what are some symbols in the gift of magi

What Are the Symbols in "The Gift of the Magi?"

• Gold The gold of the watch may symbolize several things: love, purity, money (which the couple lacks), and eternity (gold does not rust or tarnish). ...
• Watch The watch in the story can represent time, the future (which the couple hopes to spend together), the end of the year, or eternity. ...
• Hair ...
• Combs ...
• Chain ...
• Christmas ...

Full Answer

What are some allusions in the gift of the Magi?

What are some Allusions in The Gift of the Magi - Answers Posted on 27-Jan-2020 The first allusion in "The Gift of the Magi", is "Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate ...

What are some metaphors in 'the gift of the Magi'?

The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories Metaphors and Similes

• Della's haircut (Simile)
• The Magi (Metaphor)
• The Queen of Sheba and King Solomon (Metaphor)
• Della's long hair (Simile)

Who does Magi refer to in gift of the Magi?

Jim and Della are called magi in “The Gift of the Magi” because they each show wisdom. Magi is the plural of magus, meaning a wise man. And it was the three magi, or wise men, who brought gifts to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. What is the metaphor in The Gift of the Magi?

Why is the story called "the gift of the Magi"?

"The gift of the Magi" is a famous short story by O. Henry. It may be mistaken to be a fairy tale when it is given that name. However, O. Henry calls his story "The gift of the Magi" because he wants to emphasize the meaning of the gift and show his love to the characters: Jim and Della. The meaning of the gift is emphasized in the story.

See more

What is the symbolism of the gifts of the magi?

It represents the coming of Jesus to all – to Gentiles and Jews alike. The Magi saw the star from afar and traveled to worship the Christ Child. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh – each of which tells us something about Jesus' identity.

What are the symbols used in the poem journey of magi?

Three trees are symbolic of the three crosses, and a white horse is a distinguished reference used to describe a savior. This is further expressed through the pleasant change in weather that occurs when these symbols are introduced into the poem.

What are the symbols of the gift in the story?

The 5 symbols that i chose were; The Gray Cat, Gold, Combs, Christmas, and Della's Hair. The gray cat symbolizes loss of hope and sadness. Gold represents eternity and love. The Combs stated Jim's love for Della.

What are the two major symbols in the story gift of the magi?

Gold, a metal, is a symbol of earthly kingship; frankincense, an incense, is a symbol of godliness; and myrrh, an embalming oil, is a symbol of death. Thus the gifts were given in recognition of Jesus's importance within the Christian story.

What does the white horse symbolize in the poem The Journey of the Magi?

The “white horse” refers to the one in Zechariah 6:5, who announces the coming of Jesus.

What is symbolism in literature?

Symbolism is a literary device that uses symbols, be they words, people, marks, locations, or abstract ideas to represent something beyond the literal meaning. The concept of symbolism is not confined to works of literature: symbols inhabit every corner of our daily life.

What does the gray cat symbolize in The Gift of the Magi?

Answer and Explanation: The grey cat mentioned in the story "The Gift of the Magi" represents Della's forlorn mood and the otherwise drab, shabbiness of her home.

What does selling Jim's watch symbolize?

Jim's watch holds sentimental value for him as well, having been passed down from generation to generation. In this way, the watch represents Jim's ties to the family he grew up in—the family he leaves in order to make a new family with Della.

What is the main theme in The Gift of the Magi?

Love:Love: Love is the central theme in The Gift of Magi. Living in abject poverty, Jim and Della sell their most prized possessions in order to afford Christmas gifts for one another. Their actions demonstrate their willingness to sacrifice material goods for their love.

What was special about Della's hair?

Had the Queen of Sheba lived in their building, Della would have let her hair hang out the window to dry just to reduce the value of the queen's jewels. So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her, shining like a brown waterfall.

What type of irony is The Gift of the Magi?

situational ironyThe Magi's Gift Henry uses situational irony to emphasize the unexpected outcome of the story.

What are the two possessions of the characters that they consider their treasures?

Between them, they have only two possessions that they consider their treasures: Jim's gold pocket watch that belonged to his father and his grandfather, and Della's lustrous, long hair that falls almost to her knees.

What do the six dicing hands three trees and galloping horse Symbolise in the poem?

“Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver” representing Judah's betrayal. The “three trees” meaning the three crosses and Christ's crucifixion. The “white horse” signifying Jesus Christ.

What type of poem is The Journey of the Magi?

The Hollow MenT. S. EliotPreludesT. S. EliotThe Love Song of J. Alfred Pruf...T. S. EliotAsh WednesdayT. S. EliotPoemsT. S. EliotA Song for SimeonT. S. EliotJourney of the Magi/People also search for

What is the tone of the poem The Journey of the Magi?

The diction in the first stanza gives the reader an ominous, negative tone. The diction causes the reader to think the journey the magi took was terrible, hard, unpleasant, and overall bad.

What is the setting of the Journey of the Magi?

So the bulk of the poem, then, takes place in the valley that contains Bethlehem and Jerusalem, both of which are hugely important cities to the Christian faith.

Who wrote the gift of the Magi?

Home » Language & Lit. "The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by William Sydney Porter -- otherwise known as "O. Henry.". In this sweet tale, a young married couple doesn't have much money to buy each other Christmas gifts, so they have to get creative -- and sacrifice a lot.

What did the Magi bring to the world?

