Question

Which sentence in this excerpt from a literary analysis essay is most likely the thesis statement? O. Henry's short story "The Gift of Magi" is about a couple who are deeply in love. Della and Jim are poor, but they each want to buy the other a special Christmas present. Because they have no money, they sell their own prized possessions to be able to afford presents for each other. O. Henry uses his short story "The Gift of Magi" to show that poverty cannot affect true love. Despite having no luxuries, Della and Jim are willing to make sacrifices for each other because their love is true.

Answer 1

The thesis statement is the one regarding the use of the story by O. Henry to show that poverty cannot affect true love becuase it expresses the gist of what O. Henry has wished to convey.  While Jim sells his beautiful pocket watch in order to buy Della a brooch for her beautiful long hair, Della sells her hair so as to be able to afford a chain for Jim's pocket watch. Thus, their material gifts are rendered useless, but still each has proved to the other that they would rather give up their most prized possessions in order to please the other, and by doing so prove their mutual love. This discovery is the true gift that they both receive from the Magi on tht Christmas day.