Life Imitating Art

We teach our students to build connections with literature. In fact, we spend most of our time scaffolding this type of thinking. Research shows that when a reader can form a personal connection to a text, their comprehension and retention of information soars. Today, I connected with a text, in a fashion that I had never before done. My 5th and 7th period classes are reading "Gift of the Magi", by O. Henry. Now, I've read this story many times. I even taught it last year. This is not a new story. However, as I read it today, I found myself reading with a new set of eyes, and these eyes began to water by 7th period. O. Henry is a master of irony. For those of you not familiar with the story, I will give you a quick and dirty synopsis. There is a down-on-their luck working class couple that makes huge personal sacrifices to ensure that their beloved has an amazing Christmas gift. Enter the dramatic and situational ironies- the sacrifices they make prohibit them from using their respective holiday surprises- Della sells her beautiful hair, and Jim sells his gold watch. Jim buys Della lavish hair clips, and Della buys Jim a watch chain to match his watch. They learn in the end that their love and sacrifice are gifts enough. My connection to the story is that I want to shower my husband and soon-to-be-here baby with presents that represent my love. Unlike Della, my husband has already told me from the beginning that my love is gift enough for him. That is enough to make me cry, right there. I know, in my mind, that spoiling a person is not giving true love. And until I taught the story today, I didn't know that in my heart. As I read today, I felt like Della, poised and ready to chop off my hair to score my husband an expensive trinket. Though unlike Della, I opted for a special Christmas card which I filled with a heart-felt message. This card will symbolize more accurately my love and thankfulness- more than any electronic gizmo or watch chain could ever do. Thank you O. Henry. Granted, there will be a few items under our tree- but the real gifts will rest in our relationship, love, and excitement for the future.