The Gift of The Magi By : O.

Henry Thinking about tone and style : Irony

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Firtia Ayu L Yunita Sari Mentari Dwi Susanti Ami Pramesti Jewalani Novita Ida Agustina Afifatul Amalia

(121012081) (121012082) (121012083) (121012084) (121012085) (121012118)

English Department Faculty of Humanities Airlangga University

2012

The Gift of the Magi is a short story from William Sydney Porter or well-known as O. Henry. It tells about a couple who love each other even though in difficult financial condition. Both want to give a special present for Christmas to the other, but since they dont have enough money, they sell the most precious thing they have. Unfortunately, in the ending of the story, the gift is useless. They both bought something that cannot be used. In writing a story, each author has their own style and so does O. Henry. In The Gift of the Magi his style in sentence pattern is the he is using short sentences. Most of them consist of one until two clauses. It is shown in paragraph 6 line 5, Twenty dollars a week doesnt go so far. Expenses had been greater than she calculated. They always are. Most of the short sentences in short stories are usually easy to be understood, but not in this story. The sentences are a little bit hard to be understood because the diction, the words that are chosen by O. Henry, is long or elegant word. We can find those words in paragraph 2 There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating. And in paragraph 20 When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends-a mammoth task. O. Henry also uses some figurative language such as in paragraph 36, White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then as 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 figurative language can also be found in paragraph 10 that says So now Dellas beautiful hair fell about her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. The tone of this story is affectionate. The author wants to show the reader that the story is full of love. Paragraph 6, Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and sterling-something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim and paragraph 36 where Jim says I dont think theres anything in the way of haircut or a shave or shampoo that could make me like my girl any less tell us that the characters love each other so much that they are willing to sacrifice their favourite possession to buy special present which their love deserve.

The author, O. Henry, wants to show the reader that the characters in the story are facing an ironic condition such as told in paragraph 7. It says There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pier-glass in an $8 flat. It shows the ironic situation. $8 for a flat in a week is quite expensive for their financial condition. They have modest life. Thus, that cannot give special and expensive gift for Christmas. The story tells us that Jim actually needed a new overcoat and gloves, such as stated in paragraph 25, but Della didnt buy it for Jims Christmas present because she wants to buy him something that Jim deserves, something that suitable for his mighty pride, his gold watch. Overcoat and gloves are worthless to be owned, its not special. It is proved in paragraph 9, There were two possessions of James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jims gold watch that had been his fathers and his grandfathers. The other was Dellas hair. The story wants to tell the reader that something precious cannot be counted by dollar. The story said Eight dollars a week or a million a year what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you wrong answer (paragraph 34). It means that the mathematicians who refer to a logical answer must answer that it is different. If we count eight dollar per week in one year the result wont reach one million. According to the author, that is the wrong answer, the right answer might be those things are the same. A cheap thing can have the same value as the expensive one as long as it is given with love. The story ending is ironic. Della sold one of Jims mighty prides, her hair, to buy fob chain for another Jims mighty pride, his golden watch. In the opposite, Jim sold his watch to buy Della beautiful combs with pure tortoise shell and jewelled rims. The result, at the ending of this story is exactly the opposite of what they intended. Della could not wear the combs Jim bought for her; Jim could not use the watch fob Della bought for him. It's the sudden, unexpected irony, which only strikes at the very end that makes the ending a twist. It is also irony of fate which it is out of the human power to make those things happen. They try as hard as they can to give something special but the result is not just what they imagine. This twist ending is very important because without this twist ending, the story would be superficial.

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