Reflections on true values ​​in O’Henry’s short story “The Gifts of the Magi. About Henry “The Gift of the Magi” - the moral beauty of the heroes’ souls

Genre works – short story(short story). Some researchers define “The Gifts of the Magi” as a short story (largely due to the unexpected ending).

The title of the work is a reminiscence of the Christian, New Testament story of the worship of the Magi and their bringing of gifts to the newborn Savior. There is a roll call with artistic time story - Christmas Eve (day, evening). Another biblical, Old Testament reminiscence is the comparison of two main family heirlooms - Della's brown hair and Jim's gold watch - with the outfits and jewelry of the Queen of Sheba and the treasures of King Solomon (respectively).

The narration is told on behalf of the author. The text periodically contains appeals to the reader (for example, "my friends"). Twice the author takes the reader away from observing actors: the first time at the beginning of the story, in the scene of Della’s crying, when she realizes that she cannot buy a gift worthy of Jim with the money she saved; the second time at the end of the work - during the tender embrace of the young couple. In the first case, the author concentrates the reader’s attention on "the house itself" plunging him into art space works; in the second - it directly says that you need to be "more modest", and suggests focusing on "examination of a foreign object" which becomes main idea story.

Main characters works - Mr. and Mrs. James Dillingham Young - are initially deprived age characteristics. In terms of her emotionality (sudden tears, pale face), fragile physique and desire to admire her main treasure (brown hair hanging down to her knees), Della appears to be a young woman. The author does not name the true age of the heroine, but it can be assumed that she is no older than her husband Jim, who, at twenty-two years old, appears before the reader in the second part of the story. In the author's conclusion, Della and Jim are called "kids from the eight dollar apartment", but are compared with the wisest people in the entire history of mankind - the Magi and are placed above them, as those who sacrificed "for each other greatest treasures» .

The material condition of the heroes, defined by the author as “not exactly crying poverty, but rather eloquently silent poverty”, serves as an excellent backdrop for highlighting the wonderful spiritual qualities of Della and Jim - love and generosity. main character she worries only because, having lost her main treasure, she might not like her husband. Not once does she think that she could buy a gift for one dollar and eighty-seven cents, or that the twenty dollars received from selling her hair could buy something else - for example, a new coat or gloves, which Jim does not have . Della puts a sensual intonation into her gift. She is looking not for a material, but for a spiritually useful object - something "special, rare, precious", "worthy of the high honor of belonging to Jim". It can be assumed that the latter does the same, because he sells his gold watch in order to please his beloved wife with the performance "unfulfilled desire".

“The Gifts of the Magi” is distinguished by its brevity, both in volume and individual proposals. The author builds his story on short, clear phrases in which there is nothing superfluous. Instead of detailed descriptions we see perfectly chosen adjectives and adverbs, diminutive suffixes and the use of lexical repetitions. With the help of the latter, O. Henry enhances one or another emotional component: for example, Della’s sadness is visible in the way she "sadly" looks at "a gray cat walking along a gray fence along a gray house". The author’s style of writing in “The Gifts of the Magi” can be compared to the chain Della bought with a simple and strict design, which captivates with its true qualities, and "not ostentatious shine". Such, according to O. Henry, "and all good things must be".

• “The Gifts of the Magi”, a summary of the story by O. Henry
• “The Last Leaf”, artistic analysis of the story by O. Henry
• “The Last Leaf”, a summary of the story by O. Henry

REFLECTIONS ABOUT TRUE VALUES IN O’HENRY’S STORY “THE GIFT OF THE MAGI”

Of course, you remember the famous statement of the Russian writer A.P. Chekhov: “Brevity is the sister of talent.” Master of the short story American literature The late 19th century is considered to be the writer O. Henry, whose work you will become acquainted with in this lesson. You will also read and analyze O. Henry’s story “The Gift of the Magi,” in which the writer’s talent and skill were clearly demonstrated.

Subject: Foreign literature XlX century

Lesson: O. Henry. About the writer. The story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Today we are discovering the pages of creativity of an amazing, kind and intelligent interlocutor, American writer O. Henry (Fig. 1). His real name is William Sidney Porter.

