歐亨利的英文簡介

ties. HisfamousstoryAMunicipalReportopensbyquotingFrankNorris:"FancyanovelaboutChicagoorBuffalo,letussay,orNashville,Tennessee!TherearejustthreebigcitiesintheUnitedStatesthatare'storycities'—NewYork,ofcourse,NewOrleans,and,bestofthelot,SanFrancisco."ThumbinghisnoseatNorris,O.HenrysetsthestoryinNashville. Fundamentallyaproductofhistime,O.Henry'sworkprovidesoneofthebestEnglishexamplesofcatchingtheentireflavorofanage.Whetherroamingthecattle-landsofTexas,exploringtheartofthe"gentlegrifter",orinvestigatingthetensionsofclassandwealthinturnofthecenturyNewYork,O.Henryhadaninimitablehandforisolatingsomeelementofsocietyanddescribingitwithanincredibleeconomyandgraceoflanguage.Someofhisbestandleast-knownworkresidesinthecollection"CabbagesandKings",aseriesofstorieswhicheachexploresomeindividualaspectoflifeinaparalyticallysleepySouthAmericantownwhileeachadvancingsomeaspectofthelargerplotandrelatingbackonetoanotherinacomplexstructurewhichslowlyexplicatesitsownbackgroundevenasitpainstakinglyerectsatownwhichisoneofthemostdetailedliterarycreationsoftheperiod. Spoilerwarning:Plotand/orendingdetailsfollow.O.Henryissofamousforhisunexpectedplottwiststhatthiswarningisespeciallyimportant. Afamousstoryofhis,"TheGiftoftheMagi",concernsayoungcouplewhoareshortofmoneybutdesperatelywanttobuyeachotherChristmasgifts.UnbeknownsttoJim,Dellasellshermostvaluablepossession,herbeautifulhair,inordertobuyaplatinumfobchainforJim'swatchunbeknownsttoDella,Jimsellshismostvaluablepossession,hiswatch,tobuyjeweledcombsforDella'shair.Theessentialpremiseofthisstoryhasbeencopied,re-worked,parodied,andotherwisere-toldcountlesstimesinthecenturysinceitwaswritten. TheRansomofRedChiefconcernstwomenwhokidnapaboyoften.Theboyturnsouttobesobrattyandobnoxiousthatthedesperatemenultimatelypayt