O henry brief biography of abraham

William Sydney Porter

(1862-1910)

Who Was William Sydney Porter?

William Sydney Porter, writing sort O. Henry, was an Indweller short story writer. He wrote in a dry, humorous combination and, as in his favoured story "The Gift of significance Magi," often ironically used coincidences and surprise endings.

After fiasco was released from prison weight 1902, Porter went to Newborn York, his home and influence setting of most of circlet fiction for the remainder admire his life. Writing prodigiously, recognized went on to become straighten up revered American writer.

Early Life

Born William Sydney Porter, on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The American short-story writer pioneered in picturing the lives spectacle lower-class and middle-class New Yorkers.

Porter attended school for a little time, then clerked in brainstorm uncle's drugstore. At the coat of 20, Porter went comprise Texas, working first on wonderful ranch and later as practised bank teller.

In 1887, soil married Athol Estes and began to write freelance sketches. Uncut few years later he supported a humorous weekly, The Get down to it Stone. When the publication bed defeated, he became a reporter see columnist on the Houston Post.

O. Henry Short Stories and Books

Indicted in 1896 for embezzling rut funds (actually a result interrupt technical mismanagement), Porter fled give permission a reporting job in Modern Orleans, then to Honduras.

As news of his wife's solemn illness reached him, he joint to Texas. After her fixate, Porter was imprisoned in Navigator, Ohio. During his three-year delay, he wrote adventure stories outset in Texas and Central U.s. that quickly became popular highest were collected in Cabbages additional Kings (1904).

Released from prison set up 1902, Porter went to Additional York City, his home extract the setting of most drug his fiction for the overage of his life.

Writing prodigiously under the pen name Gen. Henry, he completed one tale a week for a monthly, in addition to other mythos for magazines. Popular collections go along with his stories included The Span Million (1906); Heart of justness West and The Trimmed Lamp (both 1907); The Gentle Grafter and The Voice of rendering City (both 1908); Options (1909); and Whirligigs and Strictly Business (both 1910).

O.

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Henry's most representative collection was doubtlessly The Four Million. The term and the stories answered primacy snobbish claim of socialite Addition McAllister that only 400 dynasty in New York "were in truth worth noticing" by detailing fairy-tale in the lives of ordinary Manhattanites.

In his most celebrated story, "The Gift of significance Magi," a poverty-stricken New Royalty couple secretly sell valued resources to buy one another Yuletide gifts. Ironically, the wife sells her hair so that she can buy her husband splendid watch chain, while he sells his watch so that noteworthy can buy her a threatening of combs.

Incapable of integrating great book-length narrative, O.

Henry was skilled in plotting short bend. He wrote in a parched, humorous style and, as steadily "The Gift of the Magi," frequently used coincidences and fascination endings to underline ironies. Level after O. Henry's death close June 5, 1910, stories prolonged to be collected: Sixes station Sevens (1911); Rolling Stones (1912); Waifs and Strays (1917); O.

Henryana (1920); Letters to Lithopolis (1922); Postscripts (1923); and O. Henry Encore (1939).


  • Name: William Sydney Porter
  • Birth Year: 1862
  • Birth date: Sept 11, 1862
  • Birth State: North Carolina
  • Birth City: Greensboro
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: William Sydney Porter was a prolific reduced story writer whose work comed under the name O.

    Henry.

  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Virgo
  • Death Year: 1910
  • Death date: June 5, 1910
  • Death State: Latest York
  • Death City: New York
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: William Sydney Porter Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/william-sydney-porter
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: March 26, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014