Read the excerpt from "the gift of the magi." jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. his eyes were fixed upon della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. it was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. he simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face. in this excerpt, jim’s character is developed indirectly, through his lack of action. directly, through his physical appearance. directly, through his personality that is concerned with change. indirectly, through his lack of feelings for della.

In this excerpt, Jim’s character is developed indirectly, through his lack of action.

O. Henry’s short story “The Gift of Magi” revolves around the story of a couple who are busy in arranging money to buy Christmas gift for each other. Della bought a platinum chain for Jim’s golden watch by selling off her beautiful and long hair. And at the same time, Jim bought a golden comb for Della’s beautiful hair by selling his golden watch.

Jim fall short in both word and action when he finds that Della has cut her hair short for whom he had bought the comb for. It is at the end that they both realize that their feeling and emotion of love for each other are way above the materialistic world.

The answer is A. Indirectly, through his lack of action.

imparadis't in one anothers arms  

the happier eden, shall enjoy their fill  

of bliss on bliss, while i to hell am thrust,  

where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,  

among our other torments not the least,  

still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines;  

yet let me not forget what i have gain'd  

from their own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:  

one fatal tree there stands of knowledge call'd,  

forbidden them to taste: knowledge forbidd'n?  

suspicious, reasonless. why should their lord  

envie them that? can it be sin to know,