What is the theme of a reformed Reformation?
The theme of ‘A Retrieved Reformation’ is that love can reform anyone. At the beginning of the story, Jimmy Valentine is unrepentant about his crimes….
What is the conflict of A Retrieved Reformation by O. Henry?
Jimmy Valentine’s major conflict is that he must be dishonest about his true identity as a criminal in order to enjoy life as an upright and honest citizen.
When did O. Henry write A Retrieved Reformation?
April 1903
“A Retrieved Reformation” is a classic short story by the American author William Sydney Porter, who wrote under the pseudonym of O. Henry. It was first published in The Cosmopolitan Magazine in April 1903 and was republished in the 1909 anthology The Roads of Destiny.
What causes Reformation in Jimmy Valentine?
Jimmy Valentine is a hardened criminal who immediately returns to safecracking when he is released from prison; however, after he unexpectedly falls in love, Jimmy changes his behavior and attitudes and becomes an honest businessman. Stop cracking safes, and live straight.”
How does O’Henry use irony in A Retrieved Reformation?
Another example of irony in “A Retrieved Reformation” is found in the scene in which Jimmy Valentine sacrifices his fiancee, his successful new business, and his reputation to save a little girl who has become accidentally trapped inside a bank vault. Henry’s stories are full of ironies too.
Why do you think O Henry’s story is called A Retrieved Reformation?
Jimmy Valentine, the hero of the story, is a professional safecracker. Once he gets out of prison he goes right back to his old ways. But then he meets and falls in love with Annabel Adams and decides to go straight. This is his “reformation.”
How is the conflict of the story resolved A Retrieved Reformation?
The conflict is resolved when Ben Price decides to let Jimmy go free and retain his new identity as Ralph Spencer and the new straight life that goes with it.
What is the climax of Retrieved Reformation?
Climax: Annabel’s niece, Agatha, gets locked into the new safe at the bank. his true identity while Annabel’s family and Ben Price all watch.
What is the story A Retrieved Reformation about?
Lesson Summary In O. Henry’s ‘A Retrieved Reformation’, Jimmy Valentine proves that even a cold-hearted criminal can change, but in the end, one’s past always catches up with them. Jimmy is released from prison after being caught robbing banks and starts robbing again within the first week.
How does the story A Retrieved Reformation end?
The reader expects the story to end with Jimmy being led off too prison in an ironic ending similar to that of O. Henry’s “The Cop and the Anthem,” in which Soapy decides to reform completely and is then arrested for vagrancy and sent to jail on Blackwell’s Island.
Why is Jimmy Valentine’s called Dandy?
Answer: Jimmy Valentine was devoted to style, neatness, and fashion in dress and appearance.
When was a Retrieved Reformation by O Henry published?
“A Retrieved Reformation” was published in 1909 in O. Henry’s book of short stories, Roads of Destiny. It features several of the narrative elements for which O. Henry’s short stories are well known. The surprise ending is especially characteristic of O. Henry’s tales, as are the story’s numerous gentle ironies.
Who is the author of A Retrieved Reformation?
We present the short story “A Retrieved Reformation,” by O. Henry. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State. In the prison shoe-shop, Jimmy Valentine was busily at work making shoes. A prison officer came into the shop, and led Jimmy to the prison office.
What happens at the end of O Henry?
In O. Henry’s story, Price witnesses Valentine’s reformation and walks away, allowing Valentine to enjoy his new life. While A Retrieved Reformation is shorter than Les Miserables and can therefore support a quicker resolution, any reader familiar with Hugo might be surprised by the ending of A Retrieved Reformation.
What was the theme of A Retrieved Reformation?
The theme of “A Retrieved Reformation” can probably be best expressed with the old adage “Honesty is the best policy.”. When Jimmy Valentine goes to Elmore, Arkansas, he is only planning to set up a…