By O. Henry
The Ransom of Red Chief
O. Henry
(1862 - 1910)
William Sydney Porter was a
prolific American short story
writer who was born in
Greensboro, North Carolina.
When he was three, his mother
died, and he was raised by his
paternal grandmother and aunt.
At the age of fifteen he left
school. In 1897 he was convicted
of stealing money. In prison he
started to write short stories to
earn money to support his
daughter Margaret. In 1910, he
changed his name to O. Henry.
Many of O. Henry’s stories
contain a surprise ending or an
ironic twist. “The Gift of the
Magi” is one of the most famous
of his short stories with a twist.
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LITERARY
ELEMENTS
IN
RANSOM
BEFORE
READING
Read the title of the story. Based on the title and
the author’s biography, make a prediction
about what the plot is going to be about.
When you hear about kidnappings, what are some
of the most common things you associate with it?
captive
capital
collaborated
Fondness for children
Money
imp
scheme
Vocabulary
to know
ransom
prominent
terror
concluded
buggy
fraudulent
dastardly
philoprogenitiveness
Prisoner
Cowardly
A sly or secret plan of action
Causing fear or worry
Troublesome child
Having been cheated or tricked
Leading
Something paid for the release of
a captured person
A small cart pulled by a horse
Work together
To reach a decision
The setting of The Ransom of Red Chief was
written in 1910 and set in a small town called
Summit in the deep south of Alabama.
The story of The Ransom of Red Chief has
become a familiar cultural theme. The most
notable is the “Home Alone” and “Dennis the
Menace” movies.
STORY
BACKGROUND
Read The Ransom of Red Chief to:
Find out how O. Henry
uses foreshadowing to
help readers predict the
ironic plot twist at the
end of the story.
Find out how point of
view influences the
credibility, or
reliability, of the
narrator’s story.
After
Reading
In the story, O. Henry creates an
example of irony when two kidnappers
end up being held hostage by their
supposed victim. How would you have
reacted to Red Chief if you were in their
situation?
What did you find unusual about the
boy’s attitude regarding captivity? What
does this say about the boy?
The Ransom of Red Chief
Write a newspaper article
describing the kidnapping and
the return of Mr. Dorset’s son.
Be sure to include the
following information: who,
what, where, when, and
why. (20 pts)
Prepare and perform a mock
trial of Johnny “Red Chief”
from the defendants’
perspective of Old Hank and
Snake-Eye, who are suing for
assault and battery as well as
extortion. (30 pts)
Extra Credit
Draw and color a picture of
Red Chief, Old Hank, or SnakeEye. Consult the story again for
descriptions. (15 pts)