20 pages • 40 minutes read
O. HenryA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
“One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all.”
“While the lady of the home is slowly growing quieter, we can look at the home.”
O. Henry’s narrator makes observations throughout the story that shift the focus away from the characters and adds commentary on the characters’ lives and actions. The narrator knows things that are hidden from both characters and occasionally shares those details with readers.
“Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a gift. She had put aside as much as she could for months, with this result.”
O. Henry sets up Della’s dilemma and builds tension early in the story. Even with her careful saving, she has been unable to save enough to buy Jim a gift, and she has run out of time.
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A Retrieved Reformation
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Mammon and the Archer
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One Thousand Dollars
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The Cop and the Anthem
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The Furnished Room
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The Last Leaf
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The Ransom of Red Chief
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