People would say that Christmastime is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the time of the year where people are generally a lot more altruistic with one another. However, a person who truly shows the spirit of Christmas is if they are truly altruistic, in which a person makes sure they improving the welfare of others without the pretense of fame or glory attach to it.
In the article “The Two Moralities of Ebenezer Scrooge,” Dwight R. Lee discusses the two morality A Christmas Carol presents: mundane and magnanimous morality. He writes that though Scrooge is not doing anything wrong, per se, as he is living his own life and going about his business as mundane morality requires a person to be “honest, keeping your promises, honoring your contractual obligations, and not intentionally violating the legitimate rights of others” (Lee), in everyone’s eyes, this should be view as a benefit to society. But Lee points out that though these qualities are very much admired, people do not see as it is. Rather they see this kind of attitude as someone who just wait for things to happen, instead of taking actions proactively to actively change people’s lives. Lee points out that “magnanimous morality is very much a positive and proactive morality” as it requires the person to “helping others intentionally, providing the help at a personal …show more content…
Without any consideration or good will behind those gifts you give, they become meaningless. In O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” he shows us that sometimes your thoughts does truly count when you give gifts to the other person. When the story opens up to Delia, who is crying over “one dollar and eighty –seven cents” because “the next day would be Christmas.” (Henry) She has nothing to give to her husband, Jim, and it makes her sad. O. Henry describes that couple have their own “jewels” as if they were worth more than anything in the world as he
In the article “The Two Moralities of Ebenezer Scrooge,” Dwight R. Lee discusses the two morality A Christmas Carol presents: mundane and magnanimous morality. He writes that though Scrooge is not doing anything wrong, per se, as he is living his own life and going about his business as mundane morality requires a person to be “honest, keeping your promises, honoring your contractual obligations, and not intentionally violating the legitimate rights of others” (Lee), in everyone’s eyes, this should be view as a benefit to society. But Lee points out that though these qualities are very much admired, people do not see as it is. Rather they see this kind of attitude as someone who just wait for things to happen, instead of taking actions proactively to actively change people’s lives. Lee points out that “magnanimous morality is very much a positive and proactive morality” as it requires the person to “helping others intentionally, providing the help at a personal …show more content…
Without any consideration or good will behind those gifts you give, they become meaningless. In O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” he shows us that sometimes your thoughts does truly count when you give gifts to the other person. When the story opens up to Delia, who is crying over “one dollar and eighty –seven cents” because “the next day would be Christmas.” (Henry) She has nothing to give to her husband, Jim, and it makes her sad. O. Henry describes that couple have their own “jewels” as if they were worth more than anything in the world as he