The Story The Gift of the Magi and Its Thematic Significance - Research Paper Example

Henry’s Feminism: Critical Evaluation of “the Gift of the Magi” and Other Stories Introduction Alongside the marvelous technique of narration, the story “the Gift of the Magi” appeals to the innumerous readers of various cultures world-wide because of its thematic significance. Most of the critics comment that the story is devoid of any serious theme that can attract sophisticated readers, as Rena says, “Perhaps one of the most important is that not all art is meant to appeal primarily to the intellect or the intellectuals. O Henry’s readers wanted to read about regular people” (2) Though at the surface level of the story, “the Gift of the Magi” O’ Henry primarily deals with the passion of two opposite sexes for each other, at the inner level of it, he leaves a message that is more serious than it sounds on the surface level. It is the message that appeals to the readers to review their own relationship with their female counterpart of the society. Comparative Evaluation of Henry’s Stories For those readers who are not acquainted with some of his other stories like “Hearts and Hands”, “the Romance of a Busy Broker” and “Girl” may easily mistake his handling of “love” between Jim and Della for an anecdote that is devoid of any complex theme. In this regard Rena Korb says, “The majority of critics then dubbed O. Henry’s stories facile, anecdotal, superficial, and flippant” (1). But these stories fairly play the role of a foil to “the Gift of the Magi”. While reading “the Gift of the Magi” a reader may perceive the amorous bond between Jim and Della as it is. But when one reads “the Romance of the Busy Broker”, he is confronted with the question what love should be and immediately the answer lies in the reflection of “the Gift of the Magi” that love is as unconditional and spontaneous as Jim-Della’s is. Therefore the themes in these stories are complementary to each other that integrate into a more holistic view of Henry about the amorous relationship between opposite sexes. Critics’ comment of the Story When critics comment that “the Gift of the Magi” is nothing more than a mere anecdote, it is the problem of their approach that fails to delve deep into the message of the author. As the formalist critics are exclusively engaged with the author’s intention and style, they cannot interpret the message that the author leaves it in his story for his readers. Hence the reader-response approach to Henry’s stories is more holistic than the formalist approach. In general, critics on the story, “the Gift of the Magi” are of the opinion that his approach to human passion like “love” is more of the fantasy than of reality. Critics like Oliver and Rena Korb comment that he is primarily concerned with entertaining his readers with what they want to read about love. But other critics -as Rena Korb says- assume a hard-line view of Henry’s approach to the relationship between the opposite sexes. They assert that O’ Henry has never been able to delve deep into the nature of human being as his contemporary authors like Kate Chopin and the Edgar Allan Poe explore the clandestine corners of the human mind. The fact to what extent he delves deep into human nature and whether he is able to appeal the modern sophisticated readers may engender a set of controversies. But a close analysis of Henry’s treatment of the amorous relationship between two opposite sexes like that of Jim-Della in the “Gift of the Magi” and of Easton-Fairchild in “Hearts and Hands” and the relationship expressed in several other stories reveal that Henry’s approach to the amorous relationship between men and women appears to be more of a feministic message than that of mere reader-entertaining. Modern Reader’s Response to the Theme of the Story Della’s character traits can easily attract the mass readers of any age, as Rena Korb says, “The engaging nature of “The Gift of the Magi” has no doubt helped O. Henry’s reputation throughout the century” (3). But especially the modern readers can take interest in the feministic zeal of the story. The ocular impulse of the male counterpart of the society is evident in Della’s desire to be pretty still in Jim’s eye, as she says, "Please God, make him think I am still pretty." (Henry, the Gift of the Magi). But few moments later Della refutes the traditional notion of love for symbolic beauty of female organ like “hair”. When Della says, "Cut it off and sold it, don’t you like me just as well, anyhow? Im me without my hair, aint I?" (Henry, the Gift of the Magi), she challenges men’s love for the beauty of female body. In the same manner, readers are confronted with the question whether the amorous relationship between men and women should depend on the physical beauty and the fulfillment of carnal hunger of men. Jim fairly passes the