How does Della look in the gift of magi?
Mia Lopez
Updated on March 19, 2026
Della. ''The Gift of the Magi'' is told from Della's perspective. She is described as slender, but other than that the only information we have about her physical appearance concerns her hair, which would ''fall about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters.
What did Della's beautiful hair look like?
So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. Then O. Henry follows his young heroine to the parlor of Madame Sofronie, a vulgar businesswoman to whom hair is nothing but merchandise.Why did della look at herself in the mirror?
Seeing her reflection in the pier glass reminds Della that she can use her body for power--that she can literally sell parts of her body and profit off of her beauty. This is a complicated idea; on the one hand, Della feels helpless and poor, and selling her hair could be seen as a way for her to empower herself.What kind of character is Della Dillingham?
Della Dillingham Young is the main character of the story, and most of the events are described from her perspective. Della is a loving wife who wants to make her husband happy, even if it means sacrificing her most prized possession.Who was Della?
Della: One Devoted WomanShe's been saving for months just to round up money for a Christmas present. She has even endured the humiliation of pinching pennies at stores. He may not be bringing in much money, but Jim is the cat's pajamas for Della.