The Gift of the Magi

Short Story | O. Henry
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Describe the Flat in Where Jim and Della Lived in “The Gift of the Magi."

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Describe the flat where Jim and Della lived in “The Gift of the Magi.”

Comment on the picture of Jim and Della's flat in “The Gift of the Magi.

Henry’s (1862-1910) “The Gift of the Magi” (1905) is a timeless love story. The story explores the theme of selfless love through the sacrifices of a young couple, Jim and Della. Jim and Della lived in a very small and simple flat that reflected their poor financial condition.

Simple and Cheap: The flat cost only $8 a week, which shows that it was cheap and basic. The narrator describes it as shabby and lacking in comfort. It was not well-furnished, and there were no luxuries in their home. The narrator describes the flat:

Furnished rooms at a cost of $8 a week. There is little more to say about it.

It emphasizes the simplicity and lack of luxury of their home.

Electric Doorbell, Let

terbox, and Mirror: One detail that highlights the poor state of the flat is that the electric doorbell did not work. This small inconvenience shows how the couple lived with broken or incomplete things. 

The flat had a small letterbox. The letterbox was so small that it could not hold a letter. The flat also had a narrow looking-glass. It was very narrow. The narrator says:

A person could see only a little of himself at a time.

As Della was quite thin, she could see herself in the looking glass.

A Setting for Selfless Love: For Jim and Della, it is not their material surroundings that matter but their deep bond and care for each other. The humble flat serves as a setting for their selfless acts of love.

In short, despite its poor condition, the flat is filled with love and warmth.

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O. Henry
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from The Gift of the Magi