Rice. 1. O. Henry. Photo ()

Porter began his first literary experiments in the 1880s. Since 1894, in Austin, he has published the humorous weekly Rolling Stone, filled almost entirely with his own essays, drawings, jokes and stories.

But the writer’s life was not as cloudless as we think. It contained amazing twists and turns, terrible dramatic collisions, and this diversity of life was reflected in the plots of his works, which were sometimes surprising and unexpected.

The American writer O. Henry has earned fame as a master of the short story, especially popular in American literature under the name “short story.” And this short story is small world, into which O. Henry introduces us, a world that lives according to the laws of purity, ethics, and humanity.

Analysis of the story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Rice. 2. Book cover ()

Genre of the work

Novella - (from Italian novella - news) - one of the small epic genres: a genre form close to the story that arose in the Renaissance. Unlike a story, a short story pays more attention to the plot, which, as a rule, is characterized by the dynamism of events, the unexpectedness of their development and outcome.

Fabula is a chain, a series of events in an epic or dramatic work, which forms the basis of the plot. Unlike the plot, the plot can be briefly retold. “The plot is what actually happened, the plot is how the reader found out about it” (B.M. Tomashevsky).

Turning to the short story “The Gifts of the Magi,” I would like to take epigraph from sonnet 56 by William Shakespeare.

So that love is dear to us,

Let the ocean be the hour of separation,

Let two, going to the shores,

One stretches out their hands to each other

Gift- gift, offering, donation.

Magi - These are wizards, sorcerers, sorcerers.

The events of the story take place around Christmas. Under New Year and Christmas, people believe in miracles, in happy changes in their lives, and give each other gifts. The main characters of the story are young spouses Della and Jim.

The role of the interior in the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Interior - the interior design of a room, household furnishings, people's living environment. Can act as a means of characterizing a character.

“...let's look around the house itself. Furnished apartment for eight dollars a week. The atmosphere is not exactly blatant poverty, but rather eloquently silent poverty. Below, on the front door, there is a letter box, through the crack of which not a single letter could squeeze through, and an electric bell button, from which no mortal could squeeze out a sound. Attached to this was a card with the inscription: "Mr. James Dillingham Young." "Dillingham" came into full swing during a recent period of prosperity, when the owner of the said name received thirty dollars a week. Now, after this income had dropped to twenty dollars, the letters in the word “Dillingham” faded, as if seriously wondering whether they should be reduced to a modest and unassuming “D”?

Epithets: blatant poverty, eloquently silent poverty.

Comparisons: the letters seem to have dimmed and become thoughtful.

Personifications: the letters are thinking.

The interior in O. Henry's story “The Gift of the Magi” is a means of characterizing the main characters. And we understand that our heroes Della and Jim are poor, but happy.

The interior here characterizes social status heroes. The description of the home tells us about the plight of the heroes, but at the same time another thought of the author is also important.

The idea of ​​the work “The Gifts of the Magi”

The entire novel is based on antithesis. The material side of life is contrasted with the spirituality of our heroes. Despite the fact that they lived poorly, sometimes from hand to mouth, they did not lose their spirituality or purity. And most importantly, they were able to show care and attention towards each other. It is the feeling of love that warms these people in a small eight-dollar apartment. Such a life did not embitter our heroes. A world in which evil reigns, in which people are cruel and sometimes do not pay attention to the suffering of others, has not spoiled these heroes, and they continue to carry in their souls such feelings as love, humanity and kindness.

The role of the portrait in the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”

Portrait (French - image) - an image of the hero’s appearance.

The most striking thing in the story is the portrait of Della (Fig. 3). We can find a description of Della in different parts of the story. And if you put the portrait together, this is what you get:

“Delle, who was of slight build...”

“She suddenly jumped away from the window and rushed to the mirror. Her eyes sparkled, but the color drained from her face in twenty seconds. With a quick movement, she pulled out the pins and let her hair down.

I must tell you that the James Dillingham Young couple had two treasures that were the source of their pride. One is Jim’s gold watch that belonged to his father and grandfather, the other is Della’s hair.”

