I think it indicates that Jim was in shock, startled when he saw Della with her hair cut.
The Question and Answer section for The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
I think it indicates that Jim was in shock, startled when he saw Della with her hair cut.
One important element in O. Henry's, The Gift of the Magi, is his use of allusion.... references to well-known people, places, events, or artistic works. When the narrator describes Della's hair and Jim's watch, he alludes to the Bible: "Had the...
This is only a short-answer space but I can give you a general comment on Jim. Jim is a loving husband. We know this not because he gives up a possession he treasures in order to give his wife something she dearly wants, but because he is so...