带着悲伤的欢乐——浅析《麦琪的礼物》 --毕业论文.doc

【标题】带着悲伤的欢乐浅析麦琪的礼物 【作者】吴聪慧 【关键词】 【指导老师】刘婷婷 【专业】英语 【正文】I. IntroductionWilliam Sydney Porter, whose pen name was O? Henry, is a most popular American short story writer at the turn of the century. He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1862, went to school there and worked for five years in his uncles drugstore. At twenty he moved to Texas, where he founded a short-lived humorous weekly named the Rolling Stone and wrote for a Houston Newspaper. He also worked as a teller in a bank.Unfortunately accused of embezzling bank fund, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison. It was during this dark period in his life that he began his real literary career with his stories that were to be collected in his first book“Cabbages and Kings”(1904).1 Then hundreds more short rapidly followed.Within the seven years before his death, he poured over four hundred stories, left 50 many more that four collections of them were published posthumously. It was also during his dark period in his life that he learned to observe deeply. After moving to many parts of the U.S, the skill was consummate day by day. His observation and keen insight into the characters of people he encountered rendered him to write with deep feeling and understanding. O? Henry creates his characters mainly for misfortune in life, they are just natural, everyday peopleclerks ordered by others, the destitute artist, office worker who is short of money, the doctor who is at his wits end and the thief who is driven to the wall, furthermore characters with different social status are presented before us. 2Henry left the stories mainly laid in New York, Central America and western America. The majority of the stories that can be found here, however, center about Manhattan in New York City. In his works, Henry portrayed the atmosphere and the scenes of its restaurant and its old lodging houses really true to life. For this reason, Henry remains secure in the hearts of the public as“the prose laureate of Manhattan Island”(Albert K.Ridont and Jesse Stuart).3 It should be pointed out that the great number of O? Henrys written work, told his anecdotes, so it appealed to taste of townspeople. And finally he deserves rank with Americas greatest of the short story and hands down far and wide up to now. Such stories as A Municipal Report, An Unfinished Story, A Blackjack Bargainer, A Lick Penny Lover and The Gift of the Magi have wholeheartedly shown his sympathy for those ordinary people he created and their hard life and also offered his high praise for the true love between people.From the previous studies, it can be seen that many scholars have studied O? Henry from different perspectives, such as by analyzing the theme, the characteristics and also personal background of The Gift of the Magi. This thesis is a tentative research on the themehappiness with sadnessreflected in this short story. By making this study, a better understanding of O? Henry will be got.The Gift of the Magi is an extremely moving story of a young couple who sell their best possessionsDella her hair and Jim his grandfathers watchin order to get money for a Christmas present for each other. The hair is cut and sold to buy a glorious watch fob, and the watch is sold to buy a beautiful comb, neither knowing that the present can no longer be of any use when offered to the loved one. The ending is a heart-warming as the couple end up in a loving embrace. In the story O? Henry affirms noble qualities lying in the ordinary Americans and successfully portrays them.II. The CharactersAt the beginning of the story, Henry purposely works on the female characters problemDellas anxiety for a Christmas present for her husband Jim, who with development of the plot emerges gradually without the author putting heavy pen on him.A. The HeroHenry does not attach great important on the role of the hero, Jim. For example, he seems to ignore his selling and buying gift for his wife. However, his characteristic can be got in indirect way, such as Jim is never late, indicating that Jim is always punctual. While there are actually bold describing,“He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two and to be burdened with a family. He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves”. 4He leads a hard life and struggles for living in a better condition, but no enough money to change their current situation.B. The Heroine“Three times Della counted it.One dollar and eighty-seven cents”.5 Henry repeatedly mentions one dollar and eighty-seven cents with the intention of stressing that the amount of money is so small and hard-earned. Della is beautiful from the bold describing about her hair can depreciate the Queen of Shebas jewels and gifts. Christmas is coming but she has only one dollar and eighty-seven cents. They live in two rooms at the top of a building in a poor part of New York, Della cant help her husband to improve their living condition. Della could not help crying and signing the hardness of the life. On account of poverty, Jims income is shrunk from 30 per week to 20. Neither relatives nor friends visit them before, and no letter would go into their letter-box even the letters of“Dillingham” 6 look blurred. From Dellas selling and buying the present, the process of waiting for Jim to go home as well, it can be seen that she is a responsible and dedicated woman.C. The Characters PsychologyWhen the Christmas day is approaching, Della and Jim have desired to buy a specific and worthy present to each other, but unfortunately they have not enough money to buy just by the way of sacrificing the most precious treasure of their own for a present in want of bringing great happiness to enrich their normal life, however, things always go in another way. The only one thing, which could comfort them is their sincere and warm love for each other.1. Dellas Selling and BuyingDella is filled with gloom after crying. Christmas is coming, but she has only one dollar and eighty-seven cents. Its not enough for her to buy her husband a present.