What is the point of view of a Retrieved Reformation?
“A Retrieved Reformation” is written from the perspective of a third-person omniscient narrator who is telling about an event that occurred in the past and who confines himself almost entirely to a single character’s point of view (POV), the point of view of Jimmy Valentine.
Why did Jimmy Valentine change his life and become Ralph Spencer?
The idea was that men could wear the same shirt for several days but change the collar to look fresh. So Jimmy wisely moves a long distance to a small town and changes his name. But he falls in love at first sight with a beautiful small-town girl named Annabel Adams.
What are the themes of A Retrieved Reformation?
Even when Jimmy finds a reason to reform, and gives up his life of crime, his post-release safe robberies put his freedom at risk. His freedom as an honest man is also constrained by the false identity he must uphold. At the end of the story, Ben Price grants Jimmy his freedom by pretending not to know who Jimmy Valentine is.
Who is Jimmy Valentine in a Retrieved Reformation?
The story begins with the protagonist Jimmy Valentine who works in a prison shoe shop where he is locked up for breaking safes. He is convicted for opening a safe in Springfield. He is called to the warden’s office and granted freedom by the governor of Arkansas.
Who are the characters in a Retrieved Reformation?
A Retrieved Reformation is a realistic fiction that is set at the start of the 20th century. Jimmy Valentine is the protagonist and Ben Price is the antagonist of the story. The story is in the third person omniscient. It moves between Jimmy Valentine and Ben Price. It is set mostly in Arkansas and Elmore.
Who is the author of A Retrieved Reformation?
Read our complete notes on the short story “A Retrieved Reformation” by William Sydney Porter, a.k.a O. Henry. Our notes cover A Retrieved Reformation summary, themes, and critical analysis. “A Retrieved Reformation”, is a short story written by American writer William Sydney Porter, published in 1903.