The Gift Of The Magi - 1022 Words

In discussing Marxist literary criticism Peter Barry states, â€Å"So instead of seeing authors as primarily autonomous ‘inspired’ individuals whose ‘genius’ and creative imagination enables them to bring forth original and time-less works of art, the Marxist sees them as constantly formed by their social contexts in ways which they themselves would usually not admit† (Barry 152). His claim is certainly evident through a careful analysis of O’Henry’s short story. The Gift of the Magi appears to be a bittersweet story about a couple that would truly give up their most prized possessions to convey their love to one another at Christmas. However, a Marxist approach to the tale reveals the complexities of a capitalist society and the materialism surrounding the Judeo-Christian holiday of Christmas. Through the characterization of the married couple, Della and Jim, as well as the overall theme of love, a Marxist literary analysis exposes the superstructure of gift giving and the materialistic aspects of love and Christmas tradition. Marxist criticism unveils the effects of capitalism on Christmas traditions through the characterization of Della and Jim. From the story’s introduction, Della is characterized as a poor wife in a tearful frenzy to buy her husband the perfect gift for Christmas: â€Å"Only $ 1.87 to buy a gift for Jim. Her Jim. She had had many happy hours planning something nice for him. Something nearly good enough. Something almost worth the honor of belonging to Jim†Show MoreRelatedThe Gift Of The Magi1132 Words   |  5 PagesThe Magi refers to the Wise Men or Kings in the Gospel of Matthew and Christianity. They visit Jesus after his birth and bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to him. Also, they are important figures of celebrations of Christmas. Christmas gifts are precious, so people want to receive the most valuable gifts at the end of the year, such as the gift of Magi. A famous American writer O. Henry creates The Gift of The Magi, a short story of giving gifts on Christmas Eve, which is a common themeRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi1271 Words   |  6 PagesThe Gift of the Magi Ashlee Stevens ENG125: Introduction to Literature Amy Sloan September 10, 2012 Ashford University The Gift of the Magi The Gift of the Magi was about sacrificial love. The story explained how important it is to be willing to sacrifice for the one that you love. No matter what the circumstance, if a person can unselfishly give of themselves for another, they can experience life in a whole new way. Many people give what is not important to them andRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi2202 Words   |  9 PagesThe Theme of â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† William Sydney Porter, or O. Henry as it is widely known, is one of the most famous names in American literature. He was a master short-story writer of nearly 300 short stories. With a very inventive mind, he made plots for his stories from the commonplace things. The settings of his stories were drawn from his experience and, likewise, his characters were based on actual people he had known. In rapid-moving prose, he developed his stories imaginatively andRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi1377 Words   |  6 PagesLITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY THE GIFT OF THE MAGI The Gift of the Magi is one of the most popular short stories by O. Henry, a pen name for William Sydney Porter - a renowned American author. Originally published in 1906, in O. Henry’s second collection of short stories, The Gift of the Magi which displays all of the major O. Henry traits in abundance has given him credit for his genuine talent. It has been retold in various forms since then, especially at Christmas time. The storyRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi853 Words   |  4 PagesHow far can a couple go in getting a gift for their love ones on Christmas day? â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is mainly about a young married couple who doesn’t have enough money to buy each other Christmas gifts. Having only one dollar and eighty-seven cent Della, one of the main character, decides to sell her hair for only twenty dollars. This gives Della an opportunity to buy her husband, Jim a gift. Meanwhile, Jim who also is buying Della a present is having trouble with mo ney, he decides to sell hisRead MoreThe Gift of Magi and Its Background792 Words   |  4 PagesThe Gift of the Magi and its Background Mindy Phillips Introduction to Literature ENG125 Instructor Julie Alfaro January 21st, 2013 In my paper I am going to be describing the short story The Gift of the Magi. Throughout my paper I am going to describe what I feel is the theme of the story itself. I will also be explaining and identifying symbolism used and described in the story, as well as talking about the point of view that the narrator used in the story. Finally, I will be describingRead MoreEssay on The Gift of the Magi4446 Words   |  18 Pages Many critics agree, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is, in all respects, an amazing and one of a kind story. One critic says, â€Å"Ironically, Fagin arrives at something utterly crucial to the success of The Gift of the Magi: that it has everything—an absorbing (if short) narrative drive and a twist ending that makes it wholly original† (Korb). Even renowned critic, Rena Korb, agrees; O.Henry did an excellent job with this story. Though O. Henry wrote many great stories, one of his most famous, and favoriteRead MoreThe Gift Of The Magi Analysis 808 Words   |  4 PagesAuthor, O. Henry in his short story, â€Å"The Gift of The Magi†, claims it is okay to sacrifice for others. He supports his claim be first using a logical appeal to show Della’s self sacrifice, then using another emotional appeal to show Della and Jim’s love for each other, and finally using a logical appeal to show Jim’s sacrifice for Della. Henry’s purpose is to inform others about Della and Jim’s sacrifice in order to show that it is okay to sacrifice for others. He establishes a sad and wonderfulRead MoreSummary â€Å"the Gift of the Magi†1235 Words   |  5 PagesSummary â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† is a wonderful short story. It is the brilliant story that shows the true meaning of selfless love that the author tries to let the readers to know from the Christmas gifts. It is not what the gifts are , but the meaning behind the gifts is more important. This text is a story about Della and Jim Young , a married couple with very little money. On theRead MoreThe Gift of the Magi Argument Paper1344 Words   |  6 PagesThe Gift of the Magi Argumentative Research Paper: Did Jim and Della perform an act of Selfless Love? Abstract The story was written by O’Henry in 1906. The story was centered around a seemingly poor couple who did not have enough money to buy each other the gifts that their significant other deserved. The story took place during Christmas. The Gift of the Magi is like a classic wisdom story in the bible. O’Henrys choice of title depicts symbolism between the three magi that brought gold, frankincense