Manalang, James Roman P.

ICT 12-B

The Gift of Magi

After reading the short story The Gift of the Magi, one of the biggest things a took away from it

was the power of a not necessarily physical gifts. The story tells us about Della's struggle to

afford to but Jim a gift, but in the end a physical gift is not something that Jim is desiring. It

actually is something he doesn't want. What Jim really wants is a gift that he and Della can savor

for the rest of their lives.

Money can buy many things in life, but the one thing it can't buy is happiness. In the short story

The Gift of the Magi, the theme money cannot but happiness is very apparent. The author is

trying to teach the reader about the fact that money does not buy happiness. The author backs

this theory up by show how Della and Jim live a happy life despite their lack of money. The Gift

of the Magi is a short story where the two main characters Della and Jim make sacrifices for each

other's benefits. Della makes sacrifices to buy Jim a present for Christmas, but all Jim really

wants is a gift from the heart. Both characters learn that money does not buy happiness and that a

present from the heart can often times be better than goods for a present. After reading this short

story there are many things I have taken away from it. At first the story didn't appeal to me all

that much, but after thinking about it I realize how this story translates to our lives in many ways.

This story changed the way I thought about the value of money.
Manalang, James Roman P.
ICT 12-B

I was taught how money doesn't buy happiness, and that a family that is living in poverty can be

as happy or happier than a family living in wealth. The Gift of the Magi is a short story that talks

about a small family that finds happiness living a life of poverty.