Dougherty's Eye-Opener by O. Henry
The story revolves around a poor man who finds a large sum of money on the street and decides to return it to its rightful owner. However, he soon discovers that the money belongs to a wealthy businessman who has been embezzling funds from his company. The poor man's decision to return the money sets off a chain of events that ultimately leads to the downfall of the corrupt businessman.
By O. Henry · First published 1911 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Romantic Fiction · 2,338 words
First lines
Big Jim Dougherty was a sport. He belonged to that race of men. In Manhattan it is a distinct race. They are the Caribs of the North -- strong, artful, self-sufficient, clannish, honorable within the laws of their race, holding in lenient contempt neighboring tribes who bow to the measure of Society's tapeline. I refer, of course, to the titled nobility of sportdom. There is a class which bears as a qualifying adjective the substantive belonging to a wind instrument made of a cheap and base metal. But the tin mines of Cornwall never produced the material for manufacturing descriptive nomenclature for "Big Jim" Dougherty.
What this Textopian page supports
Dougherty's Eye-Opener 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: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Romantic Fiction, Humor, Short Story
- Length: 2,338 words
- Structure: 1 section, 40 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Dougherty's Eye-Opener 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 Dougherty's Eye-Opener?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- How It Started by O. Henry
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of identity, relationships, and societal roles through nuanced character development and rich prose.
- Social Commentary — It critiques social norms and expectations, particularly regarding marriage and gender roles within a specific cultural context.
- Romantic Fiction — The narrative centers on the romantic relationship between the main characters, highlighting emotional connections and personal growth.
- Humor — The writing employs wit and irony to convey the absurdities of the characters' situations and societal expectations.
Tags
Short Story · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · American Literature · Early 20th Century · Realism · Irony · Plot Twist · Comedy of Manners · Class Satire · Gentrification