The Gift of the Magi: Themes

Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.

The Interconnectedness of Poverty and Shame

The interconnectedness of poverty and shame is apparent from the opening paragraph as Della fretfully counts her savings. She 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. She describes the embarrassment she feels as she haggles over the price of groceries by explaining that her cheeks burn during these interactions. The effort of haggling so much over groceries is a clear sign to her community that she is struggling financially. The cheap, rented apartment Della and Jim live in further highlights their poverty as it’s full of shabby furniture, the letterbox is too small, and the electric doorbell is broken. The couple don’t even own the things inside their home, and their few personal belongings are threadbare, so Della has nothing to sell but her hair when she realizes she can’t afford a present for Jim. The couple’s self-consciousness about their current situation is heightened by the fact that Jim was earning much more money when they first moved into the apartment. The fact that Jim’s full name on the letterbox, “James Dillingham Young,” now seems too grand is a public symbol of their lost wealth and shame. These symbols of physical poverty are juxtaposed with the abundance of affection between the couple to highlight that what they lack in material wealth, they make up for in love. Whatever shame they feel is not greater than their desire to make the other one happy.

The Importance of Generosity and Love

Della and Jim’s love for each other is clear through small and large acts of generosity throughout the story. Della pinches pennies to save up for a present even when the act of haggling embarrasses her. Although her hair is extremely important to her, Della sacrifices it to buy Jim a gift she views as worthy of him. Similarly, Jim goes without gloves and a new coat in the winter. He takes great pride in his watch since it’s a family heirloom but sells it in order to give Della a gift he otherwise could not afford. Both Della and Jim shelve their pride when they sell their personal treasures to buy generous gifts for the other. The selflessness required for each of them to make such large sacrifices comes from a place of deep love. Rather than resent these sacrifices, both Jim and Della make them willingly because they share a mutual sense of generosity. In the aftermath of Della’s haircut her generosity is evident as she feels excited picking a gift for Jim and exhilaration at finding the platinum chain, and can’t wait to present his gift to him. When Jim realizes the tortoiseshell combs he bought for Della are useless, he does not get upset, but tells her nothing she does to her hair could affect his feelings towards her. His reaction to the now-useless platinum watch chain also highlights his love for Della. He laughs at the irony of the situation and explains he’s sold the watch. This reveals their mutual selflessness and emphasizes their strong bond.

The Juxtaposition of Foolishness and Wisdom

Henry’s presentation of Della’s actions can be viewed both as foolishness and wisdom. On a surface level, Della’s quick decision to cut off her hair represents her impulsiveness. The words used to describe her departure from the house imply a rush of action as she throws on her coat and her skirts whirl as she flutters out the door. The scene at the hair shop continues the tone of impulsivity as she runs up the stairs, pants at the top, and asks if Madame Sofronie will buy her hair breathlessly. Della ignoring Madame Sofronie’s brusque response to such a heavy emotional request suggests that Della is about to get ripped off. The tone continues as Della spends the next two hours rushing around looking for a gift for Jim. Della once again makes a foolish monetary decision when she spends all of the money she gets from selling her hair plus most of her savings on the platinum watch chain. However, the motivation at the core of Della’s impulsiveness is love, presenting a moral question about whether acting out of love is foolish or wise. In the last paragraph of the story, the narrator presents an answer to this moral question by directly comparing Della and Jim to the magi, or wisemen, from the nativity story of Jesus. The narrator acknowledges the fact that the comb and watch chain are now useless but claims the real gift Jim and Della give each other is love, the greatest gift of all. The narrator concludes by claiming this act makes Jim and Della the wisest of gift givers. This moral is presented uncritically, leaving the question of whether it is wise or overly naïve up for interpretation.

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