Asked by andres

In "The Gift of the Magi," O. Henry most likely uses the irony of the couple’s gifts to express the theme that

expensive gifts are sometimes a mistake.
love and sacrifice for others is the highest virtue.
it is best to retain one’s most prized possessions.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
love and sacrifice for others is the highest virtue.

Explanation: Della and Jim each give up their most prized possession (her hair, his watch) to buy a gift for the other, showing that their love and willingness to sacrifice matter more than the material usefulness or expense of the gifts. The irony highlights their devotion, not that expensive gifts are mistakes or that one should keep prized possessions.