A Departmental Case by O. Henry
The story revolves around a man who is wrongly accused of theft and sentenced to death. He is given the opportunity to escape but chooses instead to reveal his innocence by exposing the true culprit. The narrative explores themes of justice, morality, and redemption.
By O. Henry · First published 1919 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Drama, Western · 5,326 words
First lines
In Texas you may travel a thousand miles in a straight line. If your course is a crooked one, it is likely that both the distance and your rate of speed may be vastly increased. Clouds there sail serenely against the wind. The whip-poor-will delivers its disconsolate cry with the notes exactly reversed from those of his Northern brother. Given a drought and a subsequently lively rain, and lo! from a glazed and stony soil will spring in a single night blossomed lilies, miraculously fair. Tom Green County was once the standard of measurement. I have forgotten how many New Jerseys and Rhode Islands it was that could have been stowed away and lost in its chaparral. But the legislative axe has slashed Tom Green into a handful of counties hardly larger than European kingdoms. The legislature convenes at Austin, near the centre of the state; and, while the representative from the Rio Grande country is gathering his palm-leaf fan and his linen duster to set out for the capital, the Panhandle solon winds his muffler above his well-buttoned overcoat and kicks the snow from his well-greased boots ready for the same journey. All this merely to hint that the big ex-republic of the Southwest forms a sizable star on the flag, and to prepare for the corollary that things sometimes happen there uncut to pattern and unfettered by metes and bounds.
What this Textopian page supports
A Departmental Case is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: O. Henry
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Drama, Western, Social Commentary, Short Story
- Length: 5,326 words
- Structure: 1 section, 75 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Departmental Case by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Departmental Case?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- An Adjustment Of Nature by O. Henry
- The Sphinx Apple by O. Henry
- Grounds For Uneasiness by O. Henry
- A Little Talk About Mobs by O. Henry
- A Sure Method by O. Henry
- Relieved by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of human experience, societal roles, and personal struggles, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Drama — The narrative centers around emotional conflicts and character interactions, particularly the plight of the female protagonist.
- Western — Set in Texas, it incorporates elements of the Western genre, including themes of rugged individualism and frontier justice.
- Social Commentary — The story critiques social issues such as poverty, gender roles, and the bureaucratic system.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Class Struggle · Injustice · Corruption · Bureaucracy