Comparing The Gift Of The Magi And A Work Of Art

469 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Love and the gift of the magi

The two stories I will be comparing/contrasting in this paper are The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, and A Work of Art by Anton Chekhov. These are both stories about gifts and gift giving. In this paper, I will show mainly how the methods of gift-giving differ between the two stories. The two gifts were given for different reasons. In The Gift of the Magi, Della gave her husband a gift out of love, whereas in A Work of Art, all the people who became owners of the candelabra gave it away out of a need or want to get rid of it. This quote from The Gift of The Magi: “Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.” shows how she loves Jim and wants to give him something nice. However, this quote from A Work of Art: “…and dashing out of the flat went home, glad that he had succeeded in getting the present off his hands.” shows how this gift seemed like a burden to be handed off. …show more content…

As in all gift-giving, Della did not make it obvious that she was getting a gift for Jim. She secretly saved whatever money she could, wherever she could, to buy the gift. But there is a different kind of secrecy in A Work of Art. The people who gave the gifts were trying to keep how they really felt about the candelabra a secret so that the person they were trying to give it to would feel obligated to take it. An example of that fact is this quote: “It would be awkward for him as a friend to take money from me, and it will be very suitable for me to present him with this. I will take him the devilish

Show More
Related

  • Similarities Between A Christmas Carol And The Gift Of The Magi

    115 Words  | 1 Pages

    Remuneration can lead to hostility in social groups. The Gift of the Magi, written by O. Henry, has a synopsis of two people who willingly devote their hard-earned money for each other, although they hanker for a renovated lifestyle. They are a bit morose when dealing with their living situation. On the other hand, A Christmas Carol, scribed by Charles Dickens, tells a story of an affluential man who indulges in downright fruitless behavior towards humans and, after an abundance of procuration, is goaded by three spirits to culminate his lifestyle. People treat others miscellaneously based on wage as evinced by their contrasting outlooks on the world, conversiality of sacrificial choices, and relationships toward others.

    Read More

  • Everyday Use, by Alice Walker and The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    In comparing and contrasting the short stories “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker and “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson, tradition is carried on throughout the generations. Symbols are often used in these short stories to convey these messages of tradition and heritage. Rebellious characters are also found in both of the stories, trying to alter traditions to meet their own personal expectations. However, in contrast “The Lottery” is a much more barbaric story that does not reveal the cruelty until the end of the story. The story involves an entire village of families following a tradition. “Everyday Use” is not as tragic, it deals with a conflict within a single family unit.

    Read More

  • Comparing Northern Renaissance And Italian Renaissance Art

    1192 Words  | 3 Pages

    While the Flemish were proficient in oil painting, Italian Renaissance artists continued their predecessor’s use of tempera. Furthermore, the paintings were ultimately created for different purposes and separate viewers. Although both works are centered on the defining moment of the annunciation, The Merode Altarpiece incorporates this scene into a secular setting, therefore differing from Fra Angelico’s The Annunciation which was painted for a monastery. Finally, Flemish and Italian Renaissance paintings differ in levels of realism. Although the Flemish painters were skilled in portraying realism of physical forms, they lacked a full understanding of linear perspective. In contrast, the Italian Renaissance artists were well versed in linear perspective but lacked a complete grasp of the natural

    Read More

  • Examples Of Irony In The Ransom Of Red Chief

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the gift of the Magi, the main idea is a poor couple gives away their most prized possession. They give away their most prized possessions for each other Christmas gifts. The irony is they get gifts for each other’s most prized possessions. This is not funny, but touching.They gave away what meant the most to them apart from each other. this phrase shows the man gave away his prized possession. “ I sold the watch to buy you the

    Read More

  • Duccio di Buoninsegna's Madonna and Child

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The Met’s very own Mona Lisa” (Tomkins 9). That is what Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Madonna and Child painting is known as today. “The Metropolitan Museum of Art bought the Madonna and Child for forty-five to fifty million dollars” (Tomkins 1). However, the painting was not always in public hands; in fact, the Met purchased the last known work of Duccio in private hands. Originally, the painting was held in the private hands of Adolphe Stoclet and his wife. When the couple died, their house and their collection went to their son, Jacques who held onto the painting, and passed it down to his daughters who lent it to an exhibition in Siena of Duccio and his school. The painting was eventually withdrawn from the exhibition and sold (Tomkins 2). Madonna and Child painting dated 1300 and was painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna a Sienese painter, who is considered the founder of modern Italian painting. I chose to research this painting because the subject matter of religious imagery and symbols interests me. Also because when I looked at the painting the emotion on the Madonna’s face almost jumped out at me. It is as if, she is looking at her newborn child with this deep sadness, which almost makes you think that the painting is foreshadowing the death of Jesus Christ. In addition, the burns of the side of the frame peaked my interest, as to why they were there. Art critics were also interested in this work they even consider Madonna and Child one of Duccio’s perfect works, and it said to be worth all the other paintings exhibited under the name of Duccio (Christiansen 14). The Madonna and Child painting’s iconography, imagery, emotional appeal to the viewers, and meaning all make this painting still a great work of art today.

