Buying a Piano by O. Henry (1913)
The story revolves around a man who buys a piano from a traveling salesman. The piano is old and worn out, but the salesman convinces him it's a valuable antique. The man pays a high price for it, only to discover later that it's actually worthless. He tries to return it, but the salesman has disappeared with his money.
By O. Henry · First published 1913 · Genre: Humor, Satire, Fiction · 844 words
First lines
A Houston man decided a few days ago to buy his wife a piano for a Christmas present. Now, there is more competition, rivalry, and push among piano agents than any other class of men. The insurance and fruit tree businesses are mild and retiring in comparison with the piano industry. The Houston man, who is a prominent lawyer, knew this, and he was careful not to tell too many people of his intentions, for fear the agents would annoy him. He inquired in a music store only once, regarding prices, etc., and intended after a week or so to make his selection.
When he left the store he went around by the post-office before going back to work.
What this Textopian page supports
Buying a Piano is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1913 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: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Satire, Fiction, Short Story, Social Commentary
- Length: 844 words
- Structure: 1 section, 18 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Buying a Piano 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 Buying a Piano?
- 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 Pride Of The Cities by O. Henry
- The Man Higher Up by O. Henry
- Whiskey Did It by O. Henry
- A Christmas Pi by O. Henry
- The Stolen White Elephant by Mark Twain
- The Schoolmaster And The Doctor by Frank R. Stockton
Genres
- Humor — The narrative employs comedic elements through the absurdity of the lawyer's situation and the relentless pursuit of piano salesmen.
- Satire — The story critiques the aggressive sales tactics and societal pressures surrounding consumerism, particularly in the piano industry.
- Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative that explores character interactions and societal norms.
- Short Story — The piece is concise and structured as a short story, focusing on a single incident.
Tags
Short Story · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Class Struggle · Piano Salesman · Deception · Con Artist · Comedy of Manners · Irony · Wit · Sarcasm