What makes a writer stand out? Is it eloquence of words or simply a style in which carefully considered elements are juxtaposed successfully? Many critics consider O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” to be a literary masterpiece because of it genius elements. In her critical essay, Rena Korb makes the assertion that this literary work contains all of the necessary ingredients of a masterfully written short story. His style of writing can teach college students a lot about the art of writing stories. She argues that O. Henry’s trickery is cemented through this story because of its narrative drive and its original irony. His narrative drive is one that is ideal for a short story because it compels the reader while at the same time giving background information, all in a few short lines. This is important because the reader’s interest in the beginning sets up the impact of the understated irony in the ending.
The beginning of the story is very critical because the author has to intrigue his readers. However, it being a short story, he has to do it in a very short amount of lines and still be able to provide a full background of the situation. O. Henry is very successful in doing this through his beginning dialogues. He also manages to foreshadow the magnitude of the sacrifices that the characters will have to make in the process of introducing the situation.
O. Henry’s description of the characters and their economic status and circumstances supports the viewpoint that the ending “can only be delivered in an understated fashion” in order for the irony to have its full impact. The surprise ending is fitting for the story because it is not trying to make the reader have a deep revelation, but rather learn a small lesson about life that has great impact.
The reason that the ending is perfect for the story is that the reader can be satisfied, even though he has been tricked. Korb emphasizes that the “brevity” of the story allows for its message to be delivered successfully. The story is exceptionally short, so that the reader does not get too attached. This serves the purpose of attributing to the successful ending. If the story, mainly the introduction, had been longer, then the reader would feel as if it deserves a “bigger and more complex meaning.”
Overall, Rena Korb argues for O. Henry’s literary elements as being both ingenious and effective in the art of short story writing. His style meshes well with the requirements for writing a fruitful short story. As young readers and writers we can learn a lot from a writing style such as O. Henry’s. Not only does it help one with writing an essay, but it is also helpful in better understanding and analyzing important readings.
Works Cited:
"The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry - from the Short Story Library at American Literature."Short Stories & Classic Literature from around the World. Web. 26 Sept. 2011.
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