爱华网The Meaning of Gift
O.Henry wasborn in Greensboro, North Carolina. His father, Algemon SidneyPorter,wasaphysician.WhenWilliamwasthree,hismotherdied,andhewasraisedbyhisparentalgrandmotherandpaternalaunt.Williamwasanavidreader,butattheageoffifteenheleftschoolandthenworkedinadrugstoreandonaTexasranch.HecontinuedtoHouston,wherehehadanumberofjobs,includingthatofbankclerk.Aftermovingin1882toTexas,heworkedonaranchinLaSalleCountyfortwoyears.In1887hemarriedAtholEstesRoach;theyhadonedaughterandoneson.,he died in New York on June 5th1910.
In this novel,there are many short ficition,every of them are worth reading,butTheGiftoftheMagileft me a deep impression is, I think this is a good articleI have ever read, it is meaningful.
In thisarticle, O.Henry used his style of writing narrated a winding andsimple story with humorous and a light sad, in western literaryarea this theme of presenting the gift in the Christmas eve is soordinary, some of them is wonderful, but I think TheGiftoftheMagiis the best one.
First, let’s looked from the content. the entirearticle took one pair of poorly love husbands and wives in Americanpresenting the Christmas gift as a middle line, The familyhousewife in order to save each coin, she count each one. Eventhough, entire family only left one dollar and eighty-seven centson Christmas Eve. The author did not describe much about the poorfamily, he used one dollar and eighty-seven cents to draw the wholenovel, the housewife Della who loves her husband deeply count themoney three times, she cried sadly for she could not buy herhusband an satisfactory gift. O.Henry was good at using littlewords to make the sketch and build atmosphere, then the reader willlost in the article, tasting and pondering the character's destiny.The gloomy atmosphere which was built by one dollar andeighty-seven cents through the whole novel, even when the couplessaw gifts, it still contained a little pain. The author had writtena poor husband's and wife's pain, also enlightens for the peoplelet them obtain beautiful influencing and lead the reader’sinterest to a deep boundary when he was describe the character’sthought disposition and plot. This is the true value of TheGiftoftheMagi.
In order togive her husband an exquisite watch chain, Della sold her beautifulhair though his husband James loved it. James realized that Dellahad worshipped long for the set of combs, side and back, inBroadway window, he also sold his valuable watch which belonged hisgrandparents. Della’s hair and James’ gold watch is the mostprecious property which in this poor family. In order to expressesthe deep sincere love to the spouse, all of them had lost these twoat the Christmas eve. Happiness in a twinkling had paid theexpensive price, but following is the deep pain. after consider thetrue life ,O Henry had screened the main plot carefully, made thisordinary theme bright again, gold watch and beautiful hair are thegreat wealth for the poor family which gain 20 dollar per week,This regret brought astringent feeling, caused each reader’s heartto tremble. This is condensing the real contradiction which thesocial real life is unable to solve multiplies really because ofthe writer deep style of writing, cause reader's pitying with thesympathy, and lead them to a more profound ponder. For a whilesentimental impulse Della and James had extremely sacrificed mostprecious thing for each other. In those only money all-powerfulsocieties, their gift can not regard as wisdom, they lost wealth,but they deepened the precious sincere love. In love and in wealthcontradiction they have sacrificed thelatter.
The novelrevelation society reality does not depend on preaching, but dependon the development of character’s emotion. Inspires the reader totouch, feels the character who have the tragedy color. In thissociety which money can buy love, psychology and sentiment appearthe distortion, the sincere deep love between James and Della hasfilled with writer’s idealism. O.Hery oes not write the money toruin love in this society, but wrote the artistic flavor in thisgloomy lens, admired the intelligence of James and Della, This iscertainly unusual manpower pen, Therefore, the work gives us is notdepression and gloomy, But is the beautiful pursue and theattachment, Thus lead the reader to the nobleboundary.
Processingnovel ending, Is O Henry’s most creative contribution, also causeshim enjoys the great reputation in American and in the worldhistory of literature. He is good at designing plot theatrically,lays down the foreshadowing, finally appears a beyond expectationresult in the ending which makes the reader to feel suddenly seesthe light, joy after sorrow, also beside anticipation and inreason, strike the table and shout bravo.
O Henry isworth the world famous novelist, his excellent writing techniqueenabled his novel to have the title ofO.Henry.
I have readmany kinds of article, before reading O.Henry’s article, I likeddetective book, but after reading this book, I knew short fictionis better, Henry’s humors gave me a deep impression, it will neverfeel boring no matter how many times you haveread.
