O. Henry's 'After Twenty Years' Summary
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Questions and Answers

What specific detail about the watch emphasizes Bob's success in the West?

The small jewels on the watch.

How does the setting (time of night, weather) contribute to the story's mood and atmosphere?

The cold rain and stronger wind add a sense of mystery and unease.

What is the significance of the line, 'In New York a man doesn’t change much. In the West you learn how to fight for what you get'?

It highlights the differing environments and their effects on a person's character and approach to life.

Why does Bob emphasize that he would wait at least half an hour for Jimmy, and what does this reveal about his character?

<p>It shows his loyalty and strong belief in his friendship with Jimmy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author use the description of the 'shop bright with electric lights' to build suspense?

<p>It sets the stage for the climactic moment when Bob realizes the man is not Jimmy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Bob's comment, 'It gave me everything I asked for,' suggest about his values and priorities?

<p>It suggests that Bob values material success and achieving his goals above all else.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the dramatic irony in the statement, 'The other, with his coat up to his ears, listened with interest'?

<p>The reader knows the man is not Jimmy and is actually a police officer investigating Bob.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the fact that the original restaurant is gone symbolize the changes that have occurred over the past twenty years?

<p>It symbolizes the passage of time and the way relationships and circumstances can change.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What specific detail about the man standing in the doorway helps the officer later identify him, and why is this detail significant?

<p>The man has a little white mark near his right eye and a large jewel in his necktie. This detail is significant because it provides a visual cue that the officer later uses to confirm his identity, revealing the twist in the story.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does the man from the West emphasize Jimmy's loyalty and commitment to New York, and how does this characterization contribute to the story's ending?

<p>He emphasizes Jimmy's loyalty to show the strength of their bond and Jimmy’s reliability. This characterization heightens the surprise because the reader expects Jimmy to honor the meeting, making the officer's true identity more unexpected.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the initial description of the cop as 'strong and important,' and how does this perception change by the end of the story?

<p>The initial description establishes him as an upstanding figure of authority. This perception shifts when it’s revealed that he arrested his friend, showing that duty and moral obligation conflicted with his personal feelings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the setting (a dark, quiet street with closed shops) contribute to the mood and suspense of the story?

<p>The setting creates a sense of isolation and mystery, heightening the tension as the characters interact. The darkness symbolizes the uncertainty and hidden truths that are gradually revealed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain how the agreement to meet again in twenty years serves as a plot device to explore themes of change, loyalty, and the passage of time.

<p>The agreement sets up a test of the characters' loyalty and values over time. It allows the story to explore how people change and how their priorities shift, ultimately questioning whether their bond can withstand the pressures of life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss the significance of 'Big Joe' Brady’s restaurant' as a location in the story. What does it symbolize for the two friends?

<p>'Big Joe' Brady’s restaurant symbolizes their shared past and the bond they had as young men. It represents a time of innocence and simple dreams before life took them on different paths.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way does the story use the contrast between the man's success in the West and Jimmy's remaining in New York to highlight their differing values and life choices?

<p>The contrast emphasizes how their differing values and life choices have shaped them. The man pursued wealth and adventure while Jimmy remained committed to duty and his roots, revealing how these choices impacted their lives and relationship.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author use dialogue to create suspense and reveal the true relationship between the cop and the man from the West?

<p>The author uses the dialogue to create tension, as the true relationship is not immediately revealed. The seemingly casual conversation between the two gradually hints at a deeper connection, building suspense until the final revelation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

The Cop

A police officer patrolling the streets on a cold, rainy night.

The Man

The man waiting near a darkened shop for his friend.

Big Joe Brady's

The restaurant where the two friends had dinner twenty years prior.

Jimmy Wells

The best friend of the man waiting, who might or might not show up.

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Twenty-Year Reunion

The agreement made between two friends to meet at the same location after twenty years.

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The West

The main character moved around quickly and frequently.

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Setting

The main character is in a dark location outside a shop.

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Central Conflict

Meeting after a long separation.

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"A slow mover"

Bob's initial assessment of his friend Jimmy; implying a cautious or unhurried nature.

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"Fight for what you get"

Bob's belief that success in the West requires a proactive and competitive attitude.

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"If Jimmy is alive"

Bob's expression of certainty that Jimmy will arrive if he is alive.

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"You’ve changed"

Bob's observation that Jimmy's physical appearance has changed, specifically his height.

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"Grew a little"

Jimmy's explanation for his increased height, suggesting it occurred after he turned twenty.

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"Work for the city"

A phrase that describes the fake Jimmy's job.

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"You’re not Jimmy Wells"

Bob's sudden realization that the man he is with is not Jimmy Wells.

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"Gave me everything"

Bob emphasizing the generosity of the West in providing him all that was asked for.

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Study Notes

  • The story is set on a cold and rainy night around ten o'clock.
  • A cop is walking his beat, checking doors to ensure they are locked.
  • The cop encounters a man waiting in the doorway of a closed shop.
  • The man explains that he is waiting to meet a friend.
  • Twenty years prior, the man and his friend made an agreement to meet at that location.
  • Twenty years ago there was a restaurant at that location, named "Big Joe" Brady's restaurant", but it closed five years ago.
  • The waiting man had dinner there 20 years ago with his best friend Jimmy Wells.
  • The waiting man was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty when he left New York to go West to find a job.
  • The man took out a watch covered in small jewels that read three minutes before ten.
  • The cop stated that if his friend wasn't there by ten, would he leave.
  • The man stated that he would wait another half an hour and that Jimmy would be there if he was alive.
  • After the cop leaves, a tall man in a long coat approaches the waiting man.
  • The tall man asks if he is Bob, and the waiting man calls the tall man Jimmy Wells.
  • The tall man takes the waiting man's hands and remarks how long twenty years is.
  • The tall man mentions that the restaurant is gone, expressing a wish it were still there.
  • The tall man said he works for the city.
  • They walk arm in arm down the street until they reach a shop with bright electric lights.
  • The waiting man realizes the man with him is not Jimmy Wells, noting a change in his nose.
  • The tall man reveals that he knows the waiting man is wanted by the Chicago cops.
  • The tall man hands Bob a note.
  • The note is from Jimmy, explaining that he was there, recognized Bob as the wanted man, and couldn't bring himself to arrest him.
  • Jimmy states on the note that he got another cop to do the job.

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Related Documents

After Twenty Years PDF - O. Henry

Description

Summary of O. Henry's short story. A cop encounters a man waiting in a doorway, who is waiting to meet a friend after twenty years. The man shows the cop a watch covered in jewels.

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