Narrative Style in 'The Gift of the Magi'

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The Gift of the Magi, written by O. Henry, is told in third person omniscient. Third person omniscient is “when the external narrator relates all thoughts and feelings of the characters (Clugston, 2010).” In the beginning, the narrator expresses that we don’t know how Jim feels about anything, but he still uses Jim to tell part of the story. The point of view in this story is consistent throughout the story until the very end. In the last paragraph, the author speaks directly about how Jim and Della were wise gift givers, because they gave to one another so unselfishly. The point of view in this story shaped my reading by describing the lifestyle, mood and the position of the characters. I could almost feel the excitement within Della when she got her hair cut and bought a Christmas gift for her husband. In the same respect, the point of view given allowed me to connect emotionally with the characters. The point of view contributed to my reading of the story because the author was so descriptive of not only the characters but their surroundings. There was much detail put in to describing the flat. The setting is described as Christmas in New York. You get the sense that everything is dull and drabby, but yet the story is about Christmas and the giving that is experienced. This story is about love and selflessness during hard times. In the end, the best gift of all between Della and Jim was that they had each other and that nothing could change their love for one another. Clugston, R.W. (2010) Journey Into Literature. San Diego: Bridgepoint,

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