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“Will you buy my hair?” asked Della.

“I buy hair,” said Madame. “Take yer hat off and let’s have a sight at the looks of it.”

Down rippled the brown cascade.

“Twenty dollars,” said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.

“Give it to me quick,” said Della.

The scene in the middle of the story where Della sells her hair illustrates the impulsivity of her decision. Madame Sofronie’s cold evaluation of Della’s hair contrasts with the emotional value Della places on it. The imagery of her hair cascading down like a brown waterfall emphasizes that Della’s hair is objectively beautiful and most likely worth much more than what Madame Sofronie offers her. However, even though Della is a practiced haggler, she settles for the twenty dollars without haggling at all because she is so eager to complete the transaction. The quickness of the sale highlights Della’s impulsivity and foreshadows the negative consequences of such a rash decision.

White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.

The narrator’s description of Della’s reaction as she opens her Christmas gift illustrates her sensitive, emotional nature. Her quick mood changes and her need to be comforted are described as feminine, indicating her character aligns with gender stereotypes of the time that depicted women as hypersensitive and capricious. The tears and the use of the word “hysterical” also contrast with the strength it took for Della to cut her hair off to begin with. It is also a completely rational reaction for Della to be both elated and upset by the shocking turn of events. The description, though dated, is not intended to paint Della in a negative light. Instead, it highlights her pureness of heart and her love for Jim.

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