Question

"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.

"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."

Down rippled the brown cascade.

"Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.

"Give it to me quick," said Della.

Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.

—"The Gift of the Magi,"
O. Henry

Based on Della’s actions and feelings, what theme is best expressed in this passage?

Receiving money makes people happy.
Making sacrifices for others is unwise because it may not work out well.
Sacrificing one’s prized possession is the only way to achieve happiness.
Making sacrifices for a loved one can make a person happy.

Answer 1

Making sacrifices for a loved one can make a person happy.

Della eagerly sells her prized hair to buy Jim a gift and feels joyful afterward ("the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings"), showing that her sacrifice brings her happiness.