Stories by O. Henry (1962)


Stories by O. Henry (1962)

This is a collection of the author’s short works written between 1900 and 1910.

O. Henry’s fiction is defined by its twist-endings, which to my knowledge are often panned by literary critics for being “low-brow”. But I think dismissing the medium of short stories and the trope of twist endings discredits their value as fun, casual entertainment. And even still - that takes nothing away from the powerful themes and often very moving plotlines that O. Henry crafts. For example - “The Gift of the Magi” wouldn't be half as successful if it weren’t for its format. The brevity of these works and the punch of their climaxes only serve to distill O. Henry’s messages into exceedingly approachable packages.

And I think a key to the approachability of his stories is a mastery of archetypes. O. Henry instantly transports you to a defined place and time, surrounded by people you know, thanks to his reliance on stock characterization. Yet he still expertly develops those characters into their own personalities once he’s eased the reader into the comfort of a base familiarity. One of my favorite stories introduces a wild-west ruffian who scoffs at his old partner-in-crime for going soft after getting married and settling down, but O. Henry toys with our expectations of such an archetype by ultimately reversing the two principal characters’ roles. Another story even manages to imbue and develop familiar personalities to dollar bills as the plot evolves from their perspective.

Anticipating the climactic twist at the end of each story could easily spoil the surprises in theory, but O. Henry always leads toward a satisfyingly appropriate conclusion without betraying so much information along the way as to make the ending predictable. There’s such a range between tragedy and comedy that you never know if these characters will come-out for the better or the worse when all is said and done. I’d certainly say that I came out for the better by picking up this book, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend some O. Henry shorts to anyone looking for some light, fun reading.

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