The Furnished Room by O. Henry
A young woman, a prostitute, has died in a furnished room. The narrator describes the scene and her life. She had been living there for years, with no one to claim her body. A man arrives, claiming to be her husband, but it's unclear if he's telling the truth or just trying to get her belongings.
By O. Henry · First published 1914 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama · 2,939 words
First lines
Restless, shifting, fugacious as time itself is a certain vast bulk of the population of the red brick district of the lower West Side. Homeless, they have a hundred homes. They flit from furnished room to furnished room, transients forever -- transients in abode, transients in heart and mind. They sing "Home, Sweet Home" in ragtime; they carry their lares et penates in a bandbox; their vine is entwined about a picture hat; a rubber plant is their fig tree.
What this Textopian page supports
The Furnished Room is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1914 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: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama, Gothic Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 2,939 words
- Structure: 1 section, 42 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Furnished Room 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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Similar titles
- Futility by O. Henry
- Farewell by Guy De Maupassant
- Jim by O. Henry
- To Him Who Waits by O. Henry
- The Window by Guy De Maupassant
- A Ladys Story by Anton Chekhov
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of love, loss, and the transient nature of life, characterized by a rich narrative style.
- Psychological Fiction — The protagonist's internal struggle and emotional turmoil are central to the plot, delving into themes of obsession and despair.
- Drama — The setting and character interactions reflect dramatic elements, particularly the tension surrounding the protagonist's search for a lost love.
- Gothic Fiction — The atmosphere of the furnished room and the themes of haunting memories contribute to a gothic sensibility.
Tags
Tragic · Melancholic · Poignant · Bittersweet · Romantic · Futile · Lonely · Desperate · Heartbreaking · Gloomy · Mournful · Sorrowful