An investigation into The Theme of Love and Sacrifice in O.Henry’s short stories

Abstract

“There are stories in everything. I’ve got some of my best yarns from park benches, lampposts, and newspaper stands”. William Henry Porter, who used the pen name O. Henry for his literary works, wrote more than 250 short stories and represented the growth of short story - history in the 20th century. He captured and attracted public attention by characterizing his literary works with realism, engaging and sudden, using tension, situational irony, and the basis of true events. His life is a valuable resource for O. Henry to diversify characters and subjects in his short stories. Readers easily recognize a range of characters working in professions that the writer has heard of, known about, or even experienced, such as a shopkeeper, salesman or journalist, painter, doctor, Theater actors, hairdressers, police officers, inspectors, gold diggers, homeless people and even criminals and prisoners. Hence, there are many themes in his literary works. Among them, the most dominant one is Love and Sacrifice. This research is mainly devoted to analyzing four selected stories, including The Last Leaf, Withches’ Loaves, After Twenty Years, and The Gift of the Magi, to discover one of the most prevalent theme in O. Henry’s short stories: Love and Sacrifice.