
A Ghost of a Chance by O. Henry
The story revolves around a young woman who marries an old man for his wealth and then plots to kill him after the marriage. However, her plan backfires when she discovers that he has left her a large sum of money in his will, but only if she remains married to him until his death.
By O. Henry · First published 1910 · Genre: Comedy, Fiction, Supernatural · 3,450 words
First lines
"Actually, a hod! " repeated Mrs. Kinsolving, pathetically.
Mrs. Bellamy Bellmore arched a sympathetic eyebrow. Thus she expressed condolence and a generous amount of apparent surprise.
Similar titles
Genres
- Comedy — The work employs humor through social satire and character interactions, highlighting absurdities in social status and ghostly encounters.
- Fiction — The narrative is a fictional story that explores themes of family, reputation, and the supernatural.
- Supernatural — The presence of a ghost and the exploration of its implications on the characters' lives categorize it within the supernatural genre.
- Social Commentary — The text critiques social norms and the behaviors of the upper class, reflecting on societal expectations and personal aspirations.
Tags
Short Story · Romance · Tragic Love · Fate · Chance Encounter · Love Triangle · Unrequited Love · Heartbreak · Loss · Grief · Regret · What If
What this Textopian page supports
A Ghost of a Chance is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1910 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: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Fiction, Supernatural, Social Commentary, Romance
- Length: 3,450 words
- Structure: 1 section, 61 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Ghost of a Chance by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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