The Last Leaf - O'Henry - Analysis

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has reached to the highest point and needs resolving. Suddenly, everything becomes clearly when the readers know what are inside the two Christmas presents: A set of combs for Della’s hair and a golden chain for James’ watch. They now realize both has spent the most valuable possession of their own buying presents the other likes but no presents is useful at that time.

This is such a surprising climax that no one can thinks of. Moreover, it is also expressed a remarkable point of O. Henry’s writing style, twist ending. A twist ending is an unexpected conclusion or climax to a work of fiction, and which often contains irony or causes the audience to reevaluate the narrative or characters. In the story, we will never imagine that James would act in the same way like Della. All seem to be ironical and accidental in the story. O. Henry used his hand cleverly and attractively directing readers gradually from one surprise to another then solve the tightened twist in an extreme meaningful and unpredictable way.

The falling action is when the couple turns back to their poor meal blissfully. This leads quickly to the story’s end. However, there is the feeling never ends in the readers’ minds – this is their love.

Point of view

In "The Gift of the Magi," O. Henry uses an unaffected narrator to tell this story. In “The Gift of the Magi”, O. Henry’s style of narration is invariably ironic or playful. The author uses the third person point of view to have the most objective attitude. A narrator with personality and presence is one of several techniques that are typical of most of O’Henry’s short stories. Although the story focuses on Della’s point of view - the reader sees mostly what Della sees - it is told in another narrative voice that firstly the readers might think that the author is very glacial but at last we found out that under the cold layer, he is a very kind-hearted person. This “Thermos style” would be compared with the style of Lo Tan – a famous Chinese writer. They all have humanization – a very important characteristic of a writer. In spite of the fact that these gifts are now useless, Jim and Della have given each other the greatest gift of all, which the narrator compares to the gifts given to the Christ child by the wise men, or magi: selfless love. Della and Jim are not fools; they are really intelligent because they understand something that many people do not know: how to love unselfishly.

Characters:

Delia Young

Delia is the protagonist and flat character in this short story. Delia is a pretty and slender woman with a very beautiful long hair. No audience who has just once read this short story can not be impressed by her hair’s beauty. It is so beautiful that O’ Henri is not sparing with his praise to describe. Even in one of several biblical allusions, O. Henry notes that Delia’s beautiful hair would be envied by the Queen of Sheba herself.

Della belongs to the working-class. Obviously, her family is very poor, which can be seen easily from the beginning of the story. All she has for Christmas is just 1, 87$ despite her careful saving for months. Though she is disappointed when realizing how little she has from this detail, we know how capable she is. Being unfortunate in looking for a job and can do nothing to contribute something to the income of the family but Della knows how to spend it reasonably. She has her own way of saving money, even by bulldozing the grocer or vegetable man. All is just for the coming Christmas.

Not only capable and considerate but Della is also a woman of great love and sacrifice. Her getting rid of the hair can be considered one of the most touching detail in this short story. Because it is really her treasure and pride, it is not easy to decide cutting it just in a few minutes looking at the mirror, nor accept losing it with the exchange of only 20$ with no regret. Surprisingly, Della does. So what motivates her lofty sacrifice is nothing else but love. If sacrifice is the highest degree of love, then Della really reaches it.

So much she is willing to scarify, so much she loves her husband. Her love is imbued with every single word in this short story from the beginning to the end. It is love that makes her comprehend the wearisomeness of her husband so that she is aware of spending considerately. It is love that makes Della, in spite of the privation, still wants to buy her husband a present. Material is not very important but the present is somehow the symbol of love Della wants to give James. No matter how poor she is, no matter how little she has and no matter how hard she tries to spend for Christmas, all she cares about is "something fine and rare and sterling — something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.” Her love is also showed in the way she worries when waiting for James’ coming home, not because of losing the beautiful hair but James’ love. And with the great love inside, she becomes more optimistic to think of another day when her hair grows. Her love is not only showed in her action but also in her language. Loving James, she seems to know him so well. "James is never late". This sentence sounds simple and has nothing worth paying attention but if putting it in this situation, it is easy to see the strong affirmation of Della about James. It is simple because it just likes an obvious fact. When selling her hair, her answer is also very short "Give it to me quick". She has no time to bargain because she just thinks about the present. And by the way she talks with James; we feel the simplicity but tenderness that shows their close relationship.

James

James, Delia’s husband, is an antagonist and flat character in this story. He only appears from the middle of the story and in a very short time but we can still imagine what he looks like. He is thin and serious, a poor fellow and just only 22 years old but has to be burdened with a family. Working very hard and never coming home until seven o’clock with such little salary that just can afford the rent; he is representative of the working-class at that time. The way O’Henri describes James is very suggestive when he compares him to the platinum watch chain: “the watch fob was like him. Quietness and value — the description applied to both.”

James’ value is shown in many respects but like Della, the greatest are love and sacrifice. According to the feeling of Delia, he is a reliable person because "he is never late". Because of love, though working very hard all