The Gift of the Magi - Book Report/Review Example

'The Gift of The Magi' is a poignant story about a couple who love and adore each other and the story is set in a simple yet traditional background, where Jim, Della's husband goes out to work and earn a living, whilst Della plays the homely wife, looking after the house and cooking in the kitchen for Jim, her husband. The house itself is a symbol of the paucity and depicts the meager income that Jim earns in order to make both ends meet. Della is shown to be a typical and loving homemaker, who tries to save money even from Jim's meager income.

In spite of the poor earnings of the couple, the two love each other dearly. Della is keen and eager to buy Jim a present but does not have enough savings to do so. She has only been able to save "one dollar and eighty-seven cents" which she knows will not be enough to buy Jim a decent Christmas present. In order to get money for Jim's Christmas gift she sells off her most valuable asset, her hair, and with the money she acquires, buys Jim a platinum chain for his watch. Ironically, Jim sells off his precious watch, that "had been his father's and his grandfather's", to buy Della a present for Christmas.

The irony lies in the fact that Jim buys a set of most beautiful combs for Della, rich and expensive, which now she cannot use as she has cut and sold her hair! Della buys Jim the platinum watch chain so that he could replace the leather one, and the new chain would enhance the richness of the watch! The author terms them as, "foolish children", having sacrificed their most prized possessions to buy gifts for each other; Della's hair and the platinum chain she buys for him are the symbols of the immense love and affection she has for Jim, for which she is prepared to sacrifice any possession in life; and on similar terms, Jim's priceless watch, which he sells in order to buy a set of expensive combs for Della, are symbols of the immense caring and affection he has for his wife.

This ultimate sacrifice that these two "foolish" lovers make for the sake of each other, to please one another at Christmas, is the most arresting and stirring element of the story. All through the story, the author uses several symbols to build the story, the most powerful being the 'Magi', who brought expensive gifts for Christ. The gifts that the lovers bring for each other are priceless because they symbolize the great sacrifice the couple makes for each other in order to acquire those gifts.

The author sends a quiet but powerful message to the readers, stressing that love and sacrifice are the most powerful emotions when giving gifts to a dear one. Just like the Magi had initiated the tradition of exchange of gifts on Christmas with the birth of Christ, so also Jim and Della have revived the sense of utmost love and sacrifice in the presentation of gifts on Christmas. Although it is ironical that the gifts of both Jim and Della are useless to each other, the value of the gifts is heightened by the manner in which they acquired the gifts - the ultimate sacrifice.

The underlying theme of the story is love, generosity and ultimate sacrifice of the wealthiest possessions held by the couple, which they forfeit so wholeheartedly in order to please each other. The author uses several symbols including the house, Della's hair, Jim's watch, The Magi and many more to present a lucid picture to the readers. The Magi are the chief symbols in the story, to whom the author compares the "foolish children", stating that among "all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.

Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi".