A Villainous Trick by O. Henry
The story revolves around a man who seeks revenge against his former employer for firing him. He devises a plan to trick the employer into giving him back his job by pretending to be insane and having himself committed to an asylum. The employer, believing that the man has genuinely lost his mind, agrees to rehire him as part of a charity effort to help those in need.
By O. Henry · First published 1911 · Genre: Drama, Comedy, Satire · 262 words
First lines
When it becomes necessary for an actor to write a letter during the performance of a play, it is a custom to read the words aloud as he writes them. It is necessary to do this in order that the audience may be apprised of its contents, otherwise the clearness of the plot might be obscured. The writing of a letter upon the stage, therefore, generally has an important bearing upon the situation being presented, and of course the writer is forced to read aloud what he writes for the benefit of the audience. During the production of "Monbars" in Houston some days ago, the gentleman who assumed the character of the heavy villain took advantage of a situation of this description in a most cowardly manner.
What this Textopian page supports
A Villainous Trick 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: Drama, Comedy, Satire, Fiction, Mystery
- Length: 262 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Villainous Trick by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Villainous Trick?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Drama first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Drama — The plot revolves around a theatrical performance, highlighting the dynamics of actors and the stage.
- Comedy — The situation presents a humorous take on the villain's actions and the absurdity of the theatrical conventions.
- Satire — The narrative critiques the behavior of the villain and the ethics of actors in a theatrical setting.
- Fiction — The story is a fictional account centered on characters and events that are not real.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Irony · Plot Twist · Moral Lesson · Fiction · Literary Fiction · Classic · Twist Ending