A Sure Method by O. Henry (1911)
The story revolves around a young man who seeks revenge against his former employer for firing him. He devises a plan to steal from the man's safe and replace it with worthless items, making it seem like he was robbed by a thief. The young man succeeds in stealing from the safe but is caught by the police before he can escape.
By O. Henry · First published 1911 · Genre: Humor, Short Story, Satire · 189 words
First lines
The editor sat in his palatially furnished sanctum bending over a mass of manuscripts, resting his beetling brow upon his hand. It wanted but one hour of the time of going to press and there was that editorial on the Venezuelan question to write. A pale, intellectual youth approached him with a rolled manuscript tied with a pink ribbon.
"It is a little thing," said the youth, "that I dashed off in an idle moment."
The editor unrolled the poem and glanced down the long row of verses. He then drew from his pocket a $20 bill and held it toward the poet. A heavy thud was heard, and at the tinkle of an electric bell the editor's minions entered and carried the lifeless form of the poet away.
What this Textopian page supports
A Sure Method is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1911 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: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Short Story, Satire, Fiction, Social Commentary
- Length: 189 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Sure Method 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 Sure Method?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Hand That Riles The World by O. Henry
- Squaring The Circle by O. Henry
- A Startling Demonstration by O. Henry
- One Consolation by O. Henry
- Calculations by O. Henry
- The Sphinx Apple by O. Henry
Genres
- Humor — The narrative employs satire and wit to critique the publishing industry and the nature of artistic creation.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Satire — It uses exaggeration and irony to expose and criticize the absurdities of the editorial process.
- Fiction — The story is a work of fiction, presenting imagined characters and scenarios.
Tags
Short Story Collection · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Realism · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Fiction · Literary Fiction · Classic