William Sydney Porter
O. Henry
1862-1910
William Sydney Porter
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Born in Greensboro,
NC, on September 11,
1862
Mother died when he
was three years old
Raised by Aunt Lina,
who ran a small private
school.
William Sydney Porter
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Developed a taste for
literature and a talent
for humorous drawings
Left school at 15
Trained as a pharmacist
Spent time at his
uncle’s drugstore
Licensed as a
pharmacist at age 19
William Sydney Porter
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Known to be a prankster
Drew caricatures
Developed health problems
Moved to Texas in 1882, healthier climate
Worked on a cattle ranch
The Porter Family
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1887, married Athol
Estes
Worked as a bank teller
Sketches sold to
newspapers and
magazines
Daughter, Mary
William Sydney Porter
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1894, began a humorous weekly newspaper,
“The Rolling Stone”
Failed within a year
Suspected of embezzlement
William Sydney Porter
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1896, arrested and charged with stealing
Fled to Honduras
Returned to be with dying wife (age 29)
Supported daughter by working as a
pharmacist and writing stories
William Sydney Porter
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1898, first short story published
“The Miracle of Lava Canyon”
Convicted of theft and sentenced to five years
in prison
1901, released from prison
Began using pseudonym O. Henry
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Pseudo: false
Nym: name
“pen name”
William Sydney Porter
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1902, moved to New York City
Wrote weekly stories for newspapers and
magazines
Life provided settings for many of his famous
stories
William Sydney Porter
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1904, published first book of stories,
Cabbages and Kings
1906, next collection of stories, The Four
Million, famous world-wide
William Sydney Porter
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1907, Married Sarah L.
Coleman
Failing health
No money
Wrote seven
collections of short
stories in the last three
years of his life
Died June 5, 1910
Interesting Facts about O. Henry
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Wrote more than 300 stories, most in the last 10
years of his life
Had 23 cents in his pocket when admitted to the
hospital before his death
His funeral was mistakenly scheduled the same time
as a wedding… a classic O. Henry touch of irony
In 1918, a literary prize was established in his honor,
the O. Henry Award
Terms to Know
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Tone: feelings or emotions in a story; writer’s
attitude toward subject
Foreshadowing: clues to later action; builds
suspense and creates expectations to hold the
readers’ attention
Terms to Know
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Irony: contrast between what is expected and
what actual exists or happens
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Situational Irony: when a character or reader
expects one thing and something totally different
happens’
Verbal: a word or phrase that is used to suggest
the opposite
Give an example…
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Of situational irony
Of verbal irony
Of when someone you know had a really
good idea that went really wrong
Of a bad babysitting experience
William Sydney Porter
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