The Gift of the Magi, written by O. Henry is a story about a young couple, Della and Jim, who are struggling to prepare gifts for each other for Christmas. Eventually, this conflict is resolved when Della sells her most prized possession, her hair, to buy a watch chain for Jim. Jim,too, sells his most prized possession, his watch, to buy a set of combs for Della. When the couple present their gifts to each other, they realize that neither of the gifts now have any meaning, for Della no longer has the hair to wear and combs and Jim no longer has the watch to go with the chain. Although some may argue that Jim and Della’s act is out of selflessness, I argue that this act is a foolish act, as neither parties thought ahead before buying the gift and did not make a reasonable purchase under the circumstances they are in. Their choices ultimately lacked pragmatic reasoning and were based on emotionally charged decisions that had consequences.
Financial irresponsibility can impact your future in many ways and can be avoided by thinking before you act/buy something. Financial irresponsibility means spending money on something that you either don’t need or shouldn’t waste your money on as you are already struggling to financially make ends meet. Della and Jim are poor. This is made apparent as Della fretfully counts her savings. Della also shamefully notes that sixty cents of the one dollar and eighty-seven cents she’s saved are in pennies because pennies are the lowest denomination of currency. Della has nothing to sell but her hair when she realizes she can’t afford a present for Jim. Della and Jim also don’t have a very good living environment/situation. The couple don’t even own the things inside their home. Their furniture is also described as shabby and they have a letter box too small and a broken doorbell which they can’t afford to fix. Despite their current situation, Della and Jim still decide to spend their money. Though spending money and buying gifts is a selfless act, Della spends nearly ALL the $20 she gets from selling her hair. She doesn’t even try to look for something cheaper. Jim also sells his watch for an expensive set of combs that Della might only use on special occasions. Their acts, although well intentioned, left them in worse financial circumstances than before. They made hasty choices without thinking about the long-term impact on their lives. It is foolish to willingly put yourself in a precarious position for the sake of a gift.
Priorities are something everyone should have in life and knowing your priorities is what is most important. There are many things in life that you may value, but sometimes, you are forced to choose between two things you value a lot. This is when knowing your priorities comes in handy. Della and Jim’s eagerness to express their love and feelings towards each other by selling their possessions shows a shallow prioritization of possessions. Della's hair symbolizes youth. By cutting her hair to buy a gift for Jim, it is like "giving up her childhood/best years of her life" to Jim. Della’s choice to sell something so personal and irreplaceable for an object with little means indicates misplaced value. Jim’s watch is also a prized possession as it is made of gold and handed down from his grandfather. This is essentially a family heirloom that may have been passed down for nearly 100 years. Without even considering the sentimental value of the watch, Jim acted out of impulsiveness and sold the watch for a set of combs. Della and Jim’s actions show a lack of understanding that love isn’t dependent on extravagant gifts but rather on the strength and connection between the 2 individuals. It is important to prioritize wisely in life. Personal values will forever come before satisfying others and relying on gifts to continue a relationship.
Open communication and practical decision making are an important part of maintaining/having a good relationship. When you date someone or marry in the future, it is important to have open communication with that person. Together you can also discuss decisions you make and the values of that relationship. Rather than showing a selfless act, Della and Jim’s actions show the consequences of a couple lacking in open communication and practical decision making. Della and Jim are already struggling to meet financially. If Della and Jim talked about their financial situation and identified ways to show their love and celebrate the holidays beforehand, they wouldn’t have had to make unnecessary sacrifices that are costly and will impact them even further financially. The couple also didn’t communicate when deciding what to give up and what to buy when preparing gifts for each other. It is clear that Jim is unaware that Della is about to cut her hair off. The dramatic irony builds as Jim sells his gold watch and presents Della with the combs as he is still unaware that she has purchased him a watch chain. Jim has rendered both gifts useless by selling his watch to buy the combs. Throughout the actions of the story, we are able to see the consequences of not communicating well when in a relationship and the impacts of impulsive decision making. The Gift of the Magi serves as a warning about responsible decision-making rather than one of selfless sacrifice.
The Gift of the Magi is a touching story that illustrates the love between the young couple. However, through their actions, it is shown that their gifts towards each is not as selfless as it seems to be. In fact, it is an example of foolishness. Financial irresponsibility cannot be ignored as it portrays the characters as naive and impulsive. The story shows a materialistic notion of love, which is not practical or sustainable. The choices that Della and Jim made are questionable to the reader as it questions what Della and Jim truly value most. The Gift of the Magi is a story about the gift of giving, but also serves as a caution against thoughtless and impulsive decision making.
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