test because his love for Della still survives, even after she loses symbol of female beauty, “hair”. Jim declares that no “haircut or a shave or a shampoo” can lessen his love for Della, as he says, "I dont think theres anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less” (Henry, the Gift of the Magi). Therefore, when Rena Korb comments that the story is a mere anecdote and devoid of any complex theme, he is flawed in his interpretation of the story, “the Gift of the Magi”. Feministic Significance of Henry’s Story Any reader who has read the stories, “Hearts and Hands” and “the Romance of a Busy Broker”, can easily perceive the entirety of the theme of the story. Indeed the feministic theme of the story is self-evident for a few careful readers but the reading of the other two stories can be supplementary to this perception. Both of the stories “Hearts and Hands” and “the Romance of a Busy Broker” reflect the problems of a patriarchal society. It is the society in which men are expected to be the busy bread-winner like Harvey Maxwell and the “dashing western heroes” (Henry, Hearts and Hands) like Easton. At the same time also Henry cautiously upholds their female’s expectation of them. Fairchild’s relation with the Ambassador is broken up and she dreams of a new life with dashing, Easton. But at the end of the story the readers are aware of the fact that her dream will never come true. Fairchild’s attitude towards Easton’s dashing western life clearly denotes her despair, as it is expressed in the following sentence, “And so now you are one of these dashing Western heroes, and you ride and shoot and go into all kinds of dangers…You have been missed from the old crowd” (Henry, Hearts and Hands). Readers are aware of the same despair in the story “the Romance of a Busy Broker”. Also in the story “Girl”, the picture of male-deception is not less serious than the other two stories. The old busy broker Maxwell spares the young lady, Leslie, from firing her from the job just because she complies with his carnal desire. There is no place of romance in his "crowded hours of glorious life" (Henry, the Romance of a Busy Broker). Henry depicted the weirdness of romance with his powerful pen. Old Maxwell clearly seduces the young lady Leslie and she has no other way but to comply. Henry refers to the unbridgeable gap in the relationship between Maxwell and Leslie, as he describes the moment in the following sentence, “The stenographer [Leslie] acted very queerly. At first she seemed overcome with amazement; then tears flowed from her wondering eyes; and then she smiled sunnily through them” (Henry, the Romance of a Busy Broker). These lines insinuate that Leslie has been seduced by Maxwell before she gets the proposal of marriage from him. This sexual seduction is evident in Leslie’s speech also, “Dont you remember, Harvey? We were married last evening at 8 oclock in the Little Church around the Corner" (Henry, the Romance of a Busy Broker). Here what Henry wants to tell his readers is that such sexual seduction perpetuates throughout the whole life of a woman, as it happens in Leslie’s life. The weirdness of Maxwell’s romance is also vivid in his hurry to make the proposal, as he proposes her, "Miss Leslie, I have but a moment to spare. I want to say something in that moment. Will you be my wife?” (Henry, the Romance of a Busy Broker). It means that he is not considerate enough to perceive and respect Leslie’s feelings and opinion. Again he says, “I havent had time to make love to you in the ordinary way, but I really do love you. Talk quick, please--those fellows are clubbing the stuffing out of Union Pacific" (Henry, the Romance of a Busy Broker). As opposing to the considerate passion of Jim for Della, Maxwell hurries to hear about the instant discussion of Leslie, "Dont you understand? I want you to marry me. I love you, Miss Leslie. I wanted to tell you, and I snatched a minute when things had slackened up a bit. Theyre calling me for the phone now. Tell em to wait a minute, Pitcher. Wont you, Miss Leslie?" (Henry, the Romance of a Busy Broker). Conclusion These imbalanced relationships of Easton-Fairchild and Maxwell-Leslie are in fair contrast with the relationship between Jim and Della. In this relationship both parties have the equal shares in love. Therefore when the exclusive readers of “the Gift of the Magi” are amazed with the decent and balanced passion, the comparative readers of Henry perceive that a relationship between the two sexes should be like Jim and Della’s one. Works Cited Korb, Rena, “The Gift of the Magi-Criticism”, Short Stories for Students, Gale Research, 1997, 5 December. 2009. O’ Henry, “Hearts and Hands”, 5 December. 2009. O’ Henry, “The Gift of the Magi”, 5 December. 2009. O’ Henry, “The Romance of a Busy Broker”, 5 December. 2009. O’ Henry, “Girl”, 5 December. 2009. Read More