Build Background
O. Henry, the pseudonym, or pen name, of William Sydney Porter, is known as “the master of
the American short story.” A short story is a brief work of fiction that is carefully crafted to
develop characters, a plot, a setting, a conflict, a theme, and an overall mood, all within a few
pages. For an author to create a short story, he or she must consider the following guidelines
when constructing these elements.
The story should:
• have a limited number of characters
• weave a tightly constructed plot that covers a short period of time
• establish one main setting
• focus on one major conflict or incident
• offer one dominant theme or main idea
• create one overall mood
• be short enough to be read in one sitting
Ask the students- what does every short story seem to contain? Brainstorm a list together.
O. Henry’s talent for creating masterful, imaginative stories within these guidelines has made
him a popular short story writer. Aside from his storytelling ability, O. Henry’s personal life
provided plenty of material for his tales. He battled illness and alcohol, lawmen and lawless
editors. He rubbed shoulders with common folk and common criminals during his run from the
law. Despite his troubles, O. Henry managed to fill more than six hundred stories with humor,
tenderness, and surprises. In an interview with the New York Times in 1909, O. Henry said: “I’ll
give you the whole secret of short story writing. Here it is. Rule I: Write stories that please
yourself. There is no Rule II.”
Ask the students- knowing what O. Henry’s personal life was like, what kinds of characters
do you think he liked to right about?
“After Twenty Years” tells the story of two old friends who made an appointment twenty
years ago to see each other again in New York City. They have lived very different lives since
their days together. What happens and how they meet will surprise you.
Do you have any friends that you have not seen for a long time? Do you think they have
stayed the same or do you think they have changed? Explain your answer.
Characters: O. Henry’s characters are typically simple people who perform common, everyday
jobs. Some of his characters also may be imposters or have connections to crime, a reflection
of O. Henry’s years in jail for embezzlement charges and associations with other criminals.
Setting: Most of O. Henry’s short stories take place in New York City, the West or Southwest,
or Central America, although he doesn’t often make specific references to locations. His
settings reflect the lifestyle, social and economic and mood of his characters.
At this time in history, many Americans had moved west in search of a better life. Single
people and families moved to buy land to farm, to search for gold, or to work building
railroads. Of course, there were also people who moved west for less honest reasons, like
gambling or robbing trains and banks.
1. What is the setting of the story? Are there any indications as to the specific location?
2. How does the setting provide information about the characters in the story?
Theme: Many of O. Henry’s short stories revolve around the themes of love, compassion,
hope, and sacrifice.
1. What is the theme or main idea of the story? Explain your answer.
2. How does O. Henry use humor to convey the theme of the story?
3. Who is the man that was talking to Bob?
4. How do you think Bob feels now that he has been caught?
5. Do you think that Jimmy Wells did the right thing by having his old friend arrested?
6. Would you have done the same thing? Why or why not?
EFORE
AFTER READING REFLECTION Fact
s1. What conflict or struggle is evident in the story? Is the conflict with another character, with
nature, with society, or within the main character?
2. Does coincidence or chance play a role in the story’s plot? If so, how? What do you think O.
Henry is saying about chance (fate) versus choice in a person’s life?
3. Does the story have a surprise ending? If so, why were you not expecting the story to end
this way?
4. Is the surprise ending believable? Why or why not?
Name: _________________________ Date: ____________ Period: ________ Score: ___/12
“After Twenty Years” by O. Henry, page 312
1. A. Do you think Bob should have counted on Jimmy to meet him after 20 years?
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1. B. Think about a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Would you count on him or her to keep
a promise from a long time ago? Why or why not?
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2. Why did the “best chums” part, or go their separate ways?
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3. How does the police officer know that the man on the street has made a lot of money?
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4. What happens on the night of the meeting? Summarize.
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5. In your opinion, is the policeman a realistic and believable character? Why or why not?
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6. When do you think Jimmy realizes that he has to make a difficult choice and turn in Bob?
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7. If you were Jimmy Wells, what would you have done?
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8. A. Did you enjoy the surprise ending? Why or why not?
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8. B. How would you have ended the story?
