Analysis of The Last Leaf of O. Henry. One of the tales of O. Henry's most famous, "The Last Leaf" (1907) ends not only with O's usual surprise ending. Henry, but, like “A Service of Love,” it is the timeless classic “The Gift of Love.” Magi” conveys the message that true love is born from sacrifice and embodies the true spirit of Christmas. It also gives a distinctive ironic twist and draws on rich biblical imagery. O. Henry uses irony as a literary tactic in “The Gift of the Magi” to reveal the sweet and sad story of the Dillinghams. A good example of direct characterization in The Gift of the Magi would be Henry's detailed description of Della's beautiful beauty. the hair, how it waves and dyes itself like a waterfall of brown water. The Gift of the Magi - Analysis. It would be difficult to find a reader of American short fiction who is not at least familiar with O's story. Henry “The Gift of the Magi”. This story, written for the Christmas edition of a weekly, is a must-read for O. Henry. It is as synonymous with his name as his technique. The story ends with the narrator stating that because they both gave gifts from the heart, they both have the wisdom of the magi. In other words, the message of this story is. The irony of the situation in The Gift of the Magi is that Jim and Della both sacrifice their most precious possessions for an item rendered useless by the other's sacrifice. Della sells.