“The Ransom of Red Chief” By O. Henry

 His real name is William Sydney Porter.  He was a clerk in a drug store, a ranch hand, and a bank teller before he became an author.  He actually began writing in prison; while he was a bank teller, he was convicted of embezzlement, or stealing money from the bank.  He changed his name when he was released from prison and continued writing to help support his daughter.

 Fiction writer  Wrote weekly stories for the newspaper  Stories usually have surprise endings  Modern stories written with this kind of twist are said to be written in “O. Henry Style”  Preferred writing the following types of stories: ◦ Adventure stories ◦ Humorous stories ◦ Slice-of-life tales of ordinary people

Think about the following question for 30 seconds: Is any plan FOOLPROOF?  Discuss your ideas with the class.  Pair up with a partner and plan a surprise party for a friend by making a list of what you need to do.  Then, next to each item, write down something unexpected that could possibly happen to spoil that part of the plan.  For example: Things we need to do! Things that could go wrong! friends an invitation. Accidentally send an invitation to the party recipient.

 Turn to your partner and come up with definitions for the following words together: ◦ Conflict ◦ Resolution Identify the conflict and the resolution in this scenario: The hikers had been on the trail for two hours when the downpour began. Luckily, their guide led them to a cabin where they took shelter from the storm.

Read the scenario below and then discuss what you think Jenna’s answer will be: Jenna sighed. She had never met a more difficult three-year-old. With relief, she heard the parents’ car pull in the driveway. Soon they were asking, “Can you babysit again next week?”

 Pun: the humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest different meanings or of words having the same sound but different meanings. Example: The deli is sandwiched, if you'll pardon the pun, between two stores.  Foreshadowing: to indicate before something happens. Example: Her early interest in airplanes foreshadowed her later career as a pilot.

 Allusion: an implied or indirect reference especially in literature. Example: I was surprised his nose wasn’t growing like Pinocchio’s.  Hyperbole: an extreme exaggeration. Example: I’m pretty sure there were two million people in Wal-Mart this afternoon.

 Simile: a phrase that uses the words like or as to describe someone or something by comparing it with someone or something else that is similar. Example: She’s as angry as a hungry tiger!  Metaphor: a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or suggest that they are similar. Example: He is a charging bull when it comes to getting things done.

 There are three types of irony: ◦ Situational: irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected. ◦ Dramatic: irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play. ◦ Verbal: irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning (e.g., sarcasm).

 O. Henry used irony in many of his short stories, including “The Ransom of Red Chief.”  After reading the story, determine whether the irony presented is situational, dramatic, or verbal.  Video to watch before reading: ◦