Scribd
Upload
637 views6 pages

Ransom of The Red Chief

This document provides a summary of the short story "Ransom of the Red Chief" by O. Henry. It outlines the plot, which involves two desperate men who kidnap the son of Ebenezer Dorset in an attempt to ransom him for money. However, the boy, nicknamed "Red Chief", is impudent and difficult to handle. He causes problems for the kidnappers and they grow desperate to be rid of him. Eventually, Dorset offers to pay the kidnappers to take the boy back, allowing the relieved kidnappers to abandon their failed plan.

Uploaded by

ca6andrew14
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
637 views6 pages

Ransom of The Red Chief

This document provides a summary of the short story "Ransom of the Red Chief" by O. Henry. It outlines the plot, which involves two desperate men who kidnap the son of Ebenezer Dorset in an attempt to ransom him for money. However, the boy, nicknamed "Red Chief", is impudent and difficult to handle. He causes problems for the kidnappers and they grow desperate to be rid of him. Eventually, Dorset offers to pay the kidnappers to take the boy back, allowing the relieved kidnappers to abandon their failed plan.

Uploaded by

ca6andrew14
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Ransom of the Red Chief

Ransom of the Red Chief

Table of Contents

Introduction...............................................................................................................4

Body.......................................................................................................................... 4

Conclusion................................................................................................................6

2
Ransom of the Red Chief

Outline
I. Introduction
II. Body
A. Plot
III. Conclusion

2
Ransom of the Red Chief

Andrew Yang

Mrs. Panks

English

26 January 2011

Ransom of the Red Chief

Introduction

Would you want to have an impudent brat who hits people in the eye with rocks

and kicks at people’s shins as a hostage to ransom? The protagonist of this story by

O.Henry named “Ransom of the Red Chief” is a recklessly impulsive boy of ten. He is

not an amiable, cute kid who would “like to have a bag of candy and a nice ride.” This

story tells of two kidnappers who request a ransom, but whose plan gets foiled by a man

who kn ows how his child treats other people. I could relate to these men because if I

were in their shoes, I would do the same thing they did to take the kid off my hands.

Body

In this story, “two desperate men” devise a make-money-quick-scheme which

involves kidnapping Ebenezer Dorset’s son. The plan is simple and brilliant-they just

didn’t take the kid’s personality into mind. From the start, I predicted that the outcome of

this plan would be negative because these men didn’t seem able to carry out such plan,

nor did they seem bright. As the story goes on, the failure of the plan becomes plainly

evident. If I was them, and I had saw for myself the kid’s lack of fear of criminals, I

would’ve let the kid go.

As the story proceeds, Bill, the narrator’s buddy, becomes petrified and nervous

2
Ransom of the Red Chief

whenever he’s near the kid. Therefore, he suggests deserting this plan, but the narrator

chides Bill’s pleas. Bill becomes surrounded with an air of hopelessness and stops trying

his utmost efforts to make the plan succeed. I could relate to Bill because I would be

discouraged too, if I was forced to eat sand and crawl 90 miles by that kid. I would not

continue, even if it meant being turned in to the police. However, I would’ve kept asking

the narrator to end this plan, not just sit there and be discouraged, as Bill did.

As I reached the end of the story, I related to the Bill’s and the narrator’s

anticipation. The story reaches its climax when all of their anticipation and effort is

shattered by a simple response from Dorset. The letter said, “If you pay 250 dollars in

cash and give me my son back, I will take him off your hands.” Naturally, Bill

immediately consented. The narrator, under Bill’s nags, urges, and encouragement, also

agrees, though very reluctantly. Their dream of becoming rich and making money

necessary for their next plan was ruined. I realized how detrimental this was for them,

seeing that they worked a long time and endured countless years of pain to build the steps

for their wealth, and all that was crushed because a plan that was foiled. Also, I was able

to relate to the narrator. There is a feeling I get when I’m desperate for money, and I feel

like I can do anything-excluding things against the law-to get my hands on a few

greenbacks. The story reaches an end with Bill and the narrator scampering out of the

town as if they were pursued by man-eating ogres. I could understand the reason they

were running so hard. If I knew that the kid was after me, I would be running as if my life

depended on it.

Conclusion

As lots of O.Henry’s short stories, this book conveys a message. But this story is

2
Ransom of the Red Chief

unique-instead of showing a theme through a good character; it shows a theme through a

bratty, impertinent ten-year old child. It teaches us this: if you are rude and have an

acerbic outlook towards others, you will never make any friends.

You might also like