Speaking about the stylistic devices, O. Henry used simile, comparison, metaphor, repetition, antithesis, personification, irony, hyperbola.
Simile is used to show the description of Della's hair: "Della's beautiful hair fell about her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters."
“That made her looks like a truant schoolboy.” - comparison, to show that after cutting hair Della is compared with the truant schoolboy. Her hair was covered with tiny, close-lying curls.
The comparison of Jim and Della's possessions to those of Biblical figures helps bring out how precious those two items are to their owners; to Jim and Della they're treasures, which they give away. By bringing them up, and by mentioning the magi, O. Henry creates a sharp contrast between their spectacular riches and the obvious poverty and Jim and Della. Here author used a metaphor to show us that their love is true and strong. "They are the magi" - a metaphor, that shows us that Jim and Della's love and attitude to each other is more important that their possessions.
A repetition is used at the very beginning of the story: "a grey cat walking a grey fence in a grey backyard". It shows us a sad atmosphere. Also in "On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat."a repetition of adjective "brown" shows poorness. I guess, that brown color is not a color of sadness, poorness.
Antithesis is used to describe opposing feelings: “And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! A quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails”.
"Her heart had simply craved and yearned over them" - the case of personification.
Also there is dramatic and situational irony. We know smth that the character do not, and the ending is unexpected.
And the case of hyperbole is used in " Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out of the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy".
Simile is used to show the description of Della's hair: "Della's beautiful hair fell about her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters."
“That made her looks like a truant schoolboy.” - comparison, to show that after cutting hair Della is compared with the truant schoolboy. Her hair was covered with tiny, close-lying curls.
The comparison of Jim and Della's possessions to those of Biblical figures helps bring out how precious those two items are to their owners; to Jim and Della they're treasures, which they give away. By bringing them up, and by mentioning the magi, O. Henry creates a sharp contrast between their spectacular riches and the obvious poverty and Jim and Della. Here author used a metaphor to show us that their love is true and strong. "They are the magi" - a metaphor, that shows us that Jim and Della's love and attitude to each other is more important that their possessions.
A repetition is used at the very beginning of the story: "a grey cat walking a grey fence in a grey backyard". It shows us a sad atmosphere. Also in "On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat."a repetition of adjective "brown" shows poorness. I guess, that brown color is not a color of sadness, poorness.
Antithesis is used to describe opposing feelings: “And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! A quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails”.
"Her heart had simply craved and yearned over them" - the case of personification.
Also there is dramatic and situational irony. We know smth that the character do not, and the ending is unexpected.
And the case of hyperbole is used in " Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out of the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy".
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