The Sensitive Colonel Jay
A retired army officer returns to his hometown and becomes infatuated with a young woman who is engaged to be married. He tries to win her over but ultimately fails, leading to tragic consequences.
By O. Henry · First published 1909 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Humor, Western · 289 words
First lines
The sun is shining brightly, and the birds are singing merrily in the trees! All nature wears an aspect of peace and harmony. On the porch of a little hotel in a neighboring county a stranger is sitting on a bench waiting for the train, quietly smoking his pipe.
Presently a tall man wearing boots and a slouch hat, steps to the door of the hotel from the inside with a six-shooter in his hand and fires. The man on the bench rolls over with a loud yell as the bullet grazes his ear. He springs to his feet in amazement and wrath and shouts:
"What are you shooting at me for?"
What this Textopian page supports
The Sensitive Colonel Jay is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1909 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: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Humor, Western, Short Story, Drama
- Length: 289 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sensitive Colonel Jay 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 Sensitive Colonel Jay?
- 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
- A Righteous Outburst by O. Henry
- A Little Local Colour by O. Henry
- By Easy Stages by O. Henry
- Grounds For Uneasiness by O. Henry
- A Disagreement by O. Henry
- Not So Much A Tam Fool by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex characters and themes, focusing on social interactions and misunderstandings.
- Humor — The narrative employs comedic elements through misunderstandings and the absurdity of the situation.
- Western — The setting and character archetypes reflect typical Western themes, including the presence of a colonel and gunplay.
- Short Story — The work is concise and structured as a brief narrative, characteristic of the short story format.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Class Satire · Irony · Wit · Sarcasm · Comedy of Manners · Colonialism · Imperialism