A Slight Mistake by O. Henry (1917)
The story revolves around a young man who makes a mistake that leads to his wife's death. He then marries another woman and becomes wealthy. However, he eventually meets the daughter of his first wife, who has been living in poverty. The young man realizes the error of his ways and tries to make amends by giving her money and property.
By O. Henry · First published 1917 · Genre: Humor, Satire, Fiction · 542 words
First lines
An ordinary-looking man wearing a last season's negligee shirt stepped into the business office and unrolled a strip of manuscript some three feet long.
"I wanted to see you about this little thing I want to publish in the paper. There are fifteen verses besides the other reading matter. The verses are on spring. My handwriting is a trifle illegible and I may have to read it over to you. This is the way it runs:
What this Textopian page supports
A Slight Mistake is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1917 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: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Satire, Fiction, Short Story, Drama
- Length: 542 words
- Structure: 1 section, 23 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Slight Mistake 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 Slight Mistake?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The story employs wit and irony, showcasing the absurdity of the business manager's dismissive attitude towards poetry.
- Satire — It critiques societal attitudes towards art and commerce, highlighting the tension between creative pursuits and practical business.
- Fiction — The narrative presents a fictional scenario involving characters and dialogue that explore themes of ambition and misunderstanding.
- Short Story — The work is concise and structured as a brief narrative, typical of the short story format.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Fate vs Free Will · Consequences of Actions · Regret · Remorse