A Personal Insult by O. Henry (1919)
The story revolves around a man who seeks revenge against his former lover's new husband after she leaves him for another man. He orchestrates a series of events that ultimately lead to the husband's downfall and humiliation, but also results in the woman's death. The narrative explores themes of love, betrayal, and the destructive nature of unchecked emotions.
By O. Henry · First published 1919 · Genre: Short Story, Humor, Romance · 156 words
First lines
Young lady in Houston became engaged last summer to one of the famous shortstops of the Texas baseball league.
Last week he broke the engagement, and this is the reason why.
He had a birthday last Tuesday and she sent him a beautiful bound and illustrated edition of Coleridge's famous poem, "The Ancient Mariner."
The hero of the diamond opened the book with a puzzled look.
What this Textopian page supports
A Personal Insult 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: Short Story, Humor, Romance, Social Commentary, Character Study
- Length: 156 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Personal Insult by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- Seeing People Off by Max Beerbohm
- Doughertys Eye Opener by O. Henry
- By Easy Stages by O. Henry
- Marvelous by O. Henry
- A Disagreement by O. Henry
- Not So Much A Tam Fool by O. Henry
Genres
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Humor — The story employs wit and irony, particularly in the character's misunderstanding of literature.
- Romance — The plot revolves around a romantic engagement and its subsequent dissolution.
- Social Commentary — The narrative reflects on societal expectations and cultural differences in understanding art and literature.
Tags
Short Story · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Wit · Literary Fiction · American Literature · 20th Century Literature · Realism · Comedy of Manners · Class Satire