No Help for It by O. Henry (1917)
The story revolves around a young man who marries a woman he has never met, based on her photograph and letters. He travels to meet her, but upon arrival, he discovers she is already married. The wife's husband is away, and the young man decides to impersonate him until his return.
By O. Henry · First published 1917 · Genre: Short Story, Literary Fiction, Humor · 148 words
First lines
"John," said a Houston grocer the other day to one of his clerks. "You have been a faithful and competent clerk, and in order to show my appreciation, I have decided to take you into partnership. From this time on you are to have a share in the business, and be a member of the firm."
"But, sir," said John anxiously, "I have a family to support. I appreciate the honor, but I fear I am too young for the responsibility. I would much rather retain my present place."
"Can't help it," said the grocer. "Times are hard and I've got to cut down expenses if I have to take every clerk in the house into the firm. "
What this Textopian page supports
No Help for It is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1917 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: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Literary Fiction, Humor, Social Commentary, Drama
- Length: 148 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for No Help for It by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- Something For Baby by O. Henry
- The Higher Abdication by O. Henry
- The Lady Higher Up by O. Henry
- A Lickpenny Lover by O. Henry
- Vanity And Some Sables by O. Henry
Genres
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Literary Fiction — The themes explore human relationships and moral dilemmas, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Humor — The dialogue and situation contain elements of irony and wit, typical of humorous writing.
- Social Commentary — The narrative reflects on societal issues such as economic hardship and personal responsibility.
Tags
Short Story · Comedy · Satire · Social Commentary · Marriage · Love · Deception · Moral Ambiguity · Irony · Twist Ending · Wit · Humor