“She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard.”7 For months she has been saving every penny she could for Christmas, but only1.87 is all she has got. She could find no way out. In New York, in America, families like Jim and Dellas could hardly keep their economy balanceincome constantly reduces down and living expenses increase. So it is impossible for them to buy present for Christmas. Suddenly, when Della stands in front of the lookingglass,“her eyes were shining brilliantly.” 8 Obviously she has the idea of selling her hair,“but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds.” 9 How reluctantly she is to do it. After a while, Della lets her“beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her.”10 Finally she makes a decision.“She fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street”.11 She quickly runs into the shop of“Mme. Sofronie, hair goods of All Kinds.”12 and eagerly sells her hair for twenty dollars.For the next two hours, Della who sacrifices greatly is searching the stores and“had turned all of them inside out”,13 she finds the present at last. It is“a platinum fob chain, simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance and not by meretricious ornamentation.”14 What is most moving is that Della thinks“it was like him, quietness and value.”15 For this chain Della costs twenty-one dollars, because she is intoxicated with that chain on Jims watch, he might look at the time in any company.When Della returns home, a new anxiety comes upon her. She has to“get out her curling irons and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love”16 within forty minutes. In the mirror, she finds herself“like a truant schoolboy.”17“Does Jim like me?” 18 She asks herself full of worry. She has got supper ready and waited for Jim. The plot of the story twists at this point. When she doubles the fob chain in her hand, waiting for, Della keeps saying a little prayer,“Please God, make him think I am still pretty”. 19 From those describing it can be known that Della loves Jim so deeply that she cares much about every possible words Jim could say to her, now the readers cant help asking what will happen next. When Jim has come home and his eyes fix upon Della, but Della has not read out Jims expression on his face, so with an air almost of idiocy, Della goes on with explanation“for it went for you, maybe the hairs on my head were numberedbut nobody could ever count my love for you”. 20 These words from the bottom of Dellas heart express her pure love for Jim. Della has done everything just for her husband, she takes Jim as the most important person in her lifetime. The way Della expresses love under such harsh conditions, sacrificing self might be the only and also the most loving way to make other happy and rewarding.2. Jims Psychological DevelopmentHenry describes the expression of Jim as the following:“Jim stepped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for, he simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.” 21Evidently, Jim is confused by Dellas hair. On one hand, his wifes appearance changes, and he has just sold his gold watch to buy the comb, but Dellas hair has gone. Facing the unexpected fact, he certainly cant help thinking so much. Della has gone for him quickly and explained,“I had my hair cut off and sold it because I could not have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. Itll grow out againyou wont, will you? I just had to do it.” 22 While, Jim,“as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.” 23 He says,“You say your hair is gone?” 24 Here Jim is in the situation of trance, meanwhile Della comforts that her hair is in place of Christmas present in order to bring happiness for him.If the story stops here, Jims inner world wont be revealed at all. Henry is the very person who is good at arranging moving plot, usually unexpected, instead of telling readers what Jim would do, Henry gives his paragraph for suspense:“Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake, he enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object, in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a yearwhat is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The Magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them, this dark assertion will be illuminated later on.” 25 Until now he has a complicated feeling about the present on Christmas day. After hearing Dellas explanation why she has cut off her hair, Jim enfolds his Della for ten seconds, showing his being deeply moved by Della, and how is her hair-cut compared to the deep emotion between them? Just as Jim himself says,“I dont think theres anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less”. Then“Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table”, 26 explaining that the real reason why he was stunned just now is because of his awareness of his effortlessness to buy a comb for Della. When Della wants to look at his watch,“instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled”, 27 