The Complete Life of John Hopkins by O. Henry
The story revolves around a man who dies and leaves behind a large sum of money to be divided among his friends. However, the will stipulates that each friend must tell the truth about John Hopkins for one hour before receiving their share. The friends struggle with this condition, as they are all guilty of having wronged him in some way.
By O. Henry · First published 1904 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Humor · 2,522 words
First lines
There is a saying that no man has tasted the full flavour of life until he has known poverty, love and war. The justness of this reflection commends it to the lover of condensed philosophy. The three conditions embrace about all there is in life worth knowing. A surface thinker might deem that wealth should be added to the list. Not so. When a poor man finds a long-hidden quarter-dollar that has slipped through a rip into his vest lining, he sounds the pleasure of life with a deeper plummet than any millionaire can hope to cast.
What this Textopian page supports
The Complete Life of John Hopkins is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1904 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: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Humor, Romance, Adventure
- Length: 2,522 words
- Structure: 1 section, 49 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Complete Life of John Hopkins by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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- Playing Courier by Mark Twain
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of life, love, and societal norms through a character-driven narrative.
- Social Commentary — It critiques urban life and the human condition, reflecting on poverty, love, and the struggles of city dwellers.
- Humor — The narrative employs wit and irony to highlight the absurdities of everyday life and human interactions.
- Romance — The story includes elements of romantic tension and the protagonist's feelings towards a beautiful woman.
Tags
Biographical Fiction · Short Story Collection · American Literature · Humorous Fiction · Satirical Fiction · Social Commentary · Realistic Fiction · Fictionalized Biography · Literary Satire · Comedic Fiction · Novelistic Short Stories · Episodic Narrative