“The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry

 

Summary

“The Ransom of Red Chief” is a comedy novel of two kidnappers, Sam and Bill, attempting to ransom kidnapped boy, Johnny. Rather than being afraid the boy believes it is all a game and exhausts them thoroughly with his crazy tactics. Eventually, the kidnappers become desperate to rid themselves of him to the extent of paying his father to take him back.

 

Characters:

·       Sam- One of the kidnappers and the narrator.

·       Bill Driscoll- Sam’s partner, the victim who is worst affected by the tricks of the boy.

·       Johnny Dorset- The naughty lad who likes to be abducted.

·       Ebenezer Dorset- The father of Johnny who is intelligent and nonchalant toward the circumstance.

 

Plot Elements:

·       Exposition: Sam and Bill decide to rob Johnny Dorset, son of a man who is rich, in order to raise money to fund their next plan, which is two thousand dollars.

·       Rising Action: They take Johnny to a cave where he likes to play violent games and creates mayhem, particularly to Bill.

·       Climax: The kidnappers leave a ransom note to Johnny father who in turn responds by sending him a letter stating that they will have to pay him 250 dollars back or take his son.

·       Resolution: Sam and Bill are totally drained, so they settle in with Ebenezer Dorset and flee with the boy and the town.

 

Analysis

It is a humorous short story that I have ever read. I also enjoyed the way O. Henry employed the element of irony to shock the reader. The kidnappers believed they could get rich but they ended up spending money to dispose the boy. The conclusion totally reverses the situation and makes the story very witty and humorous.

I also preferred the character of Johnny or Red Chief. Although he is the one who is supposed to be victimized, he gets into the position of power. His crazy fantasies and infinite power make the kidnappers insane. The narrative reveals how someone may fail when he or she under estimates others particularly kids.

Then, in my opinion, the lesson of The Ransom of Red Chief is that greed is likely to get you into trouble. It also teaches us that we should not judge a person or a child basing on the looks. I liked this story as it was very entertaining; combining comedy with a very clever lesson and having an unexpected part of it, which made me laugh at the end.