Marxist philosophy believes that society views the world through an entirely economic lens. Marxism wants society to be divided into two classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie uses ideology to repress the proletariat primarily by manipulating their perception of their freedom to act. One ideology that the upper class perpetuates on the working class is that of consumerism. Consumerism is the belief that the quality of the items one acquires can improve its value. As Marxists believe across all ideologies, consumerism is an unconscious belief so deeply ingrained in society that it affects the decisions every human being makes. This creed creates the concept of commodity fetishism which describes how "[p]eople in a capitalist society thus begin to treat commodities as if the value were inherent in the objects themselves, rather than in the amount of actual labor expended." to produce the object” (Modules on Marx: fetishism). By reducing the human experience to the pursuit of economic prosperity, the concept of commodification was created. Commodification goes further by reducing a person's worth to their monetary value. Together, these three concepts have the power to dismantle the purest concepts in nature, like love. “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry shows how consumerism, commodity fetishism, and commodification can distort natural virtues such as self-identity and love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Jim and Della, the protagonists of “The Gift of the Magi,” find the measure of themselves and their love for each other on consumerist ideals. . Mainly, the narrator sets the scene when he observes: “Now, when [Mr. James Dillingham Young] was paid only $20 a week, the name seemed too long and too important... Mrs. James Dillingham Young put her arms around him warmly and called him "Jim" (Henry 2). The speaker explicitly describes the extent of the couple's dilapidated living conditions, referring to the defective objects cluttering the house, such as the faulty doorbell and the tiny mailbox. Consumerism believes that the high value of the products one owns is fair to one's class status. The narrator supports this idea by emphasizing the inappropriateness of James' name in relation to his social status. “James Dillingham Young” is about prestige and wealth, a legacy of wealth passed down from generation to generation. It's a name given to him by chance and the narrator says he doesn't deserve it. The reason lies solely in James' economic situation, rather than his character. This feeling is further reinforced by the fact that James's own wife calls him Jim. By consumerist standards, “Jim” is a much more appropriate name for an employee. Jim is a simple, plain name, the kind of name befitting a man of such a low class. Furthermore, Della allows this ideology to color her judgment when she reflects, "Only $1.87 to buy a gift for Jim... Something almost good enough." Something almost worth the honor of belonging to Jim” (2). The story strives to establish the genuine and pure love that exists between James and Della. As strong as this devotion is, Della believes she can only prove her love through monetary means. She considers Jim's "honor" to be the richest object that can match his noble character. This perspective alters the healthy nature of love, transforming it into a competition of goods. Love existed beforecurrency, but Della shows how money developed to confine the ideals of love. Additionally, the story reinforces its attitude toward consumerism when the narrator details: “[The gold watch chain's] value lay in its rich, pure material. Because it was so clear and simple, you knew it was very valuable. All good things are like this” (3). It is ironic that the words "plain" and "simple", usually used to describe the conditions of poor citizens, are now used to appreciate a high-end item. This is how the bourgeoisie uses ideology to control the working class. Unconsciously, the upper class celebrates chastity and frugality in their products while outwardly punishing the lower classes for the same traits. This philosophy leads the destitute to revere austere but expensive items, even though the same value can be found in cheaper substitutes. The power of consumerism is undeniable as it pushes Della to take drastic measures to obtain the watch chain. Commodity fetishism pushes the young couple to unimaginable lengths to validate their love. First, the narrator illustrates the lovers' deep respect for material goods when he explains: “The James Dillingham Youngs were very proud of two things they owned. One thing was Jim's gold watch...Jim knew that no king had anything so precious” (2-3). The narrator mentions that the watch has been passed down through each generation of the Dillingham Young family. However, this is not what gives the watch value. Gold or not, each watch fulfills the same function. The object's value comes from its perceived luxury, as shown by comparing it to a king's possession. But the perceived grandeur of the watch is not enough to satisfy the couple. Herein lies the danger of commodity fetishism. Because Jim and Della have staked their passion for each other on material objects, the attainment of one glorious good only breeds the desire for more. Therefore, Della illustrates the impact of commodity fetishism when the speaker explains, "The other thing was Della's hair...Della knew that her hair was more beautiful than Della's jewelry and gifts." any queen” (2). Della's hair is another natural aspect of the world given to her without any consideration of her class status. And yet, her hair is reduced to nothing more than a commodity that she must sell. She herself deplores it, exclaiming: “But what could I do… oh! What could I do with a dollar and eighty-seven cents?' » (4). Since tying her love for James to physical objects, Della feels she had no choice but to sacrifice something as precious as her own hair. The idea does not occur to him that the strength of his affection is in itself an admirable gift. In his worldview, love has a ceiling that can only be circumvented by wealth. Commodification has the capacity to pervert the image lovers have of each other, but it can be reversed by a change in worldview. Initially, Della demonstrates her distorted view of her husband when she reflects, “Calm and value – Jim and the channel both had calm and value. She paid twenty-one dollars for it” (3). Della frames her perception of her lover in such a way that it seems that James should strive to match the perfection of the chain rather than the other way around. This image of James is further enhanced by the added detail of the cost of the gift. Since the connection between the object and Della's man has already been established, it seems that the story claims that James' value also amounts to only twenty dollars. Instead of, 1992.