1. A Retrieved Reformation by O. Henry
Feature Menu
Introducing the Story
Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
TechFocus
Reading Skills Focus: Drawing Conclusions
Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

2. A Retrieved Reformation by O. Henry
Everyone makes mistakes. When is it a good idea to give someone a second chance?

3. A Retrieved Reformation Introducing the Story
Click on the title to start the video.

4. A Retrieved Reformation Introducing the Story
Jimmy Valentine had served ten months in jail for breaking into bank safes.
On his release, Jimmy receives advice from the warden: “Brace up, and make a man of yourself. You’re not a bad fellow at heart live straight.”
Will Jimmy take the warden’s advice? Or will he return to his old safecracking ways?
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5. A Retrieved Reformation Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
A biographical approach to literary criticism examines a text to see if the writer’s life and experiences are reflected in it.

6. A Retrieved Reformation Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
Connections
O. Henry’s story should raise your curiosity about the connections to his life.
O. Henry spent some time in prison.
The story is about a man released from prison.

7. A Retrieved Reformation Literary Skills Focus: Biographical Criticism
Connections
As you read this story, ask yourself:
What other connections are there between the story and O. Henry’s life?
How does the story reveal O. Henry’s feelings about prison and about what happens to a man in prison?
What other attitudes does the author reveal in this story?
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8. A Retrieved Reformation by O. Henry
TechFocus
As you read, imagine what it might be like to conduct a video interview with someone like Jimmy Valentine.
What would you want to know about how his mind works?
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9. A Retrieved Reformation Reading Skills Focus: Drawing Conclusions
When you do biographical criticism, you compare a literary text with information about the author’s
heritage
traditions
attitudes
beliefs

10. A Retrieved Reformation Reading Skills Focus: Drawing Conclusions
To follow a biographical approach, you
consider all the evidence
draw conclusions, or make final judgments, about the relationship between the author’s life and the text

11. A Retrieved Reformation Reading Skills Focus: Drawing Conclusions
Into Action: In a chart like the one below, record details from the text and the writer’s biography. Then, draw conclusions about how they relate.
Details in Text
Details in Biography
My Conclusions
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12. A Retrieved Reformation Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer
Find It in Your Reading
O. Henry is known for writing endings with interesting, unexpected twists.
As you read, record what you expect to happen in the story based on the way it begins.
Then, record what actually happens.
Explain whether you are surprised by the ending.
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13. Vocabulary

14. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
rehabilitate v.: restore to good standing.
clemency n.: mercy.
elusive adj.: hard to catch.
anguish n.: emotional pain.

15. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
Rehabilitate can mean “restore to good standing.” Often, we use rehabilitate to describe actions to restore someone’s physical health.
Mrs. Jennings needed help after breaking her hip.
Nurses helped rehabilitate her by teaching her to use a walker.

16. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
In this selection, rehabilitate refers to a criminal’s efforts to restore his good standing in the community.
A criminal like Jimmy Valentine might rehabilitate himself by
committing crimes
staying home
taking classes

17. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
In this selection, rehabilitate refers to a criminal’s efforts to restore his good standing in the community.
A criminal like Jimmy Valentine might rehabilitate himself by
committing crimes
staying home
taking classes
What are other ways to rehabilitate criminals?

18. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
People may receive clemency, or mercy, after they have behaved badly.
Which student looks like she could use some clemency?

19. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
People may receive clemency, or mercy, after they have behaved badly.
Which student looks like she could use some clemency?

20. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
This judge is most likely to offer clemency to a prisoner who
a. admits to a crime
b. tries to escape
c. expresses regret

21. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
This judge is most likely to offer clemency to a prisoner who
a. admits to a crime
b. tries to escape
c. expresses regret
When is a teacher most likely to grant clemency to a student who has misbehaved?

22. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
Something that is elusive is hard to catch.
Which of these natural objects is elusive?

23. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
Something that is elusive is hard to catch.
Which of these natural objects is elusive?

24. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
It was wise for the secret agent to remain elusive
because ___________________.

25. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
It was wise for the secret agent to remain elusive
because she did not want to reveal her identity.
Name some elusive animals.

26. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
Nancy bravely rode the Ferris wheel with her friend, although her fear of heights caused her anguish.

27. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
Which four words could be antonyms, or opposites, of anguish?
joy
distress
pain
glee
happiness
delight
torment

28. A Retrieved Reformation Vocabulary
Which four words could be antonyms, or opposites, of anguish?
joy
distress
pain
glee
happiness
delight
torment
What unfortunate incidents might cause a person anguish?
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29. The End

30. QuickWrite

31. A Retrieved Reformation QuickWrite
Think of a situation in which a person might be given a second chance.
What might the person learn from that experience?
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32. Meet the Writer

33. A Retrieved Reformation Meet the Writer
O. Henry (the pen name of William Sydney Porter) began his career as a short-story writer while he was in prison. He had been sentenced to serve three years after being accused of stealing money from a Texas bank.
He told fellow inmates, “I will forget that I ever breathed behind these walls.”
More About the Writer
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34. Build Background

35. A Retrieved Reformation Build Background
O. Henry based the character of Jimmy Valentine—the criminal with a heart—on a safecracker he met in prison. (A safecracker is someone who can open safes, such as those in bank vaults.)
The story was later made into a Broadway play called Alias Jimmy Valentine.
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36. Preview the Selection

37. A Retrieved Reformation
Preview the Selection
Jimmy Valentine is a career criminal and an expert safecracker.
As the story opens, Valentine is about to be released from prison.
Ben Price is the detective who is soon hot on Valentine’s trail.
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