“And then Della’s beautiful hair fell out, shining and shimmering, like the streams of a chestnut waterfall. They went down below her knees and covered almost her entire figure with a cloak.”

“The chestnut waterfall is flowing again.”

Later in the story we will find the following descriptions of the heroine:

“An old brown jacket on her shoulders, an old brown hat on her head - and, throwing up her skirts, sparkling with dry sparkles in her eyes, she was already rushing down to the street.”

As you can see, the main thing in Della’s portrait is the description of her hair; special attention is paid to it, precisely because it was the main, one of two, treasures of the family.

Visual and expressive means:

Epithets: beautiful hair.

Comparisons: like the jets of a chestnut waterfall.

The plot of the work

Plot (French - subject) - an event or a set of events in epic and dramatic works, the development of which allows the writer to reveal the characters of the characters and the essence of the depicted phenomena in accordance with the author's intention.

The structural elements of a plot are the beginning, the development of the action, the climax, the decline of the action and the denouement.

Prolo d: description of the room.

The beginning story: Della's decision to sell her hair.

Climax: buying gifts.

Unexpected interchange a: the gifts were not useful to either spouse.

Plot feature- precisely an unexpected ending. This author's style is characteristic of the writer O. Henry.

Features of the composition

Composition - construction work of art, arrangement and relationship of its parts, images, episodes in accordance with the content, genre form and the author's intention.

A special feature of the composition of O. Henry's short story “The Gifts of the Magi” is the introduction of an episode about the gifts of the Magi (Fig. 4). It is this episode that is important for understanding the main idea of ​​the story.

Rice. 4. Gifts of the Magi. Bible story ()

Let's remember the biblical story. When baby Jesus was born, a star lit up in the East. The Magi realized that this was the man who would save the world. And then they went to worship the baby, taking gifts with them. And they brought him gold, incense and myrrh as gifts. Gold was a symbol of royal power, incense was used for incense, that is, it was a symbol of the baby’s divinity. And myrrh is an fragrant resin that has the power to protect the body from rotting; its characteristic was bitterness. And it was bitter myrrh that became a symbol of the baby’s suffering on the cross.

This is where the custom of giving gifts to friends, acquaintances, loved ones and relatives for Christmas came from.

The meaning of the title of the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”

“The Magi, those who brought gifts to the baby in the manger, were, as we know, wise, amazingly wise people. They started the fashion for making Christmas gifts. And since they were wise, their gifts were wise, perhaps even with a stipulated right of exchange in case of unsuitability. And here I told you an unremarkable story about two stupid kids from an eight-dollar apartment who, in the most unwise way, sacrificed their greatest treasures for each other. But let it be said for the edification of the sages of our day that of all the donors these two were the wisest. Of all those who offer and receive gifts, only those like them are truly wise. Everywhere and everywhere. They are the Magi."

O. Henry makes a wise conclusion: the Magi brought gifts, but there was no main thing among them. He doesn’t say what exactly is most important, but we understand that this is what our heroes had, love and loyalty. And you can’t buy them, even if you have a million dollars in your pocket.

At the novella happy ending. The husband and wife gave each other the most important thing. This is a priceless gift - love. This is an ingenuous willingness to sacrifice their most important treasures for each other. And for O. Henry it is precisely this side of people’s lives that is important - their spirituality, moral purity.

Bibliography

1. Korovina V.Ya. Didactic materials on literature. 7th grade. — 2008.
2. Tishchenko O.A. Homework in literature for grade 7 (to the textbook by V.Ya. Korovina). — 2012.
3. Kuteinikova N.E. Literature lessons in 7th grade. — 2009.
4. Korovina V.Ya. Textbook on literature. 7th grade. Part 1. - 2012.
5. Korovina V.Ya. Textbook on literature. 7th grade. Part 2. - 2009.
).
6. O.Henry. Films and cartoons based on works ().

Homework

1. Compare O. Henry's short stories with the stories read by A.P. Chekhov. What do these authors have in common?
2. Read O. Henry's novella (optional). Determine its theme, idea. Make a plan. What is special about the composition and plot?
3. In an essay on what topic could you use as an example the short story “The Gifts of the Magi”? Write a short essay-reasoning.

