The Making of a New Yorker
A young man from the South moves to New York City with a suitcase and a dream of making it big. He faces numerous challenges and setbacks as he navigates the city's streets and tries to find work. Despite his initial struggles, he eventually finds success through hard work and determination. The story explores themes of identity, class, and the American Dream.
By O. Henry · First published 1908 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Humor · 2,245 words
First lines
Besides many other things, Raggles was a poet. He was called a tramp; but that was only an elliptical way of saying that he was a philosopher, an artist, a traveller, a naturalist and a discoverer. But most of all he was a poet. In all his life he never wrote a line of verse; he lived his poetry. His Odyssey would have been a Limerick, had it been written. But, to linger with the primary proposition, Raggles was a poet.
What this Textopian page supports
The Making of a New Yorker 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: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Humor, Character Study, Poetry
- Length: 2,245 words
- Structure: 1 section, 31 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Making of a New Yorker 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 The Making of a New Yorker?
- 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
- Rus In Urbe by O. Henry
- Newspaper Poets by O. Henry
- From The Cabbys Seat by O. Henry
- Elsie In New York by O. Henry
- The Greater Coney by O. Henry
- Round The Circle by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of identity, urban life, and the human experience through a poetic lens.
- Social Commentary — It critiques societal norms and the nature of urban existence, particularly in relation to the character's interactions with different cities.
- Humor — The narrative employs wit and irony to convey the protagonist's experiences and observations of city life.
- Character Study — The focus on Raggles as a unique individual provides insight into his psyche and the impact of his environment.
Tags
Short Story Collection · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Urban Life · New York City · City vs Country · Class Struggle · Poverty · Wealth Inequality · Gentrification