Overview of O. Henrys Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen

Two Thanksgiving Day  Gentlemen by O. Henry is a short story that appears in his 1907 collection, The Trimmed Lamp. The story, which features another classic O. Henry twist at the end, raises questions about the importance of tradition, particularly in a relatively new country like the United States. Plot An indigent character named Stuffy Pete waits on a bench in Union Square in New York City, just as he has on every Thanksgiving Day for the past nine years. He has just come from an unexpected feast -- provided for him by two old ladies as an act of charity -- and he has eaten to the point of feeling sick. But every year on Thanksgiving, a character named the Old Gentleman always treats Stuffy Pete to a bountiful restaurant meal, so even though Stuffy Pete has already eaten, he feels obligated to meet the Old Gentleman, as usual, and uphold the tradition. After the meal, Stuffy Pete thanks the Old Gentleman and the two of them walk in opposite directions. Then Stuffy Pete turns the corner, collapses to the sidewalk, and has to be taken to the hospital. Shortly after, the Old Gentleman is also brought to the hospital, suffering from a case of almost starvation because he hasnt eaten in three days. Tradition and National Identity The Old Gentleman seems self-consciously obsessed with establishing and preserving a Thanksgiving tradition. The narrator points out that feeding Stuffy Pete once a year is a thing that the Old Gentleman was trying to make a tradition of. The man considers himself a pioneer in American tradition, and every year he offers the same overly formal speech to Stuffy Pete: I am glad to perceive that the vicissitudes of another year have spared you to move in health about the beautiful world. For that blessing along this day of thanksgiving is well proclaimed to each of us. If you will come with me, my man, I will provide you with a dinner that should make your physical being accord with the mental. With this speech, the tradition becomes almost ceremonial. The purpose of the speech seems less to converse with Stuffy than to perform a ritual and, through elevated language, to give that ritual some kind of authority. The narrator links this desire for tradition with national pride. He portrays the United States as a country self-conscious about its own youth and striving to keep pace with England. In his usual style, O. Henry presents all of this with a touch of humor. Of the Old Gentlemans speech, he writes hyperbolically: The words themselves formed almost an Institution. Nothing could be compared with them except the Declaration of Independence. And in reference to the longevity of the Old Gentlemans gesture, he writes, But this is a young country, and nine years is not so bad. The comedy arises from the mismatch between the characters desire for tradition and their ability to establish it. Selfish Charity? In many ways, the story appears critical of its characters and their ambitions. For example, the narrator refers to the yearly hunger which, as the philanthropists seem to think, afflicts the poor at such extended intervals. That is, rather than commending the Old Gentleman and the two old ladies for their generosity in feeding Stuffy Pete, the narrator mocks them for making grand annual gestures but then, presumably, ignoring Stuffy Pete and others like him throughout the year. Admittedly, the Old Gentleman seems much more concerned with creating a tradition (an Institution) than with actually helping Stuffy. He deeply regrets not having a son who could maintain the tradition in future years with some subsequent Stuffy. So, he is essentially fostering a tradition that requires someone to be impoverished and hungry. It could be argued that a more beneficial tradition would be aimed at wiping out hunger altogether. And of course, the Old Gentleman seems much more concerned about inspiring thankfulness in others than about being thankful himself. The same might be said of the two old ladies who feed Stuffy his first meal of the day. Exclusively American Though the story doesnt shy away from pointing out the humor in the characters aspirations and predicaments, its overall attitude toward the characters seems largely affectionate. O. Henry takes a similar position in The Gift of the Magi, in which he seems to laugh good-naturedly at the characters mistakes, but not to judge them. After all, its hard to fault people for charitable impulses, even they come only once a year. And the way the characters all work so hard to establish a tradition is charming. Stuffys gastronomic suffering, in particular, suggests (however comically) a dedication to the greater national good than to his own well-being. Establishing a tradition is important to him, too. Throughout the story, the narrator makes several jokes about the self-centeredness of New York City. According to the story, Thanksgiving is the only time that New Yorkers make an effort to consider the rest of the country because it is the one day that is purely American [†¦] a day of celebration, exclusively American. Perhaps whats so American about it is that the characters remain so optimistic and undaunted as they bumble their way toward traditions for their still-young country.

