Characters
Who are the two kidnappers in the story?
Sam and Bill
What is the main plan Sam and Bill make at the beginning of the story?
They plan to kidnap Johnny Dorset and demand a ransom from his father.
What type of ending is O. Henry especially known for using?
An ironic twist ending.
What is one feature found in many O. Henry stories?
An ironic twist ending.
Why does Sam go to the top of the hill to look around?
He wants to see whether anyone is searching for Johnny.
What is the nickname Johnny gives himself after being kidnapped?
Red Chief
What possibility do the kidnappers fail to consider before carrying out their plan?
They do not seriously consider that Johnny's father might refuse to pay the ransom.
Why is the name of the town, Summit, an example of verbal irony?
The name suggests a high point or successful outcome, but the kidnapping becomes a miserable failure for Sam and Bill.
Why is Bill's relationship with Johnny funny to the reader?
Bill is supposed to be the kidnapper, but Johnny repeatedly scares, exhausts, and humiliates him.
Why does Bill suggest lowering the ransom amount?
He wants the ordeal to end and believes a lower amount may make the father more willing to pay.
What character traits of Johnny make the kidnapping very different from what Sam and Bill expect?
energetic, mischievous, fearless, and enjoys turning the tables on the kidnappers
hich conflict provides much of the story's humor: Sam vs. Bill, Bill vs. Red Chief, or the kidnappers vs. Ebenezer Dorset?
Bill vs. Red Chief.
What is ironic about the kidnappers' plan to make money from Johnny?
Instead of receiving ransom money, they end up willing to pay to have Johnny taken back.
Give one example of role reversal that creates humor in the story.
Johnny treats Bill as his captive or playmate while Bill behaves like the victim.
How do Sam and Bill finally convince Johnny to go home?
They said his dad got him moccasins and and a rifle and is going to take him hunting
Why does Bill become especially unhappy about keeping Johnny?
Johnny repeatedly torments him
What event serves as the climax of the story?
Ebenezer Dorset takes Johnny away after the kidnappers discover that the father will not pay the ransom and will only take his son back if the kidnappers pay him
How does Ebenezer Dorset's response to the ransom note create situational irony?
The kidnappers expect money from the father, but he refuses the ransom and makes them pay him to take Johnny back.
How does exaggeration contribute to the humor of the story?
Johnny's extreme behavior and Bill's increasingly desperate reactions make the kidnapping situation absurd.
Why does Sam ask about Bill's family history of heart disease near the end?
Sam doesn't want Bill to have a heart attack when he sees Johnny behind him
How does Johnny's behavior reverse the expected roles between the kidnappers and their victim?
Johnny acts as though he is in charge, while Sam and especially Bill become frightened, frustrated, and desperate to get rid of him.
Describe Bill's internal conflict in the story.
Bill struggles between wanting to complete the kidnapping scheme and wanting desperately to escape Johnny and end the ordeal.
How does the ending change the reader's expectations about who has power in the story?
The kidnappers appear to have control at first, but Johnny and his father ultimately control what happens, leaving Sam and Bill desperate to escape.
Name three ways O. Henry creates humor in The Ransom of Red Chief.
Possible answers include role reversal, Johnny's outrageous behavior, Bill's fearful reactions, exaggerated situations, and the ironic ending
Why is it difficult for Sam to catch up with Bill at the end?
Sam is running as fast as he can to get away from Johnny