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9. A. What statement do you think the story makes about loyalty and friendship?
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9. B. How does this story connect to Freak the Mighty? Explain.
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READING CHECK
1. Why is the policeman walking down the street?
A. He is searching for a criminal.
C. It is his regular job to patrol the street.
B. He is on his way home.
2. Which of the following best describes the man waiting in the doorway?
A. friendly and cooperative
B. shy and nervous
C. angry and rude
3. Why is the man waiting in the doorway?
A. He is waiting for the restaurant to open.
B. He wants to talk to a police officer.
4. Where does Jimmy live?
A. Jimmy lives in New York.
C. He is waiting to see a friend.
B. Jimmy lives in the West.
C. The story doesn’t say.
5. How does Bob realize that the man he is talking to at the end of the story is not Jimmy
Wells?
A. He is shorter than he remembers. B. His nose is different. C. He has a different voice.
VOCABULARY CHECK
1. Bob calls his Jimmy his best chum. What does chum mean?
A. supervisor
B. friend or pal
C. older person
2. Bob says Jimmy was the “staunchest old chap in the world”. What does this description
mean?
A. Jimmy was really old.
C. Jimmy did not like to spend a lot of money.
B. Jimmy was a very loyal friend.
3. Bob is waiting for his friend to turn up. What does turn up mean?
A. arrive or appear
B. turn around
C. walk faster
4. Bob says, “A man gets in a groove in New York.” What does gets in a groove mean?
A. gets rich
B. gets in trouble
C. gets in a routine
5. The story says that the man from the West had “egotism enlarged by success.” What does
this phrase mean?
A. All of his worry about money gave him health problems.
B. He thought he was very important and was not modest about his success.
C. He was very nervous about getting caught.
After Reading. Write your responses in complete sentences, unless using a chart.
1. Who are the main characters in the story? How would you describe them as individuals?
Main Characters
Description
2.
3. How would you describe the lifestyle and social status of the main characters?
Main Characters
Lifestyle and Social Status
4. Are the characters in the story well-developed—in other words, do you learn much about
them as individuals? Do the characters strike you as being stereotypes, or individuals that fit
within a certain mold or pattern? Explain your answers.
5. Do you think that Jimmy Wells did the right thing by having his old friend arrested?
6. Would you have done the same thing? Why or why not?
Foreshadowing
By Cindy Grigg
Have you ever read a book in which you knew how the book was going to end way before you
reached the conclusion? Good literature does more than simply tell a good story. In some of the best
works of literature, the author uses foreshadowing to drop hints.
Foreshadowing is an author's use of hints or clues to suggest events to come in the story.
Foreshadowing usually takes the form of incidents that seem to be unimportant at first but take on
added significance later. They contribute to the overall effect and meaning of the work.
Not all foreshadowing is obvious. Sometimes future events are hinted at through the characters'
dialogue, descriptions, the setting, or the attitudes or reactions of the characters.
In O. Henry's short story "After Twenty Years," a policeman on patrol sees a man leaning in the
doorway of a closed store. The man explains to the policeman that he is waiting for his old friend
Jimmy Wells. Twenty years ago, the two men agreed to meet at this spot. The man is sure his friend
will meet him. The policeman walks away, and twenty minutes later, a tall man walks up to the store
and greets the waiting man. Incredibly happy to see his old friend again, the man takes his friend's
arm and walks up the street with him. Soon he realizes that the tall man is not his friend Jimmy. He is
then arrested by the tall man. The tall man gives him a note from Jimmy.
The note said that Jimmy had been at the appointment place on time but recognized his friend's face
from a wanted poster from the Chicago police. Since Jimmy had not wanted to arrest his old friend,
he found another policeman to do it for him.
Foreshadowing often serves two purposes. It builds suspense by raising questions that encourage
the reader to go on and find out more about the event that is being foreshadowed. Foreshadowing is
also a means of making a narrative more believable by partially preparing the reader for events that
are to follow.
