Jim's watch and Della's hair
Both Jim and Della were proud of both the watch and the hair
Both Jim and Della were proud of both the watch and the hair
Jim was proud of his gold watch which had been his father's and his grandfather's, while Della took pride in her long, beautiful hair. They both cherished these possessions deeply.
Jim is most proud of the gift he purchased for Della, a set of combs for her beautiful hair. He sacrificed his most prized possession, his pocket watch, in order to afford the combs, demonstrating his love and selflessness for Della.
love
Della believed a nice chain would enhance the watch's appearance and convey its significance as a valuable possession to Jim. Being proud of the watch, she wanted it to be showcased in the best possible way.
Della cuts her long, beautiful hair off and sells it as a wig. With the money, she buys a Jim a chain for his pocket watch. Meanwhile, Jim sells his pocket watch to buy her a comb.
love
It's somewhat debatable considering that both Jim and Della gave away their most prized possessions; however, I think Jim sacrificed more when he sold his watch because whereas Della can just wait for her hair to grow back, Jim has lost his watch forever.
Happiness. Wise.
Jim sold his most prized possession, his watch, to buy Della a gift. The irony lies in both characters sacrificing their most prized possessions (Della's hair and Jim's watch) to buy each other gifts that complement these possessions.
della and Jim have two small children