Black Humor

The humor of fiction is always led by the comic. The comic is led by the incongruous plot and inharmonious relationship between charcters. Misunderstanding and coincidence of contingency in the plot are the necessary elements of incompatibility.

"The Gift of the Magi" generally tells the story that a poor but happy couple is trying to find the best Christmas present for his or her loved. Sadly, they are so poor that cannot afford the presents they feel satisfied with. Consequently, they make big decisions. The wife exchanges her beautiful hair for a delicate fob chain for her loved husband. The husband exchanges his golden watch for a exquisite comb for his loved wife. At last, when they exchange presents which they have well prepared, they find both presents become useless.

The fiction just ends at that ridiculous dramatic moment. From my point of view, the end of this novel can be considered as both tragedy and comedy. The last scene is surrounded by the bleak atmosphere and shows people's pursuit and infatuation to love and then leads the readers to the high-level state. O. Henry's nature of humor and the sorrowful atmosphere set by humor are fully showed to us. On the one hand, we can feel the couple's purity and kindness and feel their ever-lasting love. On the other hand, we can feel poignancy and rough of the lower orders of the United States. Carefully reding this work,we can also find the writer gives deep sympathy and blessing to those pathetic people. In fact, this is just a kind of "Black Humor", a poignant "Black Humor". It is easy to see that readers, after finishing reading the whole fiction, will cannot help bursting into pathetic tears in heart and giving bitter smiles in apperance. And then they seems find a light and hope in the darkness and then find the warmth and strength in the life.