Unconditional Love in The Gift of the Magi (Free Essay Sample)

What it means for something valuable?  “The Gift of the Magi” was written by William Sydney Porter, known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. The story portrays the unconditional love Jim and Della have for each other. It takes place a day before Christmas Eve – a season of giving. That’s why the story began in Della’s struggle to buy a gift for her husband Jim. Without enough money, she sold her most prized possession which is her hair. However, as the story progress, it shows that their gift for each other are useless at all. There is a rumor that O. Henry and his wife were also in the same situation as Della and Jim. For the main characters on the story, nothing is more valuable than their love for each other. It’s their love for each other that makes them wealthy. 

In the beginning of the story, their financial struggle is evident. Della, who faces the dilemma, only has one dollar and eighty-seven cents after putting aside as much as she could for months. It is revealed that her husband was being paid $30 a week, but now, being paid only $20. “Twenty dollars a week is not much. Everything had cost more than she had expected. It always happened like that, “Della thought. As she struggles on her own dilemma, the narrator had an opportunity to tell us a bit more about the situation of Jim and Della. The short of it is they live in a shabby flat and they are poor. But despite of their shortcomings, the story evidently shows the love they have for each other. 

As we moved on in the story, the selflessness and sacrifices of the couple were shown. Della sold her hair, one of their prized possessions, in order for her to buy a gift for Jim. In fact, the thing that seems to bother Della the most about losing her hair is that Jim likes it so much. She’s worried he won’t find her pretty anymore. She said, “Please God, make him think I’m still pretty.” She barely thinks of herself at all. Whereas, Jim also sold his gold watch to give Della the set of fancy combs she's wanting for ages. Della knew her hair was more beautiful than any queen’s jewels and gifts.

Jim knew that no king had anything so valuable like his watch. Yet, they sacrifice that for the sake of each other. Both characters are acting selflessly. Thinking not of themselves but about somebody else.

The author used certain words that depicts the pure and unconditional love the couple have for each other. Della tells Jim ‘maybe the hairs on my head were numbered but nobody could ever count my love for you.’ And Jim’s response to Della was ‘I don’t think there’s anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less.’ These words moved my heart in the way that I could read this a lot and I’ll never get tired. It was very pure and heartfelt. On the other hand, I have found their situation humorous and ironic because their gifts end up going to no use. Regardless of that, their gifts brought them even closer to each other. 

The author assures us that in their willingness to give up all they have, they have proven themselves the wisest of all gift-givers. They are the magi. Perhaps, the poverty is not the antagonist after all. Their poverty is what enables them to appreciate what really matters. The question is, what it means for something valuable? The text already cleared that – it is something more than money. It is something that money cannot buy.