Lesson type: lesson on studying the text of a work of art.

Class: 6

Lesson type: a lesson in artistic perception.

Lesson form: heuristic conversation

Methods:

1. creative reading method
   • role reading
   • first person reading
2. reproductive
3. heuristic

TCO: assessment sheets, image of the monument to the book of O. Henry<Picture 1>, portrait of a writer<Figure 2>

Goals:

1. educational:
   • determine true and false values ​​in human life;
   • explain the meaning of the story's title;
   • characterize the author's understanding of wisdom and happiness;
2. mental development:
   • develop students' attention;
   • form logical thinking during text analysis;
3. educational:
   • develop a sense of respect and self-esteem;
   • define true values ​​as spiritual;
4. creative: provide an opportunity to show creativity.

Epigraph:

A gift is a blessing to the giver.
F. Herbert

During the classes

I.Updating basic knowledge. Perception mindset.

I want to start our conversation today with an unusual question:

Who do you think people erect monuments to?

Why do people receive such an honor?

Why, in your opinion, can a monument to a book be erected?

And it was this honor that was awarded to the work of the writer O. Henry. His stone book, 2 meters high, stands open in the USA in the city of Greensboro. I think it is not difficult to guess which story it is revealed in.

And today we have to continue our acquaintance with the personality of the writer and try to understand what is unusual in the story “The Gifts of the Magi.”

The topic of our lesson sounds like this: “True and false values ​​in O. Henry’s story “The Gift of the Magi.”

Try to determine lesson objectives?

At the end of the lesson we must answer main question: which values ​​are true and which are false, who is truly happy and wise, according to the writer?

II. Working with associations. Student messages.

Let's look at the title of the story.

What associations does the word evoke in you? "gift" ?

ABOUT: gift – goodness, love, joy, holiday, mother

Let's open the board with the dictionary definition and ask students to read the dictionary definition and add additions to their associations: gift – donation, ability, talent.

Let us turn to the epigraph “A gift is a blessing to the giver.” What characteristic of the word “gift” can be taken from the epigraph?

ABOUT: gift - blessing

Listen to a report about the writer's life and write down O. Henry's character traits in your notebook.

Student message:

O. Henry's real name was William Sidney Porter. .

He is the author of more than 280 stories, sketches, and humorous jokes. He was born in Greensboro in the USA. His life was unhappy since childhood. When he was three years old, his mother died of tuberculosis. His father sent him to live with his aunt. At school, the child stood out for his sharp mind, rich imagination and ability to draw with one hand and simultaneously solve arithmetic problems with the other. After school, the young man began working in his uncle's pharmacy, but at the age of 19 he developed a cough similar to tuberculosis, and a family friend suggested that William go to work on a ranch in Texas, a state with a dry and hot climate. The ranch owner had a rich library, the young cowboy read a lot and began to write stories himself, however, he did not try to offer them to anyone and soon destroyed them. But two years later, William went to the large city of Austin, according to the concepts of that time.

Here he changed several professions. He worked in a cigar shop, in a real estate company, learned to play the guitar and sang in a quartet, which was eagerly invited to picnics and weddings. He published humorous drawings in magazines that brought neither money nor fame.

After getting married, W. Porter decided to settle down and went to work as a cashier at the First National Bank of Austin. When the embezzlement was discovered, Porter was charged with theft. All his friends and colleagues swore that the young cashier could not have embezzled money from investors, and the court cleared Porter of all charges. Nevertheless, William left the bank, went to Houston and began working for a local newspaper as an artist and columnist. However, the auditors began to dig deeper and discovered a great disorder and shortage in the bank books - this time of $4,703.

In January 1897 he was arrested. While Porter was awaiting trial, important changes occurred in his life. My wife, who had been ill for a long time, died. The wife's parents took the daughter in with them. One of the American magazines accepted his story from the life of cowboys for publication and asked for more, but the author had no time for the pen. At the trial he behaved indifferently and on April 25, 1898, the aspiring writer was sent to prison for five years.

