A Night in New Arabia by O. Henry
The story revolves around a young man who travels to the Middle East and becomes embroiled in a complex web of relationships with various individuals, including a wealthy sheikh and his daughter. As he navigates this unfamiliar culture, he finds himself torn between his own values and those of the people around him. The narrative explores themes of identity, morality, and the complexities of human relationships. Throughout the story, the protagonist's perceptions are challenged by the harsh realities of life in a foreign land, forcing him to confront his own biases and assumptions.
By O. Henry · First published 1916 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Social Commentary · 6,222 words
First lines
The great city of Bagdad-on-the-Subway is caliph-ridden. Its palaces, bazaars, khans, and byways are thronged with Al Rashids in divers disguises, seeking diversion and victims for their unbridled generosity. You can scarcely find a poor beggar whom they are willing to let enjoy his spoils unsuccored, nor a wrecked unfortunate upon whom they will not reshower the means of fresh misfortune. You will hardly find anywhere a hungry one who has not had the opportunity to tighten his belt in gift libraries, nor a poor pundit who has not blushed at the holiday basket of celery-crowned turkey forced resoundingly through his door by the eleemosynary press.
What this Textopian page supports
A Night in New Arabia 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: Satire, Comedy, Social Commentary, Fiction, Romance
- Length: 6,222 words
- Structure: 1 section, 131 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Night in New Arabia 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 Night in New Arabia?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Satire — The work critiques social norms and the behavior of the wealthy, using humor and irony to expose the absurdities of philanthropy and class distinctions.
- Comedy — The narrative employs comedic elements, including misunderstandings and humorous character interactions, to entertain while addressing serious themes.
- Social Commentary — It reflects on societal issues such as wealth disparity, the nature of charity, and the moral dilemmas faced by the affluent.
- Fiction — The story is a work of fiction that weaves together various characters and plotlines to create an engaging narrative.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Travelogue · Adventure · Romance · Comedy of Manners · Irony · Wit · Sarcasm