The Gift of the Magi

I think that Jim and Della end up being together forever. You can tell how much they love each other by how the story ended. They both gave up their most treasured possessions so that they could provide happiness for one another. No, they do not have much money and are living paycheck to paycheck, but money isn’t everything. Yes, money is important, but it isn’t everything. It seemed to me that Della might have come from a fairly wealthy family by her taste in the expensive combs. Maybe by being with Jim she married beneath her, but their love was worth her giving up the material things tat she may have had to leave behind in doing so. Their situation reminds me of a few quotes. “Its the simple things in life that mean the most,” “love conquers all,” and “its the thought that counts.” Jim and Della are poor and are barely making ends meet, but that doesn’t matter to them. They did not have many material things, but they did have each other.
When Jim and Della each ended up giving up their prized possessions in order to get the other a Christmas present, they ended up getting and giving each other things that would no longer be able to go along with their treasures. It was definitely the thought that counted, as each was thinking of the other.

I do not think that Jim and Della will necessarily end up like Ray and his wife Minnie, from the story the Untold Lie (pg. 50-56). Yes, they do have some things in common, but they are in different situations. They are both poor and have both chosen love over anything else. One major difference is that Ray and Minnie have 6 children whereas Jim and Della have none. It is one thing to be married to someone, but it is definitely taking it to another level even by adding just one child to the mix. When you bring a child into the mix it connects you to the other parent for life. Yes, marriage connects you to the other person for life as it is and that is how I viewed it when I said my vows, but I like to think of other people’s opinions as well. With marriage you can either just get divorced or have the whole thing annulled. You cannot however just get rid of a kid, and the child is something you and your spouse will have contact about and discuss over for life.

I think that Jim and Della’s future will continue the way it is going for awhile. Della will continue to have lower standards on material items in order to be with Jim, and they will continue to live paycheck to paycheck. Eventually they may add children to the mix or they may just continue to work. I think that Della may try to get back Jim’s heirloom because she knows how much that means to him and it is probably the only thing that has meant a lot to him other than his family. Della has a slight advantage in the fact that what she gave away will eventually come back. I think that in the far future, they will end up being those sweet old people that have been together forever, and have that relationship that everyone wishes to find and have for themselves.