Question

assignments > detail
think: the gift of the magi
assigned by: erin radke
due: feb 12, 2026 11:59 pm
learning objectives
text

1. vocabulary
2. read
3. quiz
4. think

think
question 2
describe the financial situation of the young couple. what effect did it have on them? cite evidence from the text to support your answer.

Explanation:

The young couple, Della and Jim, are financially struggling: the text states Della has only $1.87 saved after months of scrimping, and their apartment costs just $8 per week, showing extreme poverty. Their financial hardship drives them to sacrifice their most prized possessions—Della sells her long hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch, and Jim sells his watch to buy Della decorative combs for her hair. Despite their poverty, their financial struggles deepen their selfless love and devotion to each other, rather than causing resentment. Evidence includes the line "One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied." and their mutual, sacrificial gift-giving.

Answer:

The young couple (Della and Jim) lives in severe financial poverty: Della only has $1.87 after months of frugality, and they reside in a cheap $8-per-week apartment. Their financial struggle leads them to selflessly sacrifice their most valued possessions (Della's hair, Jim's watch) to buy each other Christmas gifts, which ultimately strengthens their loving, devoted bond rather than harming their relationship. Text evidence includes the opening line about Della's meager savings ("One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer...") and their mutual sacrificial gift-giving actions.