Gift of the Magi Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis #1: Gift of the Magi ‘Gift of the Magi’ is an old tale that has been altered throughout the years. O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) composed this touching story within three hours of his deadline. Under the circumstances of the short amount of time he had to create the story, it is a charming showcase of his talents. The element of the ‘Gift of the Magi’ that captured my attention most was the characters. Their appearance on the outside did nothing to clue in the reader about their feelings for each other and their personalities. The expert way that O. Henry chose to phrase and word his version of this delightful story captivates the reader’s attention and leaves them wanting more. The characters in the story, Della and James Dillingham, through their selfless actions and immense love for one another, depict the magi.
Mrs. James Dillingham Young is deeply in love with her husband. The following quote from the story emphasizes this point: “But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della.” (Henry 2013) Della stays in the apartment while Jim is away from home working. Della is the one responsible for creating that cherished sense of "home." It is that sense of home that helps define their love for each other, and makes their poor little apartment seem like a special place. It makes them feel like they are isolated from the rest of the population and in their own little world. Towards the beginning of the story, Della is distraught that Christmas Day is imminent. She is a very emotional person. The fact that she doesn’t have the perfect present for her husband yet and has little but one dollar and eighty-seven cents to spend on it makes her afflicted. (Rogers 1998) “Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and

Cited: Henry, O. "The Gift Of The Magi." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 12th ed. New York: Pearson, 2013. 184-187. Print. May, Charles E. "The Gift Of The Magi." Magill’S Survey Of American Literature, Revised Edition (2006): 1. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 2 July 2013. Rogers, Kim Dickson. "The Gift Of The Magi." Cyclopedia Of Literary Characters, Revised Third Edition (1998): 1. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 2 July 2013.