A Question of Direction by O. Henry
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his hometown after being away for several years. He reunites with an old flame and becomes infatuated with her again. However, he soon realizes that she has married another man while he was away. As the young man tries to win her back, he discovers that she is not as innocent as he had remembered. Her husband is a wealthy businessman who has been embezzling funds from his company, and she is complicit in his crimes. The young man's attempts to expose the truth are thwarted by the woman's cunning and manipulation. In the end, he realizes that he was blind to her true nature and that their love was never meant to be. The story explores themes of deception, greed, and the corrupting influence of wealth. It also highlights the dangers of nostalgia and the importance of seeing people for who they truly are.
By O. Henry · First published 1916 · Genre: Satire, Short Story, Humor · 213 words
First lines
"Do you mean to tell me," gasped the horrified gentleman from Boston, "that this man you speak of was shot and killed at a meeting of your debating society, and by the presiding officer himself, during the discussion of a question, simply because he arose and made a motion that was considered out of order?"
"He certainly was, sure," said the colonel. "This is simply awful," said the traveler. "I must make a note of this occurrence so that the people of my State can be apprised of the dreadful lawlessness that prevails in this section -- a man shot down and killed at a social and educational meeting for the infringement of an unimportant parliamentary error! It is awful to contemplate."
What this Textopian page supports
A Question of Direction 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, Short Story, Humor, Social Commentary, Drama
- Length: 213 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Question of Direction 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
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Question of Direction?
- 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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- Explaining It by O. Henry
- Inconsistency by O. Henry
- An Original Idea by O. Henry
- A Years Supply by O. Henry
- Grounds For Uneasiness by O. Henry
Genres
- Satire — The work critiques social norms and behaviors through humor and irony.
- Short Story — The narrative is concise and focused on a single incident, typical of the short story format.
- Humor — The dialogue and situation are crafted to elicit laughter through absurdity.
- Social Commentary — The text reflects on societal issues and the absurdity of human behavior.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Fate vs Free Will · Human Nature · Relationships · Marriage