The Combat Feminine Warrior Paradigm - 984 Words

Marc Brueggemann Dr. Horgan Ph.D. Sociology 101 21 September 2015 Topic assignment The author argues the â€Å"combat masculine-warrior paradigm is the essence of military culture. This paradigm persists today even with the presence of â€Å"others† (e.g. women and gays) who do not fit the stereotypical image of combatant or masculine warrior.† In a 5-paragraph essay, discuss how the presence of women or gays will cause the military culture to change. Karen O. Donovan s article about military culture explores military tradition, and the impact social changes in society has on the military. These changes included the policy change regarding gays six years ago. At that time gays were acknowledged in the military when the military ended years old†¦show more content†¦She also says â€Å"This â€Å"battle† will continue-major social change will evolve, and problems (e.g., sexism and gay bashing) will persist because the evolving model contradicts the underlying paradigm.†(Donovan, p.10). As a result there is a conflict as the military tradition of masculinity and toughness is prized above all and there was no tolerance for any other behavior or roles. But social changes happened and therefore the military eventually had to adapt. Now the military tradition and culture has to adapt to the presence of women and gays. Now masculinity and femininity are both represented in the military. Now the military culture has to inclusive vs. exclusive and it has to be tolerant of a variety of soldiers like never before. Military tradition can no longer cling to the rigid male combat masculine-warrior persona. The second question is what the impact of this change in military culture and tradition and resulting conflict? Donovan writes about the â€Å"battle† between the two differing ideas of military tradition and social changes ideas. She explains this fight between them is still ongoing as military tradition still is â€Å"Drawing from a combat, masculine-warrior paradigm, traditionalists stress that the military’s core activity remains combat, and that the military should not be a laboratory for social experimentation.†(Donovan, p.11). Because of that conflict,Show MoreRelatedTechnology As A Gender Deconstructing2417 Words   |  10 Pageswisely in accordance with the traditions of science fiction and cyberpunk literature, Gibson uses technology as a device to deconstruct gender norms. The classical function of sci-fi literature is speculation about our current and future social paradigms, and Gibson’s projections about how technology will change gender no rms is right in line with this tradition. In â€Å"Razor Girls,† Leblanc provides a traditional definition of the sci-fi genre as being one that produces models of worlds that are sometimesRead MoreMasculinity in the Philippines12625 Words   |  51 PagesIlongot highlanders of northern Luzon require boys to pass severe tests of manhood by taking at least one head in combat (Kiefer 1972; Rosaldo 1980, 13940). From an anthropological perspective, hazing becomes the central rite in a passage from boyhood to manhood, civilian to soldier. Filipino plebe and New Guinea adolescent pass through similar initiations to emerge as warriors hardened for battle and bound together for defense of their communities (Gennep 1960, vii, 11). Recent historical researchRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesone point of view, Callan caused her own demise. She lacked background in accountin g, treasury, or operations—unusual for a CFO. According to Fortune, many at Lehman disapproved of her brash style and provocative wardrobe. â€Å"I don’t subordinate my feminine side,† she says. â€Å"I’m very open about it. I have no problem talking about my shopper or my outfit.† When Callan was named CFO, one of Lehman’s female senior executives went to the CEO to rescind the promotion. Later, in the early days of the financial

A cream cracker under the settee by Alan Bennett Essay Example For Students

A cream cracker under the settee by Alan Bennett Essay A Cream cracker under the settee is a monologue by Alan Bennett. He tries to create a dramatic monologue that proves you dont have to follow the typical stereotypes of every other film for it to be a success. Alan Bennett does this by having the normal characters, story line and plot you would expect for films but in an unconventional way. In the monologue there is only one actor that is Doris. Doris is an old lady in her seventies who lives on her completely on her own other than a social worker who comes to visit her every so often. Having only one character means the audience have to really concentrate on her and use their imagination to see the scenes of her life she talks about. As a single character, we see her just on her own; this shows the audience the truth of her situation and creates sympathy towards her character. During the monologues you only hear about Doris side to every story, so in cream cracker we dont get Zulemas view on things. If we did get her view the sympathy the audience feels towards Doris would probably be different so by just including Doris points of view Alan Bennett has been clever as to create the right attitude towards Doris. We see Doris as a moaning bitter character; this is portrayed as she feels that Zulema is constantly bossing her around. I was glad when shed gone, dictating. The word dictating conveys the impression that Doris is inferior to Zulema. In a way, Zulema has power over Doris because she could report her and Doris could end up in a home, which is the thing that she fears most. Very early on in the monologue the audience feels pity for Doris, as it seems like she has lost her dignity as someone younger than her is giving the orders. The audience see that Doris also seems to admire Zulema in a way as she is the only person she ever has contact with. Another person Doris has admired in her life was her late husband Wilfred. Doris loved her husband very much, but when she talks about him she doesnt show it as she says nothing he does ever get finished. It was the growing mushrooms in the cellar saga all over again. He never got round to it. This shows us that Wilfred was always putting things off. Doris always felt that a child would have solved all her problems. A kiddy`dve solved all that. The one other important person in Doris life was her son. Doris son was a stillborn baby. She never really got over the loss of her son and was disgraced when the midwife said It wasnt fit to be called anything. It is shows that Doris has suffered over her loss and we come to realise that one of the reasons that Doris is on her own is because she has no children to look after her. This means that the audience sympathises with Doris for wishing that she had kids. The language that Alan Bennett uses to portray Doris is he uses colloquial language; I think this is used to try and remind the audience of their own grandmothers. Using this technique helps to create sympathy towards Doris, and also adds more humour to the monologue which helps to keep the audience interested. Another technique that creates sympathy for Doris is showing her isolation as she feels trapped in her own home. Doris feels incapable to look after herself and feels that she isnt allowed to do anything. Doris. I dont want to hear you have been touching the Ewbank. .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 , .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .postImageUrl , .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 , .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:hover , .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:visited , .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:active { border:0!important; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:active , .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3 .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud7625ab52b87097574865045e4b9bae3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bananafish: Just why did Seymour kill himself EssayThe Ewbank is out of bounds. The phrase out of bounds gives the impression that Zulema is setting rules for Doris to follow in her own home. Not only is this patronising but it shows us just how much control Zulema has over Doris, making her feel incapable. Doris likes to be independent and wont want to be bossed around. When Doris denies help from the police officer at the end of the play, this shows her courage. It shows that she would rather die in her own home being independent than go to Stafford House or admit she needs another persons help. No Im alright. Doris has had a lack of freedom for a long time and she feels like a stranger in her own community. Dont know anybody round here know more. This quotation suggests that Doris used to enjoy being in her village and thought it was a pleasant place to live where everybody knew everyone. Now that society has moved on and she doesnt know any one and she feels trapped. The significance of the title A cream cracker under the settee has a very important role in the monologue. The cream cracker is so important because when Doris finds it she feels like she has power over Zulema as she could easily report her to social services to try and get revenge on her. Under the settee suggests out of sight, out of mind this shows how Doris feels within society. I think that Alan Bennett uses the cracker as a metaphor for Doris showing how feels she is unnoticed and has grown old like the cracker, that a cracker snaps easily which shows the fragility of Doris. Another point is that crackers are quite boring and bland which represents Doriss current life.