在欧亨利小说《麦琪的礼物》中写作风格的分析Analysi

目录

Abstract: (2)

摘要 (3)

1 .Introduction (4)

2 . Descriptive indication (5)

3 .The introduction and reflection of twist ending (5)

3.1 The introduction of twist ending (5)

3.2 The deep reflection of twist ending (6)

3.2.1 The pure love between main characters (6)

3.2.2 The human defects of the society (6)

3.2.3 The purpose of moral teaching through the contrast (7)

4 . conversational version of narration (7)

5 . Biblical references adding to the moral lesson (8)

6 .Conclusion (8)

Works Cited (9)

Abstract:This essay mainly analyses the writing style in O.Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi. O.Henry uses descriptive indication, twist ending, conversational version of narration and biblical references to reveal the theme of humanity and achieve the moral teaching. Part one the introduction tell us author’s position and story background. After informed of this information, we can get better understanding of his work and think it more plausibly. The next four parts introuduce the four aspects of O.Henry’s writing style one by one, mainly focusing on twist ending. Benefiting from detailed kowning of his writing style, we can conclude the humanity both virtues and defects. Finally，it’s easy for us to gain the moral teaching and understand O.Henry’s writing intention. Part six draws a conclusion about the whole essay. The essay on analysis of O.Henry’s work will arouse my interest of literary learning. Furthermore, it makes us pay more attention to O.Henry’s works.

Key Words:descriptive indication;twist ending;conversational narration;biblical references

在欧.亨利小说《麦琪的礼物》中写作风格的分析

丁欢红

摘要：本文主要分析欧亨利短篇小说《麦琪的礼物》中的写作风格。作者采用暗示的描写手法、出其不意的结尾、对话性的叙述以及圣经故事的引用来揭示人性这一主题，实现道德说教。第一部分介绍了作者的地位及故事背景。在了解作者的这些信息后，我们能更好地了解他的作品及对此理性思考。接下来四部分分别介绍欧亨利写作风格的四个方面，重点分析出其不意的结尾。在细节性了解他的写作风格的基础上，可以从不同人物身上得出人性的善恶面这一结论。最后，我们可以轻松地获取道德启示及理解欧亨利的写作意图。第六部分，对全文作一总结。本文对欧亨利作品的分析，将有利于提高本人对文学作品学习的兴趣；并且，可以让我们更多地关注欧亨利的作品。

关键词：暗示描述、艺术结尾、对话叙述、圣经引用

Analysis of O.Henry’s Writing Style on The Gift of the Magi

1.Introduction

O. Henry, named William Sydney Porter, is a distinguished American story writer, one of the three most famous short-story writers in the world, enjoys equal status with Chekhov and Maupassant. He creates an original, typically American democratic form of short stories with a valuable critical awareness of life and society, through which expressed his humur. Therefore, some critics call him “the founder of American stories”.

This story occurs in the early years of the 20th century. At that period of time in America, bourgeoisie bribed the government and corrupted the functioned department in government. The gap between the rich and the poor was deeper. The number of lower class poor people rocketed. The whole society was under a profound change. The development of consumption culture and subsequent problems of morality consisted of many contradictions in people’s social behaviors. Such characters as sacrifice, diligence and model are stressed in the end of 19th century, while personalities like purchase, vanity and personal success were stressed in the beginning of 20th century. Many of O. Henry’s stories take place in New York, the capital where the contradiction sharply exists. O. Henry has an obvious affection for the city. His stories deal for the most part with ordinary people: clerks, policemen, and waitresses. In The Gift of the Magi, b oth Jim and Della’s gifts are completely beyond their purchasing po wer. That would reflect people’s attitude toward economy. Because of the tide of materialism, people pay much attention on consumption, even take it as an “adventure”. The commodity-status relationship dominates people’s mind. Though Della and Jim’s buying gifts are greatly influenced by the consumption culture shift, the ending shows out the true love through their tough course of purchasing. The plots in O. Henry’s works appear to be nothing special at first glance. Nevertheless, read those to the ending and you will find something unusual out of what seems to be too ordinary. I would like to say, his works are full of depth in portraying an unfathomable humanity of character. His works are the best revealment of humanity as well as the reflection of society from the twist ending. Furthermore, the using of descriptive indication, conversational narration and biblical references make the short story more impressive.

2. Descriptive indication

Henry uses descriptive indiction to hint at what the twist ending to his story will be. "Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch . . . The other was Della's hair" (Henry 2). This emphasis conveys to the reader the importance of these two assets, and ensures that they will be a focal point in the story later on. After selling her hair out of desperation, Della goes to buy Jim a chain for his watch. "As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's . . . Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain" (Henry 3). Although the watch is a family heirloom, the fact that Jim is not entirely proud of it because of the strap puts into question how much he values the watch. Lastly, Henry concludes the foreshadowing with Jim's reaction to Della's hair. "Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail . . . He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face" (Henry 4, 5). Because these elements to the story are introduced with impeccable timing, O. Henry's indication leads to a fantastic ending.

