The Gift of the Magi.docx - Running Head THE GIFT OF THE...

Running Head: THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
The Gift of the Magi
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THE GIFT OF THE MAGI 2
The gift of the Magi is a short story published in 1905 by William Sydney Porter, also
known as, O. Henry. The story is based on a situational parable of the Magi also known as the
three wise men who visited Jesus carrying gifts. This story is full of drama and evident mutual
love shown by self-sacrifice from both the wife and husband, Della and Jim. Unselfish love is the
center of this piece, shown by how the wife and husband sells what they have and hold to so
dearly in order to afford the other a Christmas gift. Della sells her beautiful long hair for twenty
dollars in order to purchase Jim, her husband, a chain for holding his watch. Jim, on the other
hand, sells his watch that he inherited from the grandfather in order to get Della, his wife,
expensive combs made of pure tortoise shell [Wil97].