The Octopus Marooned by O. Henry
A wealthy man's yacht sinks off the coast of a small island. The only survivor is an octopus that had been on board. The octopus washes up on shore and is found by a group of poor fishermen who are struggling to make ends meet. They decide to sell the octopus to a wealthy collector, but it escapes and wreaks havoc on the town before being recaptured.
By O. Henry · First published 1902 · Genre: Humor, Social Commentary, Fiction · 2,994 words
First lines
"A trust is its weakest point," said Jeff Peters.
"That," said I, "sounds like one of those unintelligible remarks such as, ‘Why is a policeman?"
What this Textopian page supports
The Octopus Marooned is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1902 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: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Social Commentary, Fiction, Adventure, Satire
- Length: 2,994 words
- Structure: 1 section, 49 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Octopus Marooned 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 Octopus Marooned?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Ethics Of Pig by O. Henry
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- The Hand That Riles The World by O. Henry
- The Shamrock And The Palm by O. Henry
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Genres
- Humor — The narrative employs wit and satire to critique societal norms and behaviors, particularly regarding trust and capitalism.
- Social Commentary — The story explores themes of greed, exploitation, and the dynamics of power within a community, reflecting on the consequences of monopolistic practices.
- Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative that tells a story about characters and events that are not real but convey deeper truths.
- Adventure — The plot involves a series of unexpected events and schemes that lead the characters into a unique and precarious situation.
Tags
Short Story · Literary Fiction · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Maritime Fiction · Adventure · Mystery · Plot Twist · Irony · Symbolism