3.The introduction and reflection of twist ending

3.1The introduction of twist ending

The most remarkable characteristic of O. Henry’s short stories is twist ending. It means that at the end of an article the mental status or the fate of the main character has changed greatly, but this change is based on certain reasons have mentioned in the previous article. He often stresses on something important but not the most important in his works. The most important part always seems to write incidentally, which even the most circumspective reader may ignore it.However, the whole passage is suddenly endowed with a great charm because of the sudden change and caused a profound consideration of the situation or problem the article has revealed.

When the stories end in a totally unexpected but reasonable way, we can do nothing but cheer for O. H enry’s literary talent.

3.2The deep reflection of twist ending

3.2.1The pure love between main characters

Jim and his wife Della are young couple who are very much in love with each other, but can barely afford their one-room apartment due to their very bad economic situation. So they live in a very bad condition, they are so poor that they can not afford to their Christmas gifts. But for Christmas, Della decides to buy Jim a fob for his prized pocket watch giv en to him by his father’s father. To raise the funds, she has her long, beautiful hair cut off and sold to make a wig. Meanwhile, Jim decides to sell his watch to buy Della a beautiful set of combs made out of tortoiseshell and jewels for her lovely, knee-length brown hair. Though they are only the small potatoes who live in the lower classes, they never lost their fervency to their lives and love each other deeply. Finally, they find that these presents are no longer useful, but they have been the most priceless one in the world, like a sincere love to each other. They love each other so deeply, that’s enough. They have already owned the whole world.

3.2.2The human defects of the society

Most of O. Henry’s stories are set in contemporary present, the early years of the 20th century. At that period of time in America, the bourgeoisie was getting the upper hand and the capitalist economy was booming to its top. Bourgeoisie bribed the government and corrupted the functioned department in government. The gap between the rich and the poor was deeper. The number of lower class poor people rocketed. The whole society was undergoing a profound change. The characters of the story are mainly the lower class who struggles to make a living in sadness, impoverished, crucial and unjust society. Whether good or bad, provide for its people, some people corrupted, some still stood at the very first place, keeping pure hearted and self-sacrificed. In The Gift of the Magi, we readers are not only touched by the supreme of valuable love, but at the same time we get clues of how darkness the society is, the rich people in the society are cold-hearted; they show no mercy and

sympathy to the poor.

3.2.3The purpose of moral teaching through the contrast

On the one hand, the poor couple Jim and Della sell the only valuable things they own only to give each other special Christmas gifts. To a certain extent, these gifts are useless. Della cannot wear her combs without her hair, and Jim cannot use his watch chain without his watch. However, Della and Jim give each other the best of all possible gifts, it is love. On the other hand, we can also realize the darkness of the society. The poor live in a quite bad situation.The rich benefit themselves at the expense of others. In order to make money they never show mercy and sympathy to the poor. The poor get poorer and poorer; the rich get richer and richer. Through this obvious contrast, O. Henry wants to reveal the theme of both virtues and defects in order to awake people’s conscience and their deep est desire for all good things, so that people can make their efforts to save the whole world.

4. conversational version of narration

O. Henry's conversational version of narration provides insight to the characters, and helps to convey the message of the story. "There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating" (Henry 1). This reflection on Della not only details her feelings, but it also sets up the reader for more of Henry's graceful narration style. "When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason . . . Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task" (Henry 4). Again, Della's thoughts are depicted, and it is as if Henry is speaking to a large audience of comrades by referring to the readers as friends. "Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves" (Henry 4). Here, Jim is described with yet more commentary that is usually not seen in narration. O. Henry's panache adds a special touch to the story with a personal look inside of the characters' minds, and the reader is exposed to a distinctive approach to writing that sets an appropriately genial narrative.

5. Biblical references adding to the moral lesson

Biblical references are employed with the intent of adding to the moral lesson, and emphasizing what Christmas is really about. "Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts" (Henry 2). Della's hair is glorified here, while Jim's watch is in the following sentence. "Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy" (Henry 2). These two quotes suggest to the reader that we should value what we have, and value each other for our own positive features. In the concluding paragraph, O. Henry makes the real meaning of his story ring true. "The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger . . . O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi" (Henry 7). This mention of the Biblical magi reminds the reader why people celebrate Christmas, and presents the lesson of love being the most important gift of all. Such references serve to explain Henry's motivations for writing the story, and how significant the message of the tale truly is.

6.Conclusion

"The Gift of the Magi" is one of the many stories where O. Henry uses twist ending descriptive indication,conversational narration and biblical references, but this is possibly the most meaningful one. In a world where gift-giving has become so commercialized, people should always remember the real reason they are giving to one another. The moral lesson is that Jim and Della's selfless love for each other is more valuable than any of their possessions. With Henry's use of a conversational version of narration, descriptive indication, and biblical references, the story succeeds in getting across his message in a marvelous way.

Works Cited

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