O. Henry – Irony and Conflict He was born on September 11, 1862 with the name, William Sydney Porter. Abraham Lincoln was president at the time. Known for his short stories and unexpected twists or irony. As a young man, he held many different jobs including ranch hand, bank teller, and pharmacist. He was also charged with embezzlement at one point, and was sentenced to five years in Ohio’s federal penitentiary. In prison, he published over a dozen stories under several pseudonyms to support his daughter, finally choosing the pen name O. Henry. One of the country’s best known authors.

Irony A contrast between appearance and reality – usually one in which reality is the opposite of what it seems.

Three Main Types Situational Irony – Conflict between what a character or reader expects and what actually happens/exists. Verbal Irony – When someone knowingly exaggerates or says one thing and means another. Dramatic Irony – Where the reader or viewer knows something that the character does not know.

Conflict A story’s plot centers on conflicts, or struggles between opposing forces. By the end of the story, the conflicts are usually resolved, or settled.

Literary Analysis Assignment In your Reader’s Notebooks create a graphic organizer similar to the following graphic and record 3-4 examples of conflict and irony found in the story, Ransom of Red Chief page 46. Conflict Expected Resolution Actual Resolution Ironic?

Literary Analysis Assignment In your Reader’s Notebooks create a graphic organizer similar to the following graphic and record 3-4 examples of conflict and irony found in the story, Ransom of Red Chief page 46. Conflict Expected Resolution Actual Resolution Ironic?