Here he worked, remembering his youth, in the prison pharmacy. When it was discovered that a certain amount of pharmaceutical alcohol was missing and the pharmacist was suspected, he flared up: “I’m not a thief! I’ve never stolen a single cent in my life! I was accused of embezzlement, but I’m sitting for someone else who pocketed this money!” The pharmacy did not take up much time, and Porter continued to write stories, sending them out through the sister of one of his cellmates. He began to sign his writings with the name “O. Henry.”

For impeccable behavior, the prisoner was released not after five years, but after three years and three months. The stories he wrote in prison were in great demand in magazines, and publishers sent him one hundred dollars so that he could get to New York.

In the first year of his life in New York, Porter published 17 stories; after a few years, he was already releasing a story a week or more; at the height of his popularity, he was paid $500 per story - a lot of money for that time. But there was always not enough money; it flowed out of our hands like sand. Often he distributed large bills beggars, or even brought a homeless tramp to a doctor and paid for treatment and medicine. Bottom big city became the source of his inspiration. O. Henry often spent whole days in dubious drinking establishments, drawing stories from the stories of fellow regulars.

O. Henry often wrote in great haste, driven by the need to recoup a long-spent advance. In 1903, he entered into an agreement with the owner of the World newspaper, Joseph Pulitzer, agreeing to provide a story for each Sunday edition.

One of the editors recalled: “I came asking if the story was ready. “Ready, ready,” the writer answered. And he showed me Blank sheet with the title and number 1 in the corner. Then on the next sheet of paper he wrote a 2 in the corner, took three more sheets and, having written 5 on the last one, said: “Well, now, with your permission, I’ll take a break.”

In late autumn 1905, O. Henry agreed to write for Pulitzer yuletide story. The promised deadline passed, and the editor received nothing but apologies and excuses. Finally, the artist who was supposed to illustrate the work came to the writer’s closet to get acquainted with the draft and understand what should be drawn. It turned out that there wasn’t even a draft yet. The unfortunate illustrator asked to at least tell him the main idea of ​​​​the story.

“I’ll tell you what to draw, buddy,” the writer replied. “Draw a sparsely furnished room, like the rooming houses that are rented on the West Side. The room has one or two chairs, a chest of drawers, a bed and a closet. The bed has one side on it.” A man and a woman are sitting side by side, they are talking about the approaching Christmas. The man is twirling a pocket watch case in his hands. long hair, falling down the back. That's all I see so far. But the story will come soon."

This is how the story “The Gifts of the Magi” appeared, which was soon translated into all languages ​​of the world.

III. Reading text. Conversation.

Who are the main characters of O. Henry's story?

A: Jim and Della

How is the characters' home described? Find the details the writer uses.

Let's visit a cheap New York apartment together and watch the heroes.

IV. Dramatization of the episode (two participants: Della and the author behind the scenes).

Della: One dollar eighty seven cents. That's all. Of these, sixty cents are in one-cent coins. For each of these coins I had to bargain with the grocer, greengrocer, butcher so that even my ears burned from the silent disapproval that such frugality caused (I counted it three times). One dollar eighty seven cents. And tomorrow is Christmas (cries).

Life consists of tears, sighs and smiles, with sighs predominating. While the owner of the house goes through all these stages, let’s look around the house itself. Furnished apartment for eight dollars a week. The atmosphere is not exactly blatant poverty, but rather eloquently silent poverty. Below, on the front door, there is a letter box, through the crack of which not a single letter could squeeze through, and an electric bell button, from which no mortal could squeeze out a sound. Attached to this was a card with the inscription: "Mr. James Dillingham Young" "Dillingham" ... the letters in the word "Dillingham" faded, as if seriously wondering whether they should be shortened to a modest and unassuming "D"? But when Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and went upstairs to his room, he was invariably greeted by the cry of “Jim!” and the tender embrace of Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you under the name of Della. And this is really very nice.

Della finishes crying and brushing the powder on her cheeks. She now stood at the window and looked sadly at the gray cat walking along the gray fence along the gray yard.

Della: Tomorrow is Christmas, and I only have one dollar and eighty-seven cents to give to Jim! For many months I saved literally every cent, and this is all I achieved. Twenty dollars a week won't get you very far. The expenses turned out to be more than I expected. This always happens with expenses. Only a dollar and eighty-seven cents for a gift for Jim! To my Jim! I spent so many happy hours thinking about what to give him for Christmas. Something very special, rare, precious, something even slightly worthy of the high honor of belonging to Jim.

