The Shamrock and the Palm
A young woman inherits a large sum of money from her uncle, but it comes with the condition that she must marry within six months to keep the inheritance. She chooses a man who is already engaged to another woman, and they get married in a hurry. However, on their wedding night, the husband reveals that he has been pretending to be a wealthy man and that his true identity is that of a poor artist. The wife is shocked and feels deceived, but she decides to stay with him anyway.
By O. Henry · First published 1904 · Genre: Humor, Adventure, Social Commentary · 7,496 words
First lines
One night when there was no breeze, and Coralio seemed closer than ever to the gratings of Avernus, five men were grouped about the door of the photograph establishment of Keogh and Clancy. Thus, in all the scorched and exotic places of the earth, Caucasians meet when the day's work is done to preserve the fullness of their heritage by the aspersion of alien things.
What this Textopian page supports
The Shamrock and the Palm is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1904 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: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Adventure, Social Commentary, Fiction, Satire
- Length: 7,496 words
- Structure: 1 section, 93 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Shamrock and the Palm 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 Shamrock and the Palm?
- 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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- Did You See The Circus by O. Henry
- A Valedictory by O. Henry
- An Inspiration by O. Henry
- The Caliph Cupid And The Clock by O. Henry
- Shoes by O. Henry
Genres
- Humor — The narrative employs wit and satire, particularly through the protagonist's misadventures and misunderstandings.
- Adventure — The plot revolves around the protagonist's journey and experiences in a foreign land, including themes of exploration and unexpected challenges.
- Social Commentary — The story critiques imperialism and the romanticized notions of revolution, highlighting the absurdity of the protagonist's situation.
- Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative that explores character development and plot through imaginative storytelling.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Fiction · Literary Fiction · Realism · Symbolism · Allegory · Morality Tale · Comedy of Manners