1. A Retrieved Reformation
Short Story by O. Henry
Daily Lesson Presentation
with
Literary Analysis: Third-Person
Point of View
Reading Strategy: Predict
Vocabulary in Context

2. Background
There are different ways to crack a safe. One method is by determining the combination of the lock, sometimes done by listening to clicks of the lock and graphing the results.
Jimmy Valentine, is a safecracker. He opens safes illegally and steals the money and other valuables stored inside.
A second and more common procedure for opening a safe illegally is by drilling. Jimmy Valentine has his own set of tools, including “the latest designs in drills” (line 52), indicating that this is the method he prefers. Using explosives is a crude but often effective third way to penetrate a safe (line 226).

3. Read with a Purpose! Analyze Visuals
Think about what motivates Jimmy Valentine to become Ralph Spencer as you read “A Retrieved Reformation”.
What do the details in this painting help you to infer about this man?
The man has a strong chin, chiselled features, and a direct gaze.
These aspects make him appear determined and forthright. He is dressed nicely and looks very respectable.

4. Third-Person Point of View
Lines 1-11
Writers sometimes use the omniscient point of view to make general comments about life.
What does this comment mean?
In lines 6-8, the writer makes a comment here about how the justice system works by using the third-person point of view.
Jimmy’s friends on the outside will make sure he doesn’t have to stay in jail for his whole sentence.

5. Lines 1-11
Targeted Passage
This passage introduces the main character (Jimmy Valentine) and presents the essential facts of his situation: he is a safecracker who has a second chance to live an honest life.
How long has Jimmy been in prison? (lines 4–5)
10 months
What is his prison job? (lines1–2)
Fixing shoes
What crime did Jimmy commit, according to the prison warden? (line 11)
He cracked safes and stole the valuables inside
What does the warden tell Jimmy to do with his life? (line 11)
To live straight and honestly and stop cracking safes

6. Lines 1-11
Tiered Discussion
Use these prompts to help you begin to build a picture of Jimmy Valentine’s character:
(Analyze) What can you infer from the fact that Jimmy has many friends on the “outside”?
He is likeable. He may do favors for people.
(Evaluate) Based on the warden’s words, is Jimmy Valentine a tough, hardened criminal? Why or why not?
The warden says that Jimmy has a good heart and could live a law-abiding existence if he wanted to (lines 10–11). Those words suggest that the warden does not see Jimmy as being past redemption.

7. (Lines 12-19) Applaud if you would like to be described as virtuous.
balk
compulsory
elusive
eminent
genially
rehabilitate
retribution
saunter
unperceived
virtuous
(Lines 12-19) Applaud if you would like to be described as virtuous.
Virtuous means good and honorable.
(Lines 20-26) You might say “I am compelled (verb form) to go to school.
Name other compulsory things in your life.
(Lines 27-31) Note that the Latin root for rehabilitate means to restore. What is being restored in this case?
Jimmy’s life as a good citizen.

8. (Lines 41-44) Provide synonyms for balk.
compulsory
elusive
eminent
genially
rehabilitate
retribution
saunter
unperceived
virtuous
(Lines 32-40) Boarded means “entered or gone aboard (a ship, an airplane, and so on).” What other meaning for boarded do you know? (Hint: it is related to wood.)
A board is a piece of wood. Boarded means to close up by hammering boards of wood (usually to a window or a hole in a wall).
(Lines 41-44) Provide synonyms for balk.
delay, hesitate, refuse
(Lines 45-56) List eminent figures from United States history.
Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., etc.

9. Third Person Point of View - Analyze Irony
Verbal irony means saying something contrary to the truth to make a point—what is stated is not what is meant.
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more information than the characters.
Keep track of Irony in the story by labelling it in your notebook.

10. Think of a recent time when a person spoke to you genially.
Lines 60-65
balk
compulsory
elusive
eminent
genially
rehabilitate
retribution
saunter
unperceived
virtuous
(Line 60) You might say Prof Darwin is a genial (adjective form) person.
Think of a recent time when a person spoke to you genially.
Your mom or dad
Your friend over the weekend
Your teacher
Etc.

