Projects of English Ritu Raj

THE GIFT OF MAGI
A Project Submitted to:
ARMY INSTITUTE OF LAW, MOHALI
BY
RITU RAJ (24105)
Under the guidance of
Ms JASDEEP BRAR (Assistant Prof. English)
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree

B.A.L.L.B
PUNJABI UNIVERSITY PATIALA (PUNJAB)

DECLARATION
It is certified that the project work presented in this

report entitled “THE GIFT OF MAGI” is the result
of my original research work. All the ideas and
references have been duly acknowledged.
Date: 20/10/24 Name: RITU RAJ
Place: Mohali Roll No. : 24105

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am highly indebted to Army Institute of Law, Mohali for their

guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing
necessary information regarding the project and also for their
project and also for their support in completing the project. I
would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to
Ms JASDEEP BRAR(Assistant Prof. English) as well as to
our principal DR. TEJINDER KAUR who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic which also
help me in doing a lot of research and I came to know about so
many new things. I am really thankful to them. Secondly,
I would also like to thank my parents and friends who helped
me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time frame.
INDEX
SR. TITLE PAGES

NO NO
1 THE GIFT OF MAGI – O.HENRY 1
2 SUMMARY – “THE GIFT OF MAGI” 2-3
3 THEAMS – “THE GIFT OF MAGI” 3-4
4 TITLE RELEVANCE – “THE GIFT OF 4-5

MAGI”
5 CHARACTERS – “THE GIFT OF MAGI” 5-6
6 CONCLUSION 6-7
7 BIBLIOGRAPHY 7-8
BIBLIOGRAPHY
▪ English Book – Popular Short Stories By Oxford University
▪ Study Material
▪ Wikipedia - “ The Gift of Magi ”
▪ Oxford University Press – London
▪ Poetry Analysis – English

“THE GIFT OF THE MAGI”
O.Henry
Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (1862–

1910), an American short story writer known for his wit, irony,
and surprise endings. His stories often depicted the lives of
ordinary people, particularly those living in urban settings, and he
had a remarkable ability to find humor and humanity in their
struggles. O. Henry’s writing style is characterized by clever
wordplay and twists in the plot, which often leave readers
reflecting on the deeper meanings behind seemingly simple
stories. His short stories, such as "The Last Leaf," "The Ransom
of Red Chief," and "The Gift of the Magi," are known for their
emotional depth and ironic conclusions, and they frequently
explore themes like love, sacrifice, and human folly. "The Gift of
the Magi" is a timeless story that beautifully captures the essence
of love, sacrifice, and the true spirit of giving. Through the simple
yet profound narrative of Jim and Della’s selfless acts, O. Henry
explores the deeper meaning of love and highlights that the most
valuable gifts are those that come from the heart. The story’s
ironic twist, combined with its poignant message, has made it one
of the most beloved and widely read short stories in English
SUMMARY – “ THE GIFT OF MAGI”
"The Gift of the Magi" is one of O. Henry's most famous short

stories, first published in 1905. It tells the touching story of a
young, poor couple, Jim and Della Young, who each sacrifice
their most prized possession to buy a Christmas gift for the other.
• Della is determined to buy Jim a special gift for Christmas but

only has $1.87 after months of scrimping and saving. Her greatest
treasure is her long, beautiful hair, which she decides to sell to a
wig-maker for $20. With the money, she buys a platinum fob
chain for Jim’s prized pocket watch.
• When Jim returns home, Della is nervous about how he will

react to her short hair. However, it is revealed that Jim has sold
his pocket watch, his most valuable possession, to buy Della a set
of expensive combs for her hair. The couple realizes that, in their
love for each other, they have made great sacrifices, and despite
their gifts being rendered useless, they have shown their devotion
in the most meaningful way possible. The story ends with the
narrator comparing the couple to the Magi (the wise men from the
Biblical story of the birth of Jesus), who gave gifts of great
significance. Jim and Della are said to be wise like the Magi
because their gifts, though seemingly impractical, represent the
true spirit of love and sacrifice.
Themes - "The Gift of the Magi"
1. Love and Sacrifice: The central theme of the story is selfless

love. Both Jim and Della are willing to give up their most
cherished belongings to make the other happy. This act of
sacrifice is portrayed as the ultimate expression of love, showing
that material possessions are insignificant compared to the
emotional richness of their relationship.
2. Poverty and Contentment: Jim and Della live in poverty,

struggling to make ends meet, but their financial situation does
not diminish their love for each other. Instead, their love
transcends material wealth, as their true wealth lies in their
relationship, not in their possessions. The story highlights that
happiness and fulfillment are not found in money or gifts but in
genuine care and devotion.
3. Irony: O. Henry is known for his use of situational irony, and

