Discuss how Della's thoughts, words and actions help reveal her personality to the reader in "The Gift of the Magi."

I would say the biggest aspect of Della's character that
emerges from her thoughts, words and actions in this tremendous story is the way in
which she loves Jim and is willing to do anything she can to get him a gift that she
feels is worthy of that love, even if it involves self-sacrifice. The very first
paragraph of the tale makes it abundantly clear how hard she has been trying to save
money to buy him a present:

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Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing
the grocer and the vegetable man and the butched until one's cheeks burned with the
silent imputation of parsiony that such close dealing
implied.

Thus it is revealed
to us that Della has faced shame and censure for Jim, and above all, her action in
sacrificing her hair for Jim reinforces her love for
him:

So now
Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown
waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she
did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still
while a tear or two splashed on the worn red
carpet.

Della's willingness
to sell her hair, which is clearly her pride and joy, for Jim so that she can buy him a
present worthy of her love for him indicates, more than anything else how much she cares
for and loves her husband.