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Mammon and the Archer | Introduction

‘‘Mammon and the Archer,’’ by William Sydney Porter—better known by the pseudonym of O. Henry—was first published in the New York World and later published in O. Henry’s The Four Million in 1906. The title of the collection and the short stories themselves were a response to Ward McAllister’s 1892 comment that there are only about four hundred people in New York City, referring only to those whom McAllister thought were of importance. O. Henry’s collection, however, concerns the total population of New York City at the time, around four million, not just the aristocratic few. In fact, ‘‘Mammon and the Archer,’’ which is considered to be one of O. Henry’s best stories, depicts a rich entrepreneur, Anthony Rockwall, who does not belong to this aristocratic four hundred but whose son is trying to marry one of the aristocratic daughters. Anthony believes that money can buy everything and tries to prove it to himself by using his money to stage an elaborate event that helps his son win his bride.

Critics initially praised O. Henry for his stories, many of which featured surprise endings like the one in ‘‘Mammon and the Archer.’’ O. Henry’s New York stories introduced new character types that helped to shape the image and perceptions of America both at home and abroad. However, while O. Henry’s acclaim with popular readers has remained consistent since his death in 1910, many critics have since found fault with O. Henry’s techniques, including his formerly praised surprise endings and plot constructions. To this day, O. Henry’s literary reputation is in question, although his name still adorns one of the most prestigious short-story contests in the United States: the O. Henry Awards. A current copy of ‘‘Mammon and the Archer’’ can be found in Tales of O. Henry: Sixty-Two Stories, which was