The Coming-Out of Maggie by O. Henry
A young woman named Maggie lives with her aunt and uncle on a farm. She has been raised to believe she is a boy and is expected to take over the farm one day. However, it becomes clear that Maggie is actually a girl. The story explores themes of identity, deception, and the consequences of societal expectations.
By O. Henry · First published 1908 · Genre: Romantic Fiction, Social Commentary, Short Story · 2,992 words
First lines
Every Saturday night the Clover Leaf Social Club gave a hop in the hall of the Give and Take Athletic Association on the East Side. In order to attend one of these dances you must be a member of the Give and Take -- or, if you belong to the division that starts off with the right foot in waltzing, you must work in Rhinegold's paper-box factory. Still, any Clover Leaf was privileged to escort or be escorted by an outsider to a single dance. But mostly each Give and Take brought the paper-box girl that he affected; and few strangers could boast of having shaken a foot at the regular hops.
What this Textopian page supports
The Coming-Out of Maggie is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1908 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: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romantic Fiction, Social Commentary, Short Story, Comedy, Drama
- Length: 2,992 words
- Structure: 1 section, 56 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Coming-Out of Maggie 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 The Coming-Out of Maggie?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romantic Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Newspaper Story by O. Henry
- No Story by O. Henry
- Episodes In Van Bibbers Life by Richard Harding Davis
- An Unfinished Christmas Story by O. Henry
- A Story For Men by O. Henry
- Small Fry by Anton Chekhov
Genres
- Romantic Fiction — The central plot revolves around Maggie's romantic aspirations and her experiences with love and attraction.
- Social Commentary — The narrative explores social dynamics, class distinctions, and the cultural context of the characters' lives.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
- Comedy — The story contains humorous elements and light-hearted situations, particularly in the interactions between characters.
Tags
Coming-of-age · Short story · Literary fiction · American literature · Realism · Social commentary · Satire · Humor · Irony · Plot twist · Character development · Moral lesson