Write a summary on the chapter 'A Retrieved Reformation'?
Answers
Do you think people have the ability to change? If so, does your analysis include repeat offenders, such as criminals? In the short story, 'A Retrieved Reformation' by O. Henry, Jimmy Valentine, a young criminal, does a complete 180 leaving the reader in shock, but it's not long before his past catches up with him. Let's take a look at a summary of the story and analyze the themes.
Mr. James Valentine, aka Jimmy, will be released from jail years before his sentence is up thanks to a pardon from the governor. As his release papers are handed to him, the warden makes comments about Jimmy cracking safes and covering for people, but Jimmy seems confused and explains he's innocent. The warden doesn't buy it.
The next morning, Jimmy is released. He eats a nice meal and heads to a cafe owned by a man named Mike Dolan. Mike welcomes him and gives Jimmy his key. Jimmy heads up to his room that he was arrested in. Jimmy opens a panel in the wall and pulls out his custom set of burglar's tools. He changes his clothing and takes the suitcase downstairs. When Mike asks what's up, Jimmy acts aloof, the same as he did to the warden.
In the following week, there are a string of burglaries in the neighboring areas. Ben Price, the detective that arrested Jimmy, becomes suspicious and heads out to investigate. Ben is convinced Jimmy has left his mark.
Love at First Sight
Jimmy travels to the small town of Elmore, Arkansas, and heads to the town bank. Outside, he is taken aback by a young woman. He pays a young boy out front of the bank for information and tricks the boy into giving him the woman's name. Here we meet Annabel Adams, the daughter of the man who happens to own the bank.
Jimmy heads to a hotel and gives the clerk a fake name. Jimmy, aka Mr. Ralph Spencer, says he is interested in starting a business in town. Ralph tells the clerk he wants to open a shoe store, and the clerk supports the idea. It is in this moment the reader learns that Jimmy is gone, and Ralph has risen from the ashes of his former self. He settles in the town and opens a shoe store. By December of that year, Ralph has everything he could wish for: a successful shoe store, good standing in the town, and he's engaged to Annabel.
Isn't It Ironic?
One day, Jimmy sends a letter to an old friend and wants to meet to pass along his set of burglar's tools. Ralph states he wants to live a straight and good life with his soon to be bride. Meanwhile, Ben Price comes to town and sees Ralph (aka Jimmy). He is curious about the marriage to a banker's daughter and decides to stick around. He follows the Adams family and Ralph to the bank as Mr. Adams wishes to show everyone his new vault. A scream is heard, and the men rush to find that one of Annabel's nieces has shut her sister Agatha in the vault. Mr. Adams panics because the combination has yet to be set, therefore, the vault cannot be opened.
Annabel looks to Ralph for help. Ralph, aka Jimmy, grabs his suitcase. He gets the child out of the vault, grabs his things and walks out the front door, ignoring the people behind him calling his name. He meets Ben at the door and assumes Ben is going to arrest him. Ben calls him Mr. Spencer and says he must be mistaken. Ben Price then turns and walks away.
Summary
Jimmy Valentine is hard at work in the prison shoe-shop when a guard comes to escort him to the warden’s office. Jimmy has been pardoned by the governor, and instead of celebrating, he accepts “it in a tired kind of way.” Jimmy is a connected criminal, and he expected to serve only about three months—not the ten months he actually served—of his four- year sentence. Even the prison is aware of Jimmy’s connections and his inevitable short stay, believing that when a prisoner like Jimmy “is received in the ‘stir’ it is hardly worth while to cut his hair.”The warden advises Jimmy to stop cracking safes and live straight, reminding him that he’s “not a bad fellow at heart.” Jimmy playfully denies safecracking and the warden acts along with him, defending Jimmy’s feigned innocence. The warden states that Jimmy was either treated unfairly by a biased jury, or he simply “wouldn’t prove an alibi for fear of compromising somebody in extremely high-toned society.” Jimmy continues to maintain his innocence, claiming to have never even been to Springfield, the location of his alleged crime. The warden orders the guard to obtain Jimmy new clothes for his release and to escort him to “the bull-pen” early the next morning. He then urges Jimmy to again consider his advice and live a straight life. The next morning, Jimmy is released from the penitentiary wearing prison-issued clothing. He is given a railroad ticket and a five-dollar bill before walking out into the sunshine. Jimmy disregards the beauty of nature around him and instead immediately finds a restaurant to indulge in food, wine, and a good cigar. Before boarding a train, Jimmy tosses some pocket change into the hat of a blind man by the door.Once upstairs, Jimmy finds his room “just as he had left it,” and notices Ben Price’s collar-button on the floor. Jimmy pulls the folding-bed down and removes a panel from the wall, revealing a dusty suitcase. He opens the case and “gazes fondly” at his set of state-of-the-art burglar’s tools, some of which he actually invented himself. A half an hour later, Jimmy appears back at Mike’s café, wearing stylish clothing and carrying his tools. Mike asks Jimmy where he is headed, and Jimmy playfully responds, claiming to be a representative for an imaginary company. Mike laughs at Jimmy’s joke, and Jimmy is so pleased with himself that he drinks seltzer-and-milk, since he never touches “hard drinks.”
Sorry the words are limited hope this helps