The Craft of O. Henry’s Short Stories
A short story may take only a few minutes to read, but every detail has a job to do. A writer must introduce characters, create a problem, and bring events to an ending without the space of a long novel. William Sydney Porter became famous for doing all of this in stories that often ended with a surprise.
Porter was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He later became known by his pen name, O. Henry. A pen name is a name an author uses instead of the name they were born with. Porter lived in Texas for many years and later in New York City. His writing drew on places and people he encountered during his life.
Small Details, Big Effects
O. Henry often wrote about ordinary people, including workers, shopkeepers, and people trying to get by with little money. Rather than describing every part of a character’s life, he could choose a few details that revealed what mattered to that person. A reader might learn about someone through a treasured possession, a difficult choice, or a conversation.
- encountered:
- Met or experienced.
- treasured:
- Considered especially valuable or important.
- modest:
- Simple and not fancy.
- resources:
- Things available to help meet a need or solve a problem.
- central:
- Most important or main.
- revising:
- Making changes to improve writing.
- manuscript:
- A written work before it is published.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why must a short-story writer choose details carefully?
- 2How did O. Henry's experiences influence his writing?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Craft of O. Henry’s Short Stories” is a explanatory article reading passage about Short-story writing, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (508 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.