Have you ever been in a catch-22? That is, you’re darned if you do, darned if you don’t? The term came from a book written in 1961 by Joseph Heller called … you guessed it, Catch-22. (Wouldn’t that be something–to write a novel that becomes so popular that it ends up being a common expression?) This book is about some sort of logic irrationality. You’ve got these soldiers trapped in war, and one of them Orr, is insane–he’s absolutely crazy. Now–here’s the dilemma. Because Orr is crazy, he could technically be grounded. That is, he wouldn’t have to fly and fight. But the airforce has come up with a rule called Catch 22. If you are worried about your own safety, that is what sane people do. So if you’re worried about flying and dying, then you are sane and you must fly. So Orr was trapped in this dilemma because he told his officers that he was insane and shouldn’t be flying, and since he said that the authorities said he had to fly!
Examples of catch-22′s:
- Homeless people need a job so they can afford a home and nice clothes. Yet, they need to be able to say they live at a physical address to put down on the application, and they need nice clothes to land the job. So you can say this is a Catch-22 situation since both problems cancel each other out and you don’t feel as if you can go forward.
- Consumer loan: You need a good credit history to get a loan. Yet, how can you build up a good credit history if nobody will give you a loan since you don’t have a history of taking out any loans?
Journal lesson: Read as you listen to The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry by clicking here. (Or you can just read it). In what way did the couple in Gift of the Magi end up in a catch 22? Also, apply your new knowledge to describe an experience of yours that could be called a catch 22.
At the end of The Gift of the Magi, O. Henry says: Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.
Here our author doesn’t hide that he has something deeper that he wants us to get. Remember, titles are clues. The Gift of the Magi alludes to the Bible story of the Wise Men who give gifts to baby Jesus. In this story, what gifts were given? We had the chain for the pocket watch and the combs for Della’s hair.
- What did they have to sacrifice for the gifts? They had to give up the very items they wanted to enhance. Jim had to sell the pocket watch for Della’s combs, and Della had to sell her hair for the chain to match Jim’s pocket watch.
- How were Jim and Della foolish? They had to give things away that would ruin the gift the other was giving to each other.
- How were they wise? That’s the question. Why does O. Henry call them wise? We’re getting there.
- What is the climax of the story? That’s when everything comes to a head–the moment of the gift exchange.
- What is the resolution? They discover that their treasures have been given away and that their gifts can’t be used right now.
Honing in on Theme
We said that themes might be difficult to put into words. These are the possible themes that others have suggested for the story:
- Love is more important than material things.
- Love is selfless.
- It’s the thought that counts.
- It’s better to give than to receive.
Think about these four possibilities, think about the title and what the characters did. Think of how everything wound up at the end and tell me–in your opinion–what O. Henry really wanted us to understand at the end. Enjoy, and enjoy the gift of giving and receiving your own gifts in the future!