Regardless, sources generally agree that they brought gold, frankincense and myrrh -- valuable items in the ancient world. References. Many Things: The Gift of the Magi (A Special Story for Christmas) Writer Bio.

What does gold mean on a watch?

Gold. The gold of the watch may symbolize several things: love, purity, money (which the couple lacks), and eternity (gold does not rust or tarnish). Some interpreters believe that because it is a Christmas story, the gold in this tale symbolizes divinity, such as Jesus or God himself.

What does the watch in the story represent?

The watch in the story can represent time, the future (which the couple hopes to spend together), the end of the year, or eternity. It may represent the couple's transition from starry-eyed youths to mature and generous individuals.

Who were the Magi in the story of Christmas?

Christmas. Since the story takes place at Christmastime, the season can be said to represent the original Magi, who were wise men who visited the Baby Jesus. Reports differ as to whether they were actually present at the birth, or arrived afterwards.

What does the young woman's hair symbolize?

The young wife's hair in the story can symbolize many things: youth (young women generally wear their hair longer), vitality and sexuality. In a way, by giving up her hair, the woman in the story is agreeing to give her youth, sexuality, and "best years of her life" to her husband.

What are the symbols in the gift of the Magi?

There are several meaningful symbols in "The Gift of the Magi," the main ones being Della's hair, Jim's watch, and the three magi.

What are the gifts of the Magi?

In "The Gift of the Magi" O' Henry uses symbolism in reference to the Three Magi (The 3 Wisemen). They come bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Baby Jesus in Bethlehem.

What does the magi symbolise at the end of the story?

At the end of the story, the magi who visited Christ with their gifts are used as symbols of wisdom, while Jim and Della, who sacrificed their most precious possessions for objects which turned out to be useless, symbolize folly.

What are the symbols of poverty?

The symbols of poverty include the "letter-box into which no letter would go" and the "electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring" in the vestibule of the $8 a week flat inhabited by Jim and Della. Their poverty is also symbolized by the $1.87, repeatedly mentioned as the sum Della has to spend on a gift, ...

What do the three magi symbolize?

Finally, the three magi that O. Henry mentions symbolize the people's ability to be generous, kind and caring; the three magi are the first gift bearers in the Bible—they were the first people who came to visit Jesus when he was born and gave him precious gift to honor his birth and bless him with good fortune.

What are the symbols of wealth in the story?

The symbols of worldly wealth in the story are Jim's watch and Della's hair, since these are the only things they have which are worth any money. Because they give these things up for two other symbols of wealth, the combs and the chain for the watch, all four also become symbols of self-sacrifice.

What does Della's hair and Jim's watch represent?

Della's hair and Jim's watch are two very important symbols in the story, as they represent Della's and Jim's willingness to sacrifice something that they hold very dear to their hearts and even consider their most prized possessions in order to make their significant other happy.

What does the magi symbolize in the gift of the Magi?

In "The Gift of the Magi," the magi symbolize wisdom. The narrator admonishes Della and Jim as "two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house," but then admits "they are wisest.". The allusion to the magi in O. Henry 's title suggests that Della's and Jim's sacrificial gifts also ...

Why did the magi follow Jesus to Bethlehem?

The three magi—Balthasar, Gaspar, and Melchior—followed the star to Bethlehem so they could give gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Although intended for the son of god, these gifts were ordinary in nature because their value was spiritual rather than material. Gold, a metal, is a symbol of earthly kingship; frankincense, ...

What does Della Young's hair symbolize?

Della Young 's hair symbolizes her feminine beauty and sensuality. She clearly considers it her most prized possession. It is very long, hanging down past her knees. The narrator describes it as "rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters ... ma [king] itself almost a garment.".

What are the gifts of the Magi?

The title of the story”The Gift of Magi” is symbolic to the biblical reference to the three wise men or magi, who were present at the birth of baby Jesus so they could give their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and myrrh to the Baby Jesus. Though the gifts being simple in nature their carried a spiritual meaning rather than a material one.

What does the gift of gold represent?

Though the gifts being simple in nature their carried a spiritual meaning rather than a material one. The gift of gold represents earthly kingmanship, frankincense represents the symbol of godliness and myrrh represents the symbol of death.

What does Jim's watch represent?

Here Jim’s watch symbolises prosperity and progress as expensive watches are a symbol of prosperity and progress which just like Jim’s watch is being passed down from generations to generations as a object of value and pride to be worn and own. Della only fear that Jim would not like her with her short hair.

Why did Jim sell Della's watch?

But on the contrary Jim sold his gold watch to buy Della a comb embedded with jewels for her long, beautiful and gorgeous hair. Both of them sold their most prised possession (hair and watch) in order to but the most perfect gift for each other.

What are the Magi?

The Magi (Symbols) Also known as the Wise Men and Three Kings, the magi are the biblical figures who offered Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh on the night of his birth. As a symbol of wisdom and enlightenment, the narrator claims that the magi invented the art of Christmas gift-giving and praises their wisdom, claiming, “The magi, as you know, ...

What is Della's hair symbol?

Della's hair (Symbol) As a central symbol of beauty and femininity, Della’s long, brown hair is her most beloved possession, one the narrator compares to the Queen of Sheba’s jewels and gifts. When Della sells her hair so she can afford a proper Christmas present for Jim, she breaks with the ideals of femininity and instead takes on ...