The Pride of the Cities by O. Henry
A young woman from a small town marries a wealthy man and moves to the city, where she becomes disillusioned with her husband's infidelity and materialism. She begins an affair with a poor but honest artist, who represents a more authentic and meaningful way of life. The story explores themes of love, class, and identity in the context of urbanization and social change.
By O. Henry · First published 1913 · Genre: Humor, Social Commentary, Fiction · 1,976 words
First lines
Said Mr. Kipling, "The cities are full of pride, challenging each to each. " Even so.
New York was empty. Two hundred thousand of its people were away for the summer. Three million eight hundred thousand remained as caretakers and to pay the bills of the absentees. But the two hundred thousand are an expensive lot.
What this Textopian page supports
The Pride of the Cities is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1913 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: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Social Commentary, Fiction, Satire, Short Story
- Length: 1,976 words
- Structure: 1 section, 40 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Pride of the Cities 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 Pride of the Cities?
- How does this short story by O. Henry fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The dialogue and situations are crafted to elicit laughter through wit and irony.
- Social Commentary — The narrative critiques urban life and the contrasts between different American cities.
- Fiction — The story is a work of fiction that explores character interactions and settings.
- Satire — The text satirizes the pride and pretensions of urban dwellers.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Urban Life · Class Struggle · Pride and Prejudice · Irony · Twist Ending · Moral Lesson · Character Study