How Does Porter Use Hyperbole In The Gift Of The Magi
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Porter uses hyperbole to emphasize a certain point in the story and explains t. In the apartment Della is frustrated the day before Christmas because she has only one dollar and eighty-seven cents in her savings to buy her husband, James Dillingham Young, a gift for Christmas: “There was clearly nothing left to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl” (Porter 1147). Jim use to make thirty dollars a week but his income reduce to twenty dollars (Rogers, Kim Dickson). They are poor, and the poverty they live in forces them to make sacrifices. Porter uses the setting and display how big of a sacrifice they make ("The Gift of the Magi"). Della even tries to always look nice for Jim. In fact, there are mirrors between the windows where…show more content… Their selfless actions display their love. Della rushes to Jim and begins to explain to him that her hair will grow back fast and what she did to get him the gift. While at the table, Jim throws a gift on the table. Della opens it and finds combs and tortoise shell with jeweled rims that she was longing for years (Rogers, Kim Dickson). Then Della asks Jim to take out his watch, so she can give him his chain, Jim says, “ I sold the watch to buy your combs” (Porter 1150). The selling of their prized possessions is ironic because the reader does not expect they would sell their treasure. Porter writes, “Let it be said that all who give gift these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are the wisest. They are the magi ” (Porter 1150). The magi were also known as the three wise men who traveled from the east to bring baby Jesus a present. Matthew, chapter two, verse eleven states, “And entering into the house they found the child with Mary and falling down they adored him and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh” This act of love reflects the “The Gift of the Magi’’, Porter compares the magi to Della and Jim. Their joy and love comes from sharing and is greater than any of their