1. O. Henry
William Sydney Porter

2. 1862 – 1910
Porter was born in North Carolina and moved to Texas as a young man
He had a variety of jobs, but focused more on journalism/ newspaper jobs and banking

3. His Life
He was accused of embezzling money, and he fled to Honduras to escape prosecution
While there, his wife became ill and he returned to the US to care for her and their daughter
Arrested, he was convicted of the crime and spent several years in prison.

4. While there, he needed to provide support for his daughter, so he began writing again
He used the pen name of O. Henry (derived from the prison where he was – Ohio Penitentiary) so his work would sell better and not be “tainted” by his criminal record
He died from complications of his bad health habits

5. Today, it is believed he was completely innocent and had taken the blame for a friend’s misdeed
Much of his work deals with loyalty and unusual money situations, hinting that there was more to his “crime” than he would ever disclose

6. His Work… Work characterized by: Subtle humor Attention to detail
Ironic surprises
Strong characterization

7. The Roads We Take, page 154 Background: Focus: Term to know:
The story is a tale of betrayal and greed
It has a surprise ending
There are humorous statements in the story, but they are actually not truly funny
Focus:
Irony
Term to know:
Tongue-in-cheek, page 153

8. Class Work Read the story
Notice humor, irony, and look for the “double story”
Complete the Literary Critique, page 158, #s 1-6
Complete the Writing Workshop, pages , #1