for Della and Jim too, overshadowing the poor condition of their finances. Jim and Della do not have much. They would most certainly be considered to be in the lower class, living in a little $8 a week flat in the city and going from a sufficient income of $30 a week to a less than adequate $20 a week with Jim in need of a new overcoat and pair of gloves (Henry). Henry articulates how their love for each other transforms their drab house and surroundings and gray circumstances into a warm and inviting refuge called home. “One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all Della had,” not nearly enough to get a gift worthy of her beloved Jim (Henry). She desires nothing but to please him and considers him worthy of something

Vivid images, from visions, to detailed explanation and accounts of places and events, to symbolic imagery used to explain parables, or teach and encourage the first century churches are driving forces within the Biblical text. Metaphorical language, by virtue of the fact that it preserves the literal meaning of the symbol, while intending an analogical secondary meaning, is able to communicate profound truths about reality, mainly by creating an alternative, symbolic way of seeing and understanding the world. (Liubinskas, Susann. 404) Throughout the New Testament of the Bible the most commonly used images are the: body of Christ, and vine imagery. These images work together to create a powerful example of the necessity for unity among individual believers, and that unity tying them Christ.

Della is willing to cut her gorgeous and flowy hair so that she can afford a Christmas present for her husband Jim. Della’s hair is admired by everyone, but she would have felt guilty if she did not get Jim a present. When Jim is standing before Della and her shortened hair, she gives him a fob chain. Also, Della explains to him that she, “couldn’t have lived through Christmas without giving [him] a present” (Henry 264). Della has an altruistic disposition whereas Madame Loisel has a selfish and greedy personality.

The irony of the moment hits him. He stares at Della which shows clues of something being not quite right. Della explains she sold her hair for his gift. He continues to be in a daze for a minute before embracing Della. He has realized what has occurred and the reader begins to understand the twist about to occur. Jim finally shows her the gift he has purchased for her, fine combs for her beautiful hair, now gone. She dismisses the fact that her hair is gone and is excited for the gift. She shares her gift for Jim eagerly wanting to see it adorning the watch. The story's twist comes full circle when Jim says I have sold the watch to buy your

In addition to the first theme love, Generosity is the second theme shown. They were willling to give up prized possessions and were willing to give up neccesitys if it meant the other was happy and had a good christmas.

Throughout the short story O. Henry also expresses the love that James and Della have for each other. Della doesn’t just cry when she realizes that she doesn’t have the money for a great gift for James, she howls. She greatly hugs him when he returns home and gets to his flat. After

Although he works hard, he still cannot help to pay the rent. Therefore, he does not have enough money to purchase Della a delightful gift. Eventually, the author reveals that Jim has made the choice to give up one of his most valuable item. What he does, is that he ends up selling his gold watch that was passed down to him from generations. This way he can receive money to purchase Della a heart touching gift. In this situation, Jim speaks, “Dell, …let’s put our Christmas presents away and keep ’em a while. They’re too nice to use just as a present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on’” (Henry 3). This statement demonstrates that Jim has made a similar sacrifice as Della. Similarly, he gave away something so precious and memorable. This supports the theme because he sacrificed his watch, which was a family heirloom. It was very generous of him of selling it to buy something more generic for Della. Him sacrificing his watch represents true love. Some people may say that it was pointless for them to give up their valuable possessions because they didn’t end up being used at all. However, though it’s true that they didn’t end up using their presents, it demonstrates how Della and Jim are brave. This portrays true love and that they are willing to give up or sacrifice things for each other no matter

“My purpose is to show that in every human heart there is an innate tendency towards a respectable life; that even those who have fallen to the lowest depths in the social scale would, if they could, get back to the higher life…”(Rollins 7-8 ). O`Henry came up with this philosophy when writing his many different, entertaining stories. “The Gift of the Magi” was initially published in 1906 in O`Henry`s second collection of stories. “The Gift of the Magi” is a perfect story to illustrate how people do anything for the ones they love. The main characters each sell their most valued possession in order to buy the other the perfect Christmas present. They each bought the other something to complement their prized possession. Ironically, they had both sold their prized possession to get the other a gift.However, they bought gifts that were now useless to one another. Themes have some aspect of life, general truth, or moral that is shown throughout the story by the author. The themes in this short story really stand out to the reader. The way in which the two main characters demonstrate their selflessness for each other helps to emphasize the three major themes: poverty, love, and sacrifice.