Retrieved Reformationby O. Henry

(adv.) in a steady and hard-working way

A guard came to the prison shoe shop, where Jimmy Valentine was assiduously stitching uppers, and escorted him to the front office. p. 165

** Look at the where he is working and ask your self how do you have to work in prison?

assiduously

(adj) morally good, honorable “Me?” said Jimmy, still blankly virtuous.

“Why, warden, I never was in Springfield in my life!” P. 165

virtuous

(adj) required, something that must be done

• He had on a suit of the villianously fitting, ready-made clothes and a pair of the stiff, squeaky shoes that the state furnishes to its discharged compulsory guests. – p. 165

compulsory

(adv) to restore, make useful through therapy and education

• The clerk handed him a railroad ticket and the five-dollar bill with which the law expected him to rehabilitate himself into good citizenship and prospertity. P. 165

rehabilitate

(v) to refuse to move or act• “But we had that protest from Springfield to

buck against, and the governor nearly balked. P. 165

balk

eminent (adj) better than most others, very famous

There on the floor was still Ben Price’s collar-button that had been torn from that eminent detective’s shirt band when they had overpowered Jimmy to arrest him. P. 165 -166

retribution(n) Punishment for bad behavior

Long jumps, quick get-aways, no confederates, and a taste for good society – these ways had helped Mr. Valentine to become noted as a successful dodger of retribution. P. 166

elusive(adj) escaping from capture as by daring,

cleverness, or skillIt was given out that Ben Price had taken up the trail of the elusive cracksman, and other people with burglar-proof safes felt more at ease. P. 166

unobtrusively(adv) in a way that attracts little or no

attention

On the Monday night after Jimmy wrote this letter, Ben Price jogged unobtrusively into Elmore in a livery buggy. p. 168

unperceived(adj) not seen

Unperceived by the elders, May, the nine-year-old girl, in the spirit of play, had shut Agatha in the vault. P. 169

Foreshadowing

• Events in the story that hint at what will happen.

• The author uses foreshadowing to hint at the ending. He doesn’t give it away because then it wouldn’t be a surprise!

• Think about…– Where in the story does the author use

foreshadowing?– Is the author’s use of foreshadowing effective?

Irony

• A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.

• The author uses irony to create a surprise ending.

• Think about…– How effective is the author’s use of irony? Were you

surprised?– What sentences show irony?

Theme• It is the big idea, the message or moral of the story.

• Possible themes: – Crime doesn’t pay.– Friendship sometimes means sacrifice.– Have faith in your friends.– People change/ People don’t change.

• Think about…– What sentences in the passage best express a theme?– What is another title for the passage? Does the title help

you understand the theme?

Setting

• It is the time and place of the action.

• Think about…– Could this story have the same outcome if it happened at

another time?– What about another place?– What about the weather, time of day, part of town?– How does the area where the action occurs affect what

happens?– How does the time period affect what happens?