1. By O. Henry
The Ransom of Red Chief

2. 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.

3. O. Henry’s Style 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

4. READING BEFORE prediction
Read the title of the story. Based on the title and the author’s biography, make a about what the plot is going to be about.
prediction
When you hear about kidnappings, what are some of the most common things you associate with it?

5. The setting of The Ransom of Red Chief was written in 1910 and set in a small town called Summit in the deep south of Alabama.
The story of The Ransom of Red Chief has become a familiar cultural theme. The most notable is the “Home Alone” and “Dennis the Menace” movies.
STORY
BACKGROUND

6. Read The Ransom of Red Chief to:
Find out how O. Henry uses foreshadowing to help readers predict the ironic plot twist at the end of the story.
Find out how point of view influences the credibility, or reliability, of the narrator’s story.

7. After
Reading
In the story, O. Henry creates an example of irony when two kidnappers end up being held hostage by their supposed victim. How would you have reacted to Red Chief if you were in their situation?
What did you find unusual about the boy’s attitude regarding captivity? What does this say about the boy?