"A Service of Love,'' Joe wants to be an artist and Delia wants to be a pianist. They set out to New York to learn and excel in their talents. They meet each other, fall in love, and get married. However, in order for them to pay for their tuition fees, Joe decides to sell his artwork and Delia decides to teach. However, when realizing that no one wants to buy his work (Joe) and no students come to Delia, both lie to each other about their work. However, eventually the truth comes out when Joe and Delia discover that they are both working at the same place to earn money. Throughout the story of Joe and Delia, we learn about the many important concepts in life. So without further ado, let’s dive deeper into the lives of Joe and Delia and learn much from their actions.
The title "A Service of Love" is symbolic and has important meaning that is served throughout the story. It implies an act of selflessness and devotion for love. Love, in this context, represents not only romantic affection but also the many forms of love we experience in relationships and connections. The notion of it being a "service" suggests an act, emphasizing the idea that love must be actively nurtured and maintained. Additionally, the title hints at the sacrifices one may be willing to make in the name of love, demonstrating that love requires effort and dedication. The first line of the story, “When one loves one's Art no service seems too hard.” also has a symbolic meaning that contributes to the story. Both Joe and Delia want to get ahead in their areas of art. But they love each other more. Each of them sacrifices. his / her artistic ambition for the more important goal of pleasing the person they love.
Love is an important thing in life, but ultimately it is up to you to decide how far you will go to pursue it. In “A Service of Love”, both Joseph and Delia decide to somewhat sacrifice their dream of becoming artists for love. Because of how much they love each other, Joseph and Delia are willing to hide the truth and prioritize each other over themselves for love. This shows that true love exists, as not everyone is willing to sacrifice themselves for a loved one or a relationship. Both Joe and Delia, since they were small, showed great potential to become successful artists. Joe’s artwork was hung up in the neighborhood and Delia’s relatives saved up all they could in hopes of Delia getting a successful career as a pianist. However, Joe and Delia are both willing to give up a childhood dream, their passion, and their lifelong achievement for each other, showing how strong their love is. How much you are willing to sacrifice for love is up to you, along with the things you are going to sacrifice.
Poverty has limitations, forcing you to possibly give up what you love. When you are poor, you naturally have less choices than the rich. This means that you get less chances to do what you want and you also have to sacrifice more. Someone who is poor can also have a dream of owning a yacht like a rich person. However, because of their financial standings, they will probably have to give up the dream of owning a yacht. Joe and Delia are poor. Though they have a dream of becoming an artist, they are forced to give up their dream of pursuing art because of their financial situation. As shown, poverty limits your choices. Joe and Delia have no choice but to choose a different job. The story also explores the harsh reality of being an artist. In order to succeed in the trade of art, you have to be really good. You have to come from a recognizable background, have money to start off with, and most importantly have connections. Joe and Delia lack in all these aspects. They come from an unknown family background, have very little money, and don’t have connections to rich buyers or dealers, or wealthy families in Delia’s case to support them and buy their art or take lessons from them. Poverty limits people from pursuing your dreams and it is important to recognize reality from your dreams.
“A Service of Love” is a story written by O. Henry that explores the many unavoidable aspects in human life. In life, we experience love. However, with love comes sacrifices. There are sacrifices in life that you have to make in order to successfully pursue love. For Joe and Delia that means choosing love over their dreams and passion. However, in Joe and Delia’s case, we also learn about how poverty and impact one’s life. Poverty prevents Joe and Delia from being successful in their dream. The story also explores the harsh reality artists face. Joe is a painter. It is hard to suceed as a painter if he has no connections to rich buyers and dealers who are willing to buy his art. Delia is a piano teacher coming from a low background. Therefore, it is hard to seek students of wealthy families who are willing to pay her to teach their students. “A Service of Love” is a story about a young couple, who choose love over their dreams and passion and together fight against poverty and it’s impact(s).
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