Heart s and Hands story bu O.Henry explain or give summary please
Answers
In Hearts and Hands by O. Henry we have the theme of appearance, freedom, imitation, honesty, identity and paralysis. Taken from his Selected Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Henry may be exploring the theme of appearance. Easton is not who he seems to be. Rather than being the Marshall he is fact the prisoner, a rather charming prisoner too. Apart from the couple at the end of the story nobody else suspects that Easton is the prisoner which suggests that Eason is good at fooling people. Just as he is going to prison for counterfeiting Easton is also an imitation. Which may be the point that Henry is attempting to make. Throughout the story Easton is not only charming to Miss Fairchild but he is polite too. Both these traits would not exactly be traits that one would associate with a criminal. It is Easton’s purpose to fool people (counterfeit money) in life. Something he nearly manages to do with everybody on-board the train. It is also clear to the reader that Easton was once a suitor to Miss Fairchild though it appears whatever occupation he had at the time was not as good as Miss Fairchild’s other suitor an ambassador. This may be important as though the reader is aware that Easton is a counterfeiter he also appears to be playing with his identity. He may not have been a criminal when he was attempting to court Miss Fairchild in Washington.
Henry also appears to be exploring the theme of freedom. It is clear that Easton has or is about to lose his freedom for seven years but what isn’t as obvious is the fact that Miss Fairchild too has lost her freedom. She much prefers the west to Washington. It is as though she feels stifled in Washington. Having to live her life as others think she should live her life. The setting of the story is also interesting as a train cabin would be a confined space and in many ways the cabin acts as foreshadowing. Easton is to spend seven years in a confined space, a prison cell. It may also be important that the real Marshall doesn’t embarrass Easton by telling Miss Fairchild that Eason is in fact a prisoner and not a Marshall. By doing so Henry manages to allow Easton that last bit of freedom to express himself as he would like to express himself.
Answer:
Summary of Hearts and Hands
Like many of O. Henry's short stories, a surprise ending awaits readers of 'Hearts and Hands.' The story is set on a train to Denver. An elegantly attired woman named Miss Fairchild is seated on the train when two men arrive and take the seat facing her. It quickly becomes apparent that the woman knows one of the men.
She speaks to this man, Mr. Easton, and then she is rather surprised to discover that he is handcuffed to the man seated beside him. As Easton greets the young woman, 'He slightly raised his right hand, bound at the wrist by the shining 'bracelet' to the left one of his companion.'
Evidently, the man with Easton senses Easton's embarrassment and volunteers an explanation: Easton is the marshal, and the two are headed for Leavenworth prison. 'It's seven years for counterfeiting' Easton says. As the conversation continues, the woman is surprised to learn that Easton has discarded his life in Washington to become a marshal out West, but she finds the West agreeable as well.
The young woman continues to chat with her acquaintance, but she continues to stare at the handcuffs. To ease her concerns, the scruffy looking older man tells her, ''Don't you worry about them, miss,' said the other man. 'All marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. Mr. Easton knows his business.'' As the two men stand to go to the smoker car, the young woman bids Mr. Easton goodbye.
All the while, two passengers seated nearby have listened to the conversation. One remarks on Mr. Easton's appearance, saying that he seems too young to be a marshal. The other eavesdropping passenger corrects the mistake, one that the young woman and readers have likely made as well. Mr. Easton is not the marshal; he is the counterfeiter. ''Oh! didn't you catch on?' the passenger says. 'Say--did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand?''
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