Question

In a well-developed paragraph of 5 - 7 sentences, explain the use of symbolism in “The Gift of the Magi.”

Answer 1

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by American writer O.Henry thatwas first published in The New York Sunday World on December 10th, 1905.

The author uses symbolism all through the story, starting with the gifts. Christmas is the main symbol through the story, representing the 3 gifts that the Wise men brought to baby Jesus, but it also represents the true meaning of giving gifts, which is to sacrifice oneself in order of giving joy to someone we love. Della's grey cat represents loss of hope, sadness and having very little. On the other hand, gold symbolizes money, love and eternity. Money was what Della and Jim were lacking, eternity because gold does not rust over time, and love because by giving away his gold watch, Jim was able to afford a Christmas present for Della.

Answer 2

Answer: Della's hair and Jim's gold watch symbolize the  couple's most cherised possession and the sacrifice of these items represents the couple's love .

Explanation:

In The Gift of the Magi the gifts themselses are symbolic.Each represents a value in the story.Just like the original Magi gave Jesus precious gifts, Jim and Delia make sacrifices to give  each other a precious gift.

Even if the parallelism between the Magi and Jim and Delia is clear, the main symbol is the difference in the source of the gifts. The Magi are Kings whose gifts do not represent a sacrifice on their part. Yet, Jim and Delia must sacrifice dear possessions in order to give each other a gift. The true nature of giving is symbolized in their sacrifice which makes their gifts more valuable.