Dela bounces off the window and rushes to the mirror. With a quick movement, she pulls out the pins and lets her hair down.

What qualities of Della's character are revealed to us?

What treasures do the heroes have? Find their descriptions.

How is their beauty emphasized?

Why are they superior to the treasures of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon?

How does Della choose a gift? Find the description in the text.

What does she sacrifice for Jimm?

V. Reading by roles. Episode of the meeting of heroes.

Jim stood motionless at the door, like a setter smelling a quail. His eyes settled on Della with an expression she couldn't understand, and she felt scared. It was neither anger, nor surprise, nor reproach, nor horror - none of those feelings that one would expect. He just looked at her, without taking his eyes off, his face did not change its strange expression. Della jumped off the table and rushed towards him.

Jim, honey,” she cried, “don’t look at me like that.” I cut my hair and sold it because I couldn't bear it if I didn't have anything to give you for Christmas. They will grow back. You're not angry, are you? I couldn't do it any other way. My hair grows very quickly. Well, wish me a Merry Christmas, Jim, and let's enjoy the holiday. If only you knew what a gift I prepared for you, what a wonderful, wonderful gift!

Have you cut your hair? - Jim asked with tension, as if, despite the increased work of his brain, he still could not comprehend this fact.

Yes, I cut it and sold it,” said Della. - But you will still love me? I'm still the same, albeit with short hair.

Jim looked around the room in confusion.

So, does that mean your braids are no longer there? - he asked with senseless insistence.

“Don’t look, you won’t find them,” said Della. - I’m telling you: I sold them - I cut them off and sold them. It's Christmas Eve, Jim. Be gentle with me, because I did this for you. Maybe the hairs on my head can be counted,” she continued, and her gentle voice suddenly sounded serious, “but no one, no one could measure my love for you!” Fry cutlets, Jim?

And Jim came out of his daze. He pulled his Della into his arms. Let's be modest and take a few seconds to look at some foreign object. What's more - eight dollars a week or a million a year? A mathematician or a sage will give you the wrong answer. The Magi brought precious gifts, but one was missing from them. However, these vague hints will be explained further.

Jim took a package out of his coat pocket and threw it on the table.

Don't get me wrong, Dell,” he said. - No hairstyle or haircut can make me stop loving my girl. But unwrap this package, and then you will understand why I was a little taken aback at first.

White nimble fingers tore at the string and paper. A cry of delight followed, and immediately - alas! - in a purely feminine way, was replaced by a stream of tears and groans, so that it was necessary to immediately use all the sedatives at the disposal of the owner of the house.
For on the table lay combs, the same set of combs - one back and two side ones - which Della had long admired reverently in a Broadway window. Wonderful combs, real tortoiseshell, with shiny stones embedded in the edges, and just the color of her brown hair. They were expensive... Della knew this, and her heart languished and languished for a long time from the unfulfilled desire to possess them. And now they belonged to her, but there are no more beautiful braids that would adorn them with the coveted shine.

Still, she pressed the combs to her chest and, when she finally found the strength to raise her head and smile through her tears, she said:

My hair grows really fast, Jim!

Then she suddenly jumped up like a scalded kitten and exclaimed:

Oh my god!

After all, Jim had not yet seen her wonderful gift. She hastily handed him the chain on her open palm. The matte precious metal seemed to sparkle in the rays of her wild and sincere joy.

Isn't it lovely, Jim? I ran all over town until I found this. Now you can look at what time it is at least a hundred times a day. Give me the watch. I want to see what it will look like all together.

But Jim, instead of obeying, lay down on the couch, put both hands under his head and

smiled.
“Dell,” he said, “we’ll have to hide our gifts for now, let them lie there for a while.” They are too good for us now. I sold my watch to buy you combs. And now, perhaps, it’s time to fry the cutlets.

How would you characterize Jim's reaction when he walked into the room?

Why did he react this way?

What changes in Jim's behavior can you observe in this episode?