in "The Gift of the Magi," the irony lies in the fact that both Jim
and Della’s sacrifices render the gifts they receive useless.
However, the story’s irony deepens the emotional impact,
showing that the true gift is the unconditional love they have for
each other, rather than the physical objects.
4. The Meaning of Christmas: The story reflects on the true

meaning of Christmas, emphasizing the spirit of giving over
materialism. Jim and Della’s actions embody the idea of
selflessness, which is at the heart of the Christmas celebration.
The Relevance of the Title - "The Gift of the Magi"
The title is highly appropriate because it draws a parallel between

the actions of Jim and Della and the Magi, or the wise men, who
brought valuable gifts to the newborn Jesus in the Biblical
Nativity story. The Magi's gifts were precious, not because of
their material value, but because of the thought and meaning
behind them. Similarly, Jim and Della's gifts are significant
because they symbolize their love and sacrifice for each other,
even though the material items themselves become useless.
O.Henry suggests that Jim and Della, like the Magi, are wise
because they understand that true love is about giving without
expecting anything in return. The title encapsulates the essence of
the story, which is about wisdom in love and the value of
selflessness.
Character Sketches – “The Gift of the Magi”
▪ Della Young
Della Young is a slender, young woman with long, beautiful
brown hair, which is described as her most prized possession. Her
hair cascades down like a flowing waterfall, almost reaching her
knees. She is deeply in love with her husband, Jim, and her
greatest desire is to make him happy, even though they live in
poverty. Della is portrayed as self-sacrificing, determined, and
emotionally sensitive. Despite having only $1.87 to buy Jim a
Christmas present, she sells her cherished hair to buy him a
platinum fob chain for his watch. Della’s actions demonstrate her
devotion, and her anxiety over Jim’s reaction to her short hair
reveals her deep emotional connection to him. Her willingness to
part with her most valued possession highlights her loving,
thoughtful, and generous personality.
▪ Jim Young
Jim Young is a thin, serious man in his early twenties, whose life
is marked by the financial struggles he and Della face. His most
prized possession is a gold pocket watch, an heirloom passed
down from his grandfather. Jim is portrayed as responsible and
loving, working tirelessly to support his household, though his
salary has recently been reduced to a mere $20 per week. Despite
his poverty, Jim is determined to show his love for Della by
sacrificing his watch to buy her a set of tortoiseshell combs for
her hair. Jim's calm and composed reaction to Della’s sacrifice,
and his genuine love for her, reflect his mature, selfless, and
caring nature. His deep bond with Della is evident in his
willingness to give up something he treasures for her happiness.
CONCLUSION – “THE GIFT OF MAGI”
The conclusion of “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

compares Della and Jim to the wisemen, or magi, who
brought gifts to baby Jesus. The narrator explains that Della
and Jim were unwise to sell their most prized possessions,
but they were the wisest because they gave each other the
gift of love. The story ends with the line "They are the
magi".
The story's conclusion argues that sacrifice is more
important than material goods. It also uses situational irony
to surprise the reader. The reader is led to believe that one
thing will happen, but something completely different
occurs.
In the story, Della and Jim each have a prized possession
before they exchange gifts. Della buys a platinum chain for
Jim's watch, and Jim buys combs for Della's hair. However,
neither gift can be used because they've sold the other
person's gift. Della and Jim realize that their love for each
other is worth more than the material possessions they
could have bought

Projects of English Ritu Raj

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Projects of English Ritu Raj

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Projects of English Ritu Raj

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE GIFT OF MAGI

A Project Submitted to:

ARMY INSTITUTE OF LAW, MOHALI

RITU RAJ (24105)

Under the guidance of

Ms JASDEEP BRAR (Assistant Prof. English)

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree

PUNJABI UNIVERSITY PATIALA (PUNJAB)

It is certified that the project work presented in this

Date: 20/10/24 Name: RITU RAJ

Place: Mohali Roll No. : 24105

I am highly indebted to Army Institute of Law, Mohali for their

SR. TITLE PAGES

1 THE GIFT OF MAGI – O.HENRY 1

2 SUMMARY – “THE GIFT OF MAGI” 2-3

3 THEAMS – “THE GIFT OF MAGI” 3-4

4 TITLE RELEVANCE – “THE GIFT OF 4-5

5 CHARACTERS – “THE GIFT OF MAGI” 5-6

▪ English Book – Popular Short Stories By Oxford University

▪ Wikipedia - “ The Gift of Magi ”

▪ Oxford University Press – London

▪ Poetry Analysis – English

Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (1862–

"The Gift of the Magi" is one of O. Henry's most famous short

• Della is determined to buy Jim a special gift for Christmas but

• When Jim returns home, Della is nervous about how he will

1. Love and Sacrifice: The central theme of the story is selfless

2. Poverty and Contentment: Jim and Della live in poverty,

3. Irony: O. Henry is known for his use of situational irony, and

4. The Meaning of Christmas: The story reflects on the true

The title is highly appropriate because it draws a parallel between

The conclusion of “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

You might also like