After Twenty Years
by O. Henry (William Sidney Porter)
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Quick Answers
1. Choose the correct option.
a. Where is the story set?
i. Chicago. [ ]
ii. New York. [✓]
iii. The West. [ ]
b. At the beginning of the story, how does the author characterize Jimmy?
i. Confident and capable. [✓]
ii. Dull and plodding. [ ]
iii. Loyal and true. [ ]
c. Why does Jimmy ask Bob what time he plans to leave?
i. He wants to see Bob's diamond studded watch again. [ ]
ii. He wants to give Bob a chance to escape. [ ]
iii. He wants to see if he has time to get someone else to arrest Bob. [✓]
d. A conflict is a struggle that a character faces in the story. Which of the following best describes Jimmy's conflict or struggle in the story After Twenty Years?
i. A conflict with the weather. [ ]
ii. A conflict with Bob. [ ]
iii. A conflict within himself. [✓]
e. The narrator's voice is the voice telling us the story. Which of these sentences is in the narrator's voice? (Hint: sentences in the narrator's voice are those sentences which are not spoken by the characters.)
i. Is that you, Bob? [ ]
ii. You're not Jimmy Wells. [ ]
iii. The note was rather short. [✓]
Reference to context
1. "Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it?"
a. Who says this line and to whom is it addressed?
= The man, standing in the doorway of a darkened hardware store, says this line to the policeman on the beat.
b. Where are the characters? What used to be there at this place?
= The characters are in the doorway of a darkened hardware store.
There used to be a restaurant where this store stands, 'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant.'
c. What, according to the speaker, might sound 'funny' to the listener?
= According to the speaker, he made an appointment with his best friend twenty years ago to meet at that place on that night. This might sound 'funny' to the listener.
2. "And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, uncertain almost to absurdity, with the friend of his youth, watched the street and waited."
a. What is the time at this point in the story?
= The time at this point in the story is three minutes to ten of that night.
b. What kind of weather was it?
= There was a fine, cold drizzle falling, and the wind had risen its uncertain puffs into a steady blow. The few pedestrians astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands.
c. What do these lines tell you about the man mentioned in the extract?
= These lines tell us that the man mentioned in the extract is the most loyal and affectionate to his childhood friend. He has unconditional love and trust for that said friend. The man has crossed that much distance only to fill an appointment which was fixed twenty years ago. Many things changed. In fact the restaurant has turned into the hardware store. But the trust and love of that man for his friend has remained the same.
3. "The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished."
a. Who gave the man from the West the little piece of paper?
= The tall man, who came to Bob after the extra twenty minutes of his waiting, and whom he took as Jimmy Wells, gave the man from the West the little piece of paper.
b. What was the little piece of paper?
= The little piece of paper was a note from Patrolman Wells i.e. Jimmy Wells.
c. Why do you think the man's hand trembled as he finished reading it?
= The man's hand trembled as he finished reading it because he came to know that the patrolling policeman was actually his friend Jimmy Wells. He had sent this tall man as he couldn't arrest him being his friend.
Read, reflect, write
4. Give a detailed description of the setting of the story.
= The event of the story was set in a street of the New York city. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but because of the chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them, there were few people on the streets. A policeman on the beat was moving up impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for show, for spectators were few.
The officer was an impressive guardian of the peace. He walked down the street, twirling his club, checking that doors were securely locked and keeping a watchful eye over the area. Now and then, there were the lights of a chemist or of an all-night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.
5. Compare and contrast the characters of Jimmy and Bob.
= First of all, they a age gap of two years. Jimmy was of twenty and Bob was of eighteen when they used to hang out in the city of New York and they parted for long twenty years. They were raised in the city of New York just like two brothers together.
Jimmy was stubborn. He did not like to go out of the city of New York. He thought that it was the only place on earth. On the contrary, Bob was adventurous. He had to make his fortune. He went to the West.
Jimmy was hard working. He believed in the path of honesty and endeavour. He had become a policeman in the city of New York. On the other hand, Bob accepted the way of short cut, of dishonesty, of fraudulent. He had a large diamond scarf pin. He had a handsome watch, the lids of which were set with small diamond. He ended up being in the wanted list of the Police department of Chicago.