How does Della's reaction change when she sees the ridges?

Can the ending of the story be called happy?

What did the heroes really give each other?

Answer the problematic question that we asked at the beginning of the lesson, in writing in your notebook. Which values ​​are true and which are false? Add your observations from life.

Read several statements.

Consultants evaluate students' work in class.

Homework

1. Message on the topic: “The plot of “The Gifts of the Magi” in painting”
2. Create illustrations for text
3. Read and analyze for yourself one of O. Henry's stories.

O'Henry's creativity is a powerful source of goodness and humanity. His short stories captivate, delight, delight, amuse and captivate the reader, awakening in his soul the whole world good feelings, inspire optimism and hope.

One of O’Henry’s best New York short stories is “The Gift of the Magi.” A young family lives in a large New York house - Jim and Della. They are very poor, but they love each other passionately. Before Christmas, they decide to sacrifice the most precious things they have to give each other gifts.

Jim and Della know how to be happy, living in a poor apartment on twenty dollars a week. The heroes love each other so much that they are able to sacrifice the most precious thing they had without hesitation: Della - her luxurious hair, which could “make all the jewelry and outfits of Her Majesty” (the Queen of Sheba) fade, and Jim - with a family gold watch, seeing which, King Solomon would tear “his beard out of envy.” Love for another overpowered love for some material values. Although it seems to me that the love of Jim and Della is so strong and real that it is also tangible - this love shines through all the lines of the story.

This story did not spoil the lovers' Christmas holiday at all, because they received as a gift another proof of each other's love and were very happy.

At first glance, it seems that the short story is almost anecdotal, but it can hardly be called funny or cheerful; there is a bitter taste in it. But, on the other hand, this funny mishap with gifts is a real fairy tale Christmas story that shows best qualities ordinary people: selflessness of their love, sacrifice, spiritual generosity. The novella, like the Christmas star followed by the wise men two millennia ago, radiates the light of hope.

“Of all those who give and receive gifts, only those like them are truly wise,” writes O’Henry. - Everywhere and everywhere. They are the Magi." Jim and Della have genuine spiritual generosity, they know how to love and sacrifice for the sake of this love what is dear to them.

Option 2

A distinctive feature of the famous American writer O'Henry is his talent as a humorist. His works always contain jokes and irony. He also always has a surprise in stock for the reader, an unexpected ending. His short stories are a powerful source of goodness and humanity. They captivate and delight us, awakening in our souls a whole world of good and bright feelings.

One of O’Henry’s most famous short stories is “The Gift of the Magi.” Why does it attract readers so much? It's a good Christmas story about strength. true love, about the ability to sacrifice for loved one when, compared to the happiness that can be delivered to your loved one, everything else no longer seems so important and valuable.

The main characters of the novel are young spouses Della and Jim, who live very modestly; they are forced to count every cent. Jim wore an old coat, and his “hands were freezing without gloves.” They lived in a furnished apartment with very poor furnishings. But their life was brightened by love. And each of them also had a small treasure that they were very proud of. Della had luxurious long hair, and

Jim has a gold watch that he inherited from his father and grandfather.

The author describes to us Della's mental anguish on Christmas Eve. After all, she loves Jim and cannot leave him without a gift on such a holiday, but she has no money. It is worth noting that Christmas is one of the most favorite holidays among Christians. It is customary to celebrate it with loved ones and give gifts to each other, since Christ, born on this night, symbolizes Love for believers. And to bring joy to her beloved, Della makes a sacrifice: she sells her hair, her only treasure. She chooses a gift for her husband for a long time and carefully, looking for exactly what he might like. Jim comes home in the evening. The spouses exchange gifts, and then it turns out that each of the heroes, sacrificing his treasure, gives the other an addition to his treasure: combs for his hair and a chain for his watch. The situation in which Jim and Della find themselves makes you smile and also makes you think about the wisdom of the story. After all, we become truly happy by giving - sacrificing something. And the greater the sacrifice, the stronger the love.

The heroes of the story are selfless and pure in their love. And the author says that although they “sacrificed their greatest treasures for each other in the most unwise way,” but “of all the donors, these two were the wisest.”