Ironies in The Gift of the Migi 麦琪的礼物讽刺
Advanced English Writing
Ironies in The Gift of the Migi
As we know,irony is a literary technique in which what happens on the surface differs greatly from the actual outcome.The Gift of the Magi,one of the most popular work by O Henry,is a classic example of irony in literature.
There are three obvious ironies in the fiction.The first one appears in the story when Della went out to sold her hair.The sign read “Mme. Sofronie”.This ems like a sarcasm becau the real “Mme Sofronie” was too “large,white,chilly”,and so roughly speaking,who forms a contrast with Della.The cond irony is the story’s ending.After the detailed description of the mightily pride Jim and Della took in the watch and the mistress?s
hair,Della?s delight and intoxication after she bought the prent,in the end of the story it turned out that the gifts which were bought to match each other’s posssions were now uless.Della sold her hair to buy Jim a fob chain which Jim do not have a gold watch to match,and Jim sold his gold watch fo
ra t of combs with no tress to adorn.So both of them could not u the Christmas gifts which were suppod to cheer them up.The last irony is in the last paragraph when the author gave his words “to the wi of the
days”.Though the author calls them “”the wi”,he means the opposite that tho people are not as wi as they thought,for they only care about material posssions.
I think the first irony and the verbal iro短靴搭配
ny are sarcasms.In the first irony,the author sarcastically shows the Mme. Sofronie?s rough and bad
look,which is often the image of a lower clasd women in the mind of the people in the 19th century.In the verbal irony,the author satirizes the people who do not know the art of giving while staying complacency about their skills in taking more advantage. The two ironies have some effect,though not much,on shaping of the authors? tone.
The irony in the story?s ending is more important in terms of pointing out the theme and it is also the climax of不健康的食物
the plot.Both Jim and Della “unwily sacrificed for each other the greatest treas ures of their hou”in order to
buy each other a gift and make each other happy.However,the impulsive actions turns them into a wor situation――the two gifts are now uless and both of their posssions were gone.This is the irony.This is also sometimes t感动中国十大人物素材
he normal situation of many poor people who the author speaks out for.Without money,they cannot afford a nice gift and have to bear tho little tricks life place on them.Here the irony deepens our sympathy for them.However, they received gifts more valuable:they love each other and are willing to sacrifice the孕妇吃什么鱼最好
ir most most valuable posssions to make each other happy. “Of all who give gifts, the two were the wist.”Here the author imply the theme that love is the greatest gift.Tho who are willing to love and sacrifice are the wist.This surprising ending also arou the readers? interest in a rather humorous way. &nb小木屋图片
sp; Trick ending is one of the features of O. Henry?s short fictions.It is also one
controversial characte马的智商
ristic,becau there are people think some of endings are often forcibly twisted,and most of tho twisted endings are tragic.However the endings in The Gift of the Migi,though ironic,is not sarcastic or heavy as his other novels such as The Cop and the
Anthem,in which the hobo inspired to clean up his life but charged for loitering, or the last leaf ,in which Mr. Behrman painted the last leaf and died.Though the outcome is beyond our expectation,it is still touching and even has a humorous effect.Even though Della and Jim los手机壁纸清新
t their
posssions,they still have each other?s love and the小学生新年祝福语
y know the art of giving.Also,the outcome after the story are indicated by the couples?s first reactions towards the irony――Della ?s joyful and sad tears and Jim?s easiness.This ending brought the readers both sympathy and hope.Also the author?s loving and sympathetic tone when accounting the story and his bringing in of the Migi in the last paragraph play an important function in making one of his best work more acceptable and popular.
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