The setting is used to set the tone of the story and sometimes to foreshadow the ending. In the story
"After Twenty Years," it's dark, cold, and somewhat late at night. The story says, "The time was barely
10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the
streets. The vicinity was one that kept early hours." Only two men were on the street at that time that
night. When the policeman "with his stalwart form" approaches the man lurking in the dark, the man
speaks quickly. The light from his match shows a pale face with keen eyes, a scar near the eyebrow,
and a scarf pin with a large diamond, "oddly set." He also carries an expensive watch, also set with
diamonds. The pale face, keen eyes, and the scar are all hints as to the man's past.
The contrast between the two men hints at obvious differences in character. The policeman in
uniform carries only his club and moves impressively and not "for show." He is "a fine picture of the
guardian of the peace." The stranger is hidden in darkness, keeping a strange "appointment." He has
diamonds-one that is oddly set.
The dialogue also gives hints of the two men's characters. We learn that Jimmy is "the truest,
staunchest old chap in the world." The stranger says that he and Jimmy "were raised like brothers"
and that Jimmy is his "best chum," but he, the stranger, moved around too much out West to keep in
touch. The stranger says that Jimmy would never forget their meeting-and in fact, Jimmy is there-he
is the policeman on the beat.
Without all the hints throughout the story, the ending might be difficult for a reader to accept that an
old friend would have his best buddy arrested. But we are given insights into Jimmy's character
throughout. Jimmy was a "good fellow, but a kind of a plodder." Jimmy was someone who would
always do the right thing.
O. Henry was known for the ironic twists of his stories. The irony here is that the two old friends turn
out to be opposites-a policeman and a crook. The stranger trusted Jimmy to show up for the
appointment, and Jimmy betrayed that trust by having him arrested. Jimmy betrayed his friend's trust
because he was exactly the "the truest, staunchest old chap in the world," just as his friend described
him. The story's title is also ironic-"After Twenty Years" the friendship was betrayed by Jimmy's
honesty and good character. If you were paying attention to the foreshadowing, the ending wasn't
totally unexpected.
Questions
1. What is foreshadowing?
A. an author's use of hints or clues to suggest events to come in the story
B. incidents that seem to be unimportant at first but take on added significance later
C. technique that contributes to the overall effect and meaning of the story
D. all of the above
2. Any clues the author gives in foreshadowing are directly stated in the story.
A. false
B. true
3. Foreshadowing can be found ______.
A. in the descriptions of the setting or the characters C. in the attitudes or reactions of the characters
B. in the dialogue
D. all of the above
4. What is the purpose of foreshadowing?
A. It builds suspense by raising questions that encourage the reader to go on.
B. It makes a story more believable by partially preparing the reader for what is going to happen.
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
5. A good reader won't be surprised at the ending of a story if he or she ______________________.
6. Good literature does more than:
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Name: ______________________________________ Date: __________________
After Twenty Years Quiz
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
_____ 1. What is the waiting man’s connection to Jimmy Wells?
A. They are brothers.
D. They once worked in the same restaurant.
B. They often travel together.
E. Both are running from the police.
C. They were childhood friends.
_____ 2. Which word best completes the following sentence?
It was such an intricate design that only a _______ could copy it.
A. fool
B. child
C. patient D. relative E. professional
_____ 3. What does Bob mean when he says, “You see, the West is a pretty big proposition,
and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively”?
A. He often got lost.
D. Living in the West wasn’t much fun.
B. He moved around a lot.
E. Towns are bigger in the West than in the East.
C. It was difficult to find a job.
_____ 4. The conversation the waiting man has with the police officer is what part of the plot
of the story?
A. climax B. resolution
C. exposition
D. rising action
E. falling action
_____ 5. Why does Bob’s hand begin to shake as he reads the note from Patrolman Wells?
A. He is frightened at the thought of going to jail.
B. He suddenly realizes that Jimmy has become a coward.
C. He is trying desperately to think of a way to escape.
D. He is upset that his old friend knows the truth about him.
E. He is angry with himself for not recognizing Jimmy.
_____ 6. The last paragraph of this story is intended to
A. leave the reader laughing.
D. raise new questions in the reader’s mind.
B. provide a moral to the story.
E. change the reader’s opinion of the police.
C. add one more surprise to the story.