Both of them were very fond of their bond. That is why Bob did not forget the appointment they made twenty years ago. He had come crossing thousand miles in that harsh weather to meet his friend. The unique connection between them stopped Jimmy to arrest his friend even after getting into his fist.
6. O. Henry's stories are known for their surprise endings, the unexpected twist at the end of the story. Did this ending take you by surprise? Why or why not?
= O. Henry's stories are known for their surprise endings, the unexpected twist at the end of the story.
Of course this ending took me by surprise. I found myself in dismay as soon as I noticed the entrance of the tall man. At the moment, Bob became happy to know that the tall man was Jimmy. So was I. Then as soon as Bob said that the tall man was two or three inches taller than Jimmy used to be, suspense began to grow. I became sure this was not Jimmy. Then who was he. Why he is to meet Bob. Many questions came around. At the electric light light of the drugstore, it was clear that the tall man had a pug nose while Jimmy had a Roman one.
Then the tall man revealed that he had arrested Bob according to the instruction of the police department of Chicago. The tall man handed him a little piece of paper which was the extreme or climax of the surprise. It was a short letter from Jimmy Wells. He was the policeman whom Bob was talking to while waiting at the doorway of the hardware store. Jimmy informed him that he was his long awaited friend. He could not arrest him as Bob was his friend.
The readers remained startled and got goose bumps as well as Bob also. This is the magic of O Henry's wit.
7. Give an alternate title to the story and give a reason to justify your choice.
= I think another title of the story would be 'The Trial of Friendship'. Here Jimmy and Bob are childhood friends. They were raised up in the city of New York together like two brothers. They parted when Jimmy was of twenty and Bob was of eighteen. They made an appointment to meet at the same place after twenty years after whatever may happen. Jimmy is a policeman. He has been given to arrest Bob. Bob has come across thousand miles to fill the appointment. He is waiting for Jimmy to come. He has immense trust on his friend. Now it is the test of Jimmy's friendship, whether he would come to meet Bob or not.
On the other hand, it is the test of Jimmy's friendship whether he would arrest Bob or not. It is a two way trial of the friendship of Jimmy and Bob. So, this would be an apt title for the story.
8. After Twenty Years is a story of friendship and loyalty. How far do you agree with this statement? Support your answer with close reference to the story.
= After Twenty Years is a story of friendship and loyalty. I am totally agree with the statement.
Jimmy was of twenty and Bob was of eighteen when they used to hang out in the city of New York and they parted for long twenty years. They were raised in the city of New York just like two brothers together. Jimmy was the best friend of Bob. Jimmy stayed in New York. Bob had to leave for the West to chase his fortune.
Twenty years ago, they dined in the 'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant' and made an appointment to meet at the same place at the same time twenty years later no matter what their conditions might be or from what distance they might have to come.
As of their appointment, Bob has come a thousand miles to meet Jimmy. He has immense faith on his friend. He has strong sense of belief that Jimmy will come for sure if he is still alive. He is waiting for his truest, staunchest friend.
Eventually we found that Bob is in the wanted list fraud of the police department of Chicago. Jimmy had to arrest him. Jimmy got him close. But he could not do it himself due to his love and loyalty towards his friend. He managed a tall man to do the same.
9. Do you think that Jimmy Wells did the right thing by having his old friend arrested? Would you have done the same thing? Why or why not?
= I think Jimmy Wells did the right thing by having his old friend arrested. I would have done the same thing. If Jimmy let Bob go, he would have committed more punishable deeds in his life. He would have been given more hard punishment in the long run. That would be painful for Jimmy. He might lost his beloved childhood pal Bob. After his arrest, Bob might get lesser punishment and get the chance to change himself and be in the path of honesty.
10. Extended writing: In not more than 60 words, describe the events that led to Bob's arrest from the time Jimmy wishes him goodnight and leaves.
= Bob he remained waiting in the cold and drizzle. A tall man came and introduced himself as Jimmy. Bob was happy and agreed to go for a walk. Bob noticed that the man was two or three inches taller than Jimmy and he had a pug nose in place of a Roman one. Then the man revealed the truth.
About the Author :
O. Henry was the pen name of the popular American author Willian Sidney Porter. His short stories were known for their wit and surprise endings. Porter saw the humour in the everyday happenings of life. He also had a talent for drawing and painting. Well-know stories by the author include The Gift of the Magi and The Last Leaf.