The Tale of a Tainted Tenner
A man finds a ten-dollar bill on the street and decides to return it to its owner, but when he does, he discovers that the money was stolen from him by his own brother.
By O. Henry · First published 1906 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Humor, Social Commentary · 2,601 words
First lines
Money talks. But you may think that the conversation of a little old ten-dollar bill in New York would be nothing more than a whisper. Oh, very well! Pass up this sotto voce autobiography of an X if you like. If you are one of the kind that prefers to listen to John D's checkbook roar at you through a megaphone as it passes by, all right. But don't forget that small change can say a word to the point now and then. The next time you tip your grocer's clerk a silver quarter to give you extra weight of his boss's goods read the four words above the lady's head. How are they for repartee?
What this Textopian page supports
The Tale of a Tainted Tenner is listed on Textopian as a short story by O. Henry, dated 1906 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: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Humor, Social Commentary, Short Story, Satire
- Length: 2,601 words
- Structure: 1 section, 46 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Tale of a Tainted Tenner by O. Henry
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Tale of a Tainted Tenner?
- 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
- The Elusive Tenderloin by O. Henry
- Christmas Eve by O. Henry
- The Winner by O. Henry
- Transformation Of Martin Burney by O. Henry
- Nemesis And The Candy Man by O. Henry
- The Greater Coney by O. Henry
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The narrative explores complex themes of money, morality, and social class through a unique perspective.
- Humor — The writing style employs wit and irony, particularly in the anthropomorphism of the ten-dollar bill.
- Social Commentary — The story critiques societal attitudes towards wealth and the stigma associated with 'tainted' money.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
Tags
Short Story · American Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Class Struggle · Poverty · Wealth Inequality · Morality Tale · Fate vs. Free Will · Irony · Twist Ending