Asked by hh

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.
material goods usually increase in value over time.
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.

Their ironic gifts—each selling a prized possession to buy something that complements what the other sold—show that their love and willingness to sacrifice matter more than the material usefulness of the presents.