    Read More

  • Love In Romeo And Juliet: The Consequences Of Love

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story “The Gift of the Magi” tells the story in only a good light. There is a darkness the story does speak upon, Jim and Della were the complete opposite of wise they were imprudent. The characters are poor but still want to get each other gifts for christmas with money they got from selling what they held closest to their heart. Jim regrets buying Della combs because hasn’t got any hair to comb. “But if you’ll open that, you may know what I felt when I came in.” Love can be bad if there are miscommunications and poor decisions. If a relationship has a poor future is there really a relationship in the first place. Jim wants to let the gifts be forgotten as they had poor communication and neither could use there gifts. “let’s put our Christmas gifts away and keep them a while” (Henry para.40) Being in a relationship can cause you to make bad decisions. A relationship should be built upon two pillars respect and knowledge. If a relationship has only respect then it will slowly crumble and fall leaving only the ruins of a somewhat bright

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Gift Of The Magi

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    The “Gift of the Magi”, by O. Henry, is a short story that unfolds in an unanticipated and remarkable way that gently tugs the reader in which makes them want to continue reading. The story is about two characters named Della and Jim. For Christmas, Della cuts her hair to sell for money to buy Jim a chain for his watch while Jim sells his watch to buy Della some fancy combs. They both couldn’t use each other's gifts properly by reason of them sacrificing what they loved likewise finding delight in giving - what is foolish in the head, may be wise for the heart.

    Read More

  • Leonardo Da Vinci: The Five Major Themes Of The Renaissance

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    He meant to get his ways of thinking out there for the world to see. He knew that if you were a deep thinker and learner as him, you would see and understand the way he saw and understood. He knew it would be a great asset to the Renaissance period and that he would leave an imprint on the world to view. I could tell that in the painting of The Last Supper that, he wanted you to be in deep thought and wonder what Jesus could have been talking about with his disciples. It has been rumors of what he was saying, but the truth is nobody really knows. It gets you to thinking because you are wondering like what he said, what they said back, what his reaction was when they did respond and what the ending result was. With the Mona Lisa, it leaves you in deep thought because you want to know what could she be smirking about or did he even mean to have that smirk on her face. He wants you to wonder what was the point of adding the slight smirk to her face, or could you just be seeing a smirk that actually was a frown. The memories and emotions of the artworks were based on religion and his thoughts of how a woman should be portrayed. The Mona Lisa looks innocent, natural and pure. It shows realism in the portrait, because of the way she is positioned in the painting. I believe Leonardo da Vinci made this artwork to compare the Mona Lisa to a mother-figure or his mother in particular. In conclusion, the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples focused on what was happening at that time. I think he based it on the bible, but translated them into his own thoughts to show that it is possible to read something and comprehend it on a different level than how it was

    Read More

  • A Perfect Gift By Sedaris Analysis

    54 Words  | 1 Pages

    The moral of the story show what makes a perfect gift and what it says about the giver. In paragraph 8 Sedaris talks about he gives hugh chocolates for valentines day and he recieved a carton of cigarettes.until sedaris quit smoking and decided he needed an eighteen-century scientific model of the human throat.(Sedaris,paragraph 8)

    Read More

  • Classical Roman Art Vs. Early Christian Art

    871 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many similarities and differences between Classical Roman and Early Christian Art. What particularly stands out to me is how much these two cultures have in common when it comes to their art and architecture. Romans were geniuses when it came to engineering and we can see that in the monuments they left behind. Many early Christian architectural styles and ideas were adopted straight from the Romans. Their communities became organized geographically much like those of the Roman provincial governments. Christian cultural styles derived straight from Roman visual traditions. Early Christian art features the adoption of Roman art forms for Christian purposes. Their art also featured recycling of images and sculpture to be used as early representations of Christ.

    Read More

  • Gift And Gifting Culture

    1576 Words  | 4 Pages

    The purpose of this paper is to study the culture of gifting and gift-giving. By utilizing the social, personal and economic dimensions of gifts, this paper focuses on the motivations of givers and symbolic representation of gifts for them through the use of gift-giving literature as well as an exploratory study.

    Read More

  • Gift Of The Magi Tone

    494 Words  | 1 Pages

    In “Gift of the Magi” the author O. Henry uses different elements throughout the story such as colors, repetition, and humor. Each of these elements are used to set the tone of the story and show various feelings of the characters. It also shows the narrator’s personal opinions and what they think of the characters. O. Henry is a master at creating and switching tone very quickly and cleverly does so.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Portrait Of A Lady And Mona Lisa

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Lady has a white “V” neck shaped collar while the Mona Lisa has gold trim on her square shaped collar. Mona Lisa’s dress also looks a lot more flowy and lighter while the Lady’s dress seems more layered and thicker probably due to the colder weather in northern Europe. The Lady only has a dark blue canvas for a background while the Mona Lisa has a clearly defined landscape behind her with trees, water and a dirt road. The veil that the Lady wears is made from significantly thicker cloth and wears a dark colored headband. The Mona Lisa’s veil is barely visible. The Lady has a lighter hair color and is tied up in a bun with some kind of net or cap around it with silver pins tucked into it to keep her veil in place, while Mona Lisa has her dark, wavy hair draping down her shoulders in a casual yet elegant manner. We can see the ears on the Lady, but the Mona Lisa has her ears covered by her hair. The eyes of the Lady are bright and hazel colored. Mona Lisa’s eyes are dark and you can barely see her pupils in her irises. Maybe that is how Leonardo got the effect that her eyes seem to be moving. It also appears that she has no eyebrows, or they’re severely

    Read More

  • Importance Of Unselfishness In The Play 'Pen Of My Aunt'

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    When people are unselfish, they have the power to free people. The short play, “ Pen of my Aunt,” displays this great power. In the play, Madame, the main character, uses unselfishness to free people from injustice. This play takes place at the Madame’s French country house during World War Two. The miscreant corporal finds Stranger wandering in the woods near Madame’s

    Read More

  • Christmas History

    1233 Words  | 3 Pages

    original gift giving of the Magi, and from figures such as St. Nicholas. By the

    Read More

More about Comparing The Gift Of The Magi And A Work Of Art

Open Document