![]() ![]() Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.” This passage is ironic as it shows Della feeling sorry for herself and her financial predicament even though not having much money for a gift, in reality, is not that tragic. In “The Gift of the Magi,” Henry uses verbal irony after revealing that the Dillingham Youngs only had $1.87 for gifts: “There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. This type of irony can come in the form of sarcasm, overstatements or understatements, according to Kansas State University. Verbal irony is when a character says something that contrasts with literal meaning of his words, or says something that doesn’t align with a particular situation. The sacrifice, however, led to the understanding that you cannot put a price on love, and that the true gift that the couple received was the wisdom to realize this concept and acknowledge each other’s sacrifices. Henry explains at the end of the short story that they sacrificed the greatest treasures that they owned so they could purchase material possessions. On Christmas Eve, the couple only had $1.87 to spend on gifts for each other. They have two prized possessions: Jim’s pocket watch, which previously belonged to his father and grandfather, and Della’s long hair. In “The Gift of the Magi,” Jim and Della Dillingham Young are a young couple of modest means. ![]()
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