He Also Serves by O. Henry (1910)
The story revolves around a man who is struggling to make ends meet and is desperate for money. He comes up with a plan to fake his own death in order to collect life insurance benefits from his wife's policy. However, the plan goes awry when he realizes that his wife has been embezzling funds from her employer and is now being pursued by the authorities.
By O. Henry · First published 1910 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Humor, Adventure · 4,898 words
First lines
If I could have a thousand years -- just one little thousand years -- more of life, I might, in that time, draw near enough to true Romance to touch the hem of her robe.
Up from ships men come, and from waste places and forest and road and garret and cellar to maunder to me in strangely distributed words of the things they have seen and considered. The recording of their tales is no more than a matter of ears and fingers. There are only two fates I dread -- deafness and writer's cramp. The hand is yet steady; let the ear bear the blame if these printed words be not in the order they were delivered to me by Hunky Magee, true camp-follower of fortune.
What this Textopian page supports
He Also Serves is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1910 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: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Humor, Adventure, Social Commentary, Romance
- Length: 4,898 words
- Structure: 1 section, 81 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for He Also Serves 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 He Also Serves?
- 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
- Led Astray by O. Henry
- The Higher Abdication by O. Henry
- Phoebe by O. Henry
- Two Renegades by O. Henry
- Girl by O. Henry
- The Halberdier Of The Little Rheinschloss by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of identity, culture, and the human experience through rich character development and narrative style.
- Humor — The writing employs wit and irony, particularly in the dialogue and character interactions, to convey humor amidst serious themes.
- Adventure — The plot involves travel and exploration, highlighting the protagonist's experiences in various locations and cultures.
- Social Commentary — The narrative critiques societal norms and cultural interactions, particularly regarding race and identity.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Classic Fiction · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · War Story · WWI · Soldier's Life · Love Triangle · Betrayal · Deception