11. Predict
Lines 57-59
On the basis of Jimmy’s actions in this paragraph, what do you predict he will do?
My Prediction
Reason for Prediction
Jimmy will return to a life of crime.
Jimmy picks up his safecracking tools the minute he is released from prison.

12. Lines 66-83
Targeted Passage
This passage sets up the major conflict: Ben Price is out to capture Jimmy for robberies committed after Jimmy’s release from prison. Answer the following questions:
How many safecracking jobs does Jimmy carry out in the few months after his release? (lines 66–74)
3 jobs for total amount of $7,300.
How does the detective Ben Price know that Jimmy committed these crimes? (lines 75–81)
Everything was in perfect order, and things were done with Valentine’s signature moves that only he has the tools for.
What is Ben Price determined to do? (lines 81–83)
He is determined to capture Jimmy Valentine.

13. (Line 87) Describe a time when you suffered retribution.
Lines 84-89
balk
compulsory
elusive
eminent
genially
rehabilitate
retribution
saunter
unperceived
virtuous
(Line 87) Describe a time when you suffered retribution.
I was grounded because I came home late.
(Line 88) When would it be a good time to be elusive?
I’d like to be elusive if someone were chasing me.

14. Third Person Point of View
Lines 84-89
In lines 84–89, what information does the narrator share with you that the main character, Jimmy, doesn’t know?
Ben Price is chasing Jimmy
What details support the inference that Ben Price has a good chance of catching Jimmy Valentine?
He has caught him before, he knows his skills and moves, and there are a lot of clues.

15. Predict
Lines
What do you think will happen now that Jimmy and the bank owner’s daughter have noticed each other?
My Prediction
Reason for Prediction
Jimmy and Annabel will fall in love.
The narrator says that Jimmy becomes another man (line 97).
Annabel blushes (line 98).
Jimmy finds out her name and who she is (lines 105–107).

16. To crack the safe of the bank in town.
Make Inferences
Lines
In lines 110–114, why does Jimmy change his name and say he’s going into the shoe business?
Jimmy changes his name so that the authorities won’t be able to find him and arrest him. He is setting up a new identity in case he wants to stay in town to get to know Annabel. He chooses the shoe business because he has experience fixing shoes in prison.
What is most likely the reason that Jimmy came to Elmore in the first place?
To crack the safe of the bank in town.

17. Analyze Visuals Study the painting on page 240.
Discuss ways in which the subject of this portrait might resemble Annabel Adams.
The girl in the portrait seems innocent and ladylike. She is young. She is well dressed and may come from a wealthy family.
All of those impressions are conveyed by the mention of Annabel Adams as a “young lady” (line 95) and the daughter of a banker (line 107).

18. Third Person Point of View
Lines
Who in the story knows that Ralph Spencer is also Jimmy Valentine?
Note that the narrator provides the information about Jimmy and Ralph Spencer and that no other characters have connected the two or made any comment about suspicions about Jimmy.
Only Jimmy himself knows about his assumed identity.

19. Idioms
Lines
An idiom is a phrase that has a different meaning from its individual words.
Jimmy uses slang because his audience is someone he knows from his prison days.
In line 152, the phrase wind up means “to close or bring to a finish.”
Why do you think Jimmy chooses to use this phrase instead of being more specific?
He doesn’t want someone else to read about his past. He wants to move on with his life and close his past.
Brainstorm a list of things you would like to wind up today or this week.

20. Lines
Targeted Passage
This passage is an important turning point in the story: Jimmy has reformed and wants to give away his safecracking tools. Answer the following questions:
To whom is Jimmy giving his tools? Why? (lines 148–149)
To his friend Billy, because he wants to stop cracking safes, and he trusts Billy.
Why does he want to go out West after he and Annabel marry? (lines 159–161)
He wants to move away from the danger of someone recognizing him and coming after him.
Why does he say he won’t ever do a dishonest thing again? (lines 161–163)
He doesn’t want to suffer a life of crime, running away all the time with Annabel, nor does he want to lose her.

21. What actions is Jimmy taking, and what do they mean?
Predict
Lines
What actions is Jimmy taking, and what do they mean?
Do you think Jimmy will ever crack another safe? Why or why not?
He has been a model citizen; he is engaged; the community respects him; he is giving away his tools.

