A Little Local Colour by O. Henry
The story revolves around a young woman who marries an older man for financial security and returns to her hometown after his death. She seeks revenge against the men who wronged her in the past by manipulating them into marrying her sisters, one of whom is mentally unstable. The narrative explores themes of love, betrayal, and social class.
By O. Henry · First published 1916 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Realism, Social Commentary · 2,554 words
First lines
I mentioned to Rivington that I was in search of characteristic New York scenes and incidents -- something typical, I told him, without necessarily having to spell the first syllable with an "i."
"Oh, for your writing business," said Rivington; "you couldn't have applied to a better shop. What I don't know about little old New York wouldn't make a sonnet to a sunbonnet. I'll put you right in the middle of so much local colour that you won't know whether you are a magazine cover or in the erysipelas ward. When do you want to begin?"
What this Textopian page supports
A Little Local Colour is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1916 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: 1916 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Realism, Social Commentary, Humor, Short Story
- Length: 2,554 words
- Structure: 1 section, 55 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Little Local Colour 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 Little Local Colour?
- 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
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- By Easy Stages by O. Henry
- A Disagreement by O. Henry
- The Lady Higher Up by O. Henry
- How She Got In The Swim by O. Henry
- Grounds For Uneasiness by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of identity, culture, and social dynamics within a specific urban setting.
- Realism — It presents a detailed and unembellished depiction of life in New York, focusing on authentic dialogue and character interactions.
- Social Commentary — The narrative critiques societal structures and the perceptions of different social classes in urban life.
- Humor — The dialogue and situations often contain wit and irony, highlighting the absurdities of social interactions.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Wit · Sarcasm · Local Color · Regionalism · Fiction · Literary Fiction