telling Della the more surprising and more dramatic, that is, the comb is at the price of his watch. So Dellas buying the chain is as effortless as Jims buying the comb. While Jim just smiles, not caring much about Christmas present, and says,“Della, lets put our Christmas presents away and keepem a while. Theyre too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on.” 28 Thus, their life still goes on. As the writer says, both of them are magi, the wisest men, who have got the most precious present in the world, that is, they always care about each other, for the purpose of living a happy and comfortable life.3. Exchanging PresentsBoth of them, in order to buy the present for his and her loved, just sell their cherished things which each other intends to buy the present for, simultaneously making each others present become useless. With the developing of the scene of exchanging presents, there is the showing of the writers ability to plot, and there is also the emerging image of Jim. It firstly tells that“out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake.” 29 That is the set of comb which Jim has bought for Della and which Della has looked so long in the window of a shop. Now they are hers, but the hair for which she has wanted them is gone. The new conflict emerges from the old one. On one hand the story profoundly discloses the cold reality in which money is everything, on the other hand Henry shows much sympathy for the poor and needy, and their hard life. Money is limited but love is boundless. The female characterDella couldnt enjoy her husbands precious gifts, yet“she hugged them to her bosom and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes” 30 and smiles and leaps up and cries. Through series of descriptions Henry shows Dellas heartfelt thanks for Jim.However, up to now, Jim has not yet seen Dellas present for him. A dramatic climax gets to come in the story at this point.“Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present, she held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flesh with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.” 31“Isnt it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. Youll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch, I want to see how it looks on it.” 32 Instead of obeying, Jim has not cared a bit and says,“lets put our Christmas presents away and keepem a while. Theyre too nice to use just a present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the clops on.” 33 Della has bought the beautiful chain which is the reflection of her bright and ardent spirit, while Jim has sold the gold watch which belongs to his father and before that to his grandfather and now no watch could go with the chain. The comic ending is tragic but their mutual love is fully revealed between the lines. The reader is profoundly touched by the true, noble feeling between the poor couple and heartily sympathizes with their predicament, which goes from bad to worse.Usually after the climax, the interest of the reader can hardly be held much longer. To conclude the story the writer uses a few remarks to provoke the readers thinking. Thus in the last paragraph of the story Henry says:And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their home. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest, everywhere they are wisest, they are Magi. 34In those remarks, the writer compares the couples to the magi, singing high praises of their noble love.III. Writing MethodsSo far, the paper has introduced the framework of the plot and the characters. Then its to analyze three peculiar writing methods adopted in the story, the distinctive title with metaphorical meaning, vivid language with proper words and an unexpected and reasonable ending.A. The TitleThe Gift of the Magi, according to religion of Christianity, refers to the three wise menwonderful wise men from the eastthat bring three symbolic gifts to the baby Jesus in the manger. They initiate the tradition of giving Christmas presents. Therefore, the title The Gift of the Magi here used has profound implicationsa metaphorical meaning.1. From the Perspective of Presents ValueHenrys stories usually win the artistic effect through its plot and draw more attention upon the characters artistic power, but Henry isnt in ignorance of using the right comment and narration. Henry best adopts the narration about the two possessions of the young couple in which they take great pride in the first part of the story:“Now, there two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jims gold watch that had been his fathers and his grandfathers. The other was Dellas hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majestys jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.” 35 The writer, here purposely uses the two sentences of subjunctive mood to illustrate strongly that the beauty of Dellas hair can“depreciate her Majestys jewels and gifts” 36 and the value of Jims watch can make King“pluck at his beard from envy.” 37 Is it true? No, certainly it is a kind of artistic exaggeration which is prominent in the great sacrifice the couple makes and impresses the readers deeply. Besides, the brief comment, as mentioned above, on who are the Magi in reality commends the characters and evaluates the life. Furthermore, it is an essential component part of the story, denoting the presents value.2. From the Perspective of Uselessness of Presents“For months, she had been saving every penny she could for Christmas, but only 1.87 was all she had got.” 38 Della wants