22. Analyze Visuals Study the painting on page 242.
What mood do the colors in the painting suggest?
Study the painting on page 242.
The bright elements of the painting—the blue sky and the sunlight touching the pedestrians, buggy, and car— create an optimistic and cheerful mood, suggesting the progress of humankind.
At the same time, the darker shadows and colors may suggest some uncertainty about the future and the many changes to daily life it will bring.

23. Third Person Point of View
Lines
What do you know that Jimmy doesn’t know at this point?
Readers know that Ben Price is in Elmore and is ready to arrest Jimmy.

24. Lines
Grammar in Context
O. Henry uses an appositive phrase in describing a character’s feelings.
Note that an appositive is usually separated by commas and appears immediately after a noun to describe the initial noun.
An appositive can be used to identify a person, such as Mr. Smith, the teacher,
An appositive phrase can also help describe a person’s feeling.
Construct an appositive phrase in your notebook similar to the one in the text.
Possible answer: Jennifer, whose thoughts were troubled, . . .

25. Make Inferences
Lines
Why does “Mr. Spencer” show a “courteous but not too intelligent interest” in the new safe and vault?
He wants to be polite, but he doesn’t want his future father-in-law to become suspicious about his past.
Who do Annabel and her family think Jimmy is?
They know him as Ralph Spencer, shoe store owner.
What would a shoe store owner be expected to know about bank vaults?
Most shoe store owners would know very little.
If Ralph seems too “intelligent” about the vault, how might Mr. Adams respond?
Mr. Adams might become curious about Ralph’s past and investigate.

26. (Line 204) Act out how to saunter around the room.
Lines
balk
compulsory
elusive
eminent
genially
rehabilitate
retribution
saunter
unperceived
virtuous
(Line 204) Act out how to saunter around the room.
(Line 208) Provide an example of things that might be unperceived.
A person hiding behind a tree is unperceived.
A friend’s bad mood might be unperceived.
A missed stop sign is unperceived.

27. Comprehension: Cause and Effect
Lines
Comprehension: Cause and Effect
To help you understand the situation at the bank, complete these statements in pairs and discuss:
If the vault is not opened quickly, Agatha will _______________.
suffocate and die
Jimmy once earned his living as a __________; therefore, he can open the vault.
safecracker
If Jimmy opens the vault, Annabel and her family will know _________________.
that he cracks safes

28. Predict
Lines
On the basis of everything you know about Jimmy, what do you think he will do?
My Prediction
Reason for Prediction
Jimmy will open the safe to save Annabel’s niece.
Jimmy has his tools with him. He loves his new family, and he has truly changed. OR
Jimmy will do nothing in order to keep his criminal past hidden from Annabel.
Jimmy doesn’t want to lose Annabel, he wants to marry her.

29. Make Inferences What is Jimmy preparing to do?
Lines
What is Jimmy preparing to do?
Jimmy is planning to unlock the safe.
How does he expect it to affect his relationship with Annabel?
He wants Annabel’s rose as a reminder of her because he expects to lose her when she learns he is a safecracker.

30. Lines
Targeted Passage
This passage resolves major conflicts and presents the surprise ending: Ben Price does not arrest Jimmy. Answer the following questions:
Who calls after Jimmy? Why doesn’t he answer? (lines 248–249)
Annabel. Jimmy already gave up, and this life was almost like a dream. He was moving on.
What does Jimmy say to Ben Price? What does he mean? (lines 251–252)
Jimmy was not surprised that Ben had appeared. Jimmy was ready to go to jail because he had already given up on his new life.
What is surprising about Price’s response? (lines 253–256)
He acts like he doesn’t know him and lets him go because he sees that Jimmy has truly changed and has a good heart.

31. Make Inferences Why does Ben Price let Jimmy go free?
Lines
Why does Ben Price let Jimmy go free?
Price understands that Jimmy’s act of selflessness proves Jimmy has really changed.
Do you think Jimmy will continue to be Ralph Spencer in the future?
No, because his fiancée will probably stop the marriage and he won’t want to be Spencer any more.

32. Third Person Point of View
Graphic Organizer
Use the graphic organizer to record information that Jimmy knows and information that the reader knows that Jimmy doesn’t. Then answer the question that follows.
How would the story be different if it were told from the first-person point of view?