What does with sniffles predominating mean?

The quote means that life has its ups and downs, “sobs” being the times when we face trials and “sniffles” when we face the more trivial matters that affect us, but not enough to utter a sob, and “smiles” which are the happy times in life when we enjoy what we’re doing and who we’re with.

What type of character is Della in The Gift of the Magi?

She’s described as young, affectionate, selfless, and somewhat hysterical, requiring Jim to comfort her when she’s upset. She cares deeply for Jim, and the story revolves around her predicament of procuring a worthy Christmas present for him when she’s only saved $1.87 throughout the year.

What did Della buy for her husband Jim for $21?

On Christmas Eve, Della Young discovers that she has only $1.87 to buy a present for her husband Jim. She visits the nearby shop of a hairdresser, Madame Sofronie, who buys Della’s long hair for $20. Della then uses the money to buy a platinum pocket watch chain for Jim.

What is the Gift of Magi summary?

The Gift of the Magi is a short story by the American writer O. Henry, written and published in 1905. It takes place at Christmas time and tells the story of Jim and Della Dillingham, a poor, young married couple who don’t have enough money to buy each other Christmas gifts.

What is the meaning of magi?

The Magi are popularly referred to as wise men and kings. The word magi is the plural of Latin magus, borrowed from Greek μάγος (magos), as used in the original Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew (in the plural: μάγοι, magoi).

What does inconsequential mean in The Gift of the Magi?

inconsequential. lacking worth or importance. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction.

What is the main theme in The Gift of the Magi?

The main themes in “The Gift of the Magi” are generosity, love, and wealth. Generosity: Generosity drives both Jim and Della, who, despite living in poverty, want to give each other meaningful gifts.

What is Jim’s job in The Gift of the Magi?

breadwinner
Jim’s job is not so great. He’s the only breadwinner for the Dillingham Young family (that is, him and Della), and it seems he works long hours, but his salary is low. And it recently went from bad to worse: whereas he used to make $30 a week he’s now down to just $20.

Why did they sell their beautiful valuable things in gift of Magi?

Why did they sell their beautiful valuable things? They were so poor that they could not buy gifts to celebrate Christmas. They were in a helpless condition. At last, they decided to sell their beautiful valuable things to earn money to buy gifts for each other.

What does Jim say about Della’s hair?

Jim doesn’t get mad at his wife, and he tells her that he likes her no matter what her hair looks like. “Don’t make any mistake, Dell,” he said, “about me. I don’t think there’s anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less.”

Why is it called gift of the magi?

The title of the story refers to the three “wise men” or magi who are supposed to have come bringing precious gifts to present to Jesus at his birth. O. Henry used this title because of the idea of precious gifts and the idea of wisdom that the title alludes to.

What is the best meaning of the word Magi?

Magi is a term, used since at least the 6th century BC, to denote followers of Mazdaism or Zoroaster. The earliest known usage of the word Magi is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the Great, known as the Behistun Inscription. This pejorative meaning survives in the words “magic” and “magician”.

What was the last gift of the Magi?

Myrrh for a Sacrifice The last gift of the magi, myrrh, is the most solemn, but no less prophetic. An embalming oil, Myrrh symbolized the Christ’s mortality as a man. Imagine bringing a gift to the Messiah proclaiming his suffering and death.

What does the narrator say in the gift of the Magi?

They decide to have dinner, and the narrator sums up the story with a little paragraph on the magi. He describes them as wise men who invented the art of giving Christmas presents, and he compares Jim and Della to the magi—saying that of all who give gifts, these two are the wisest.

What was the gift of the Magi O American English?

The Gift of the Magi O T h e G i f t o f t h e M a g i p The Gift of the Magi O NE DOLLAR AND EIGHTY-SEVEN CENTS. That was all. She had put it aside, one cent and then another and then another, in her careful buying of meat and other food. Della counted it three times. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas

What’s the value of the hair in the gift of the Magi?

The narrator shows that value is subjective when he compares Della’s hair and Jim’s watch to the treasures of King Solomon and the queen of Sheba—these items are clearly not equally valuable, but to Della and Jim, their prized possessions mean just as much as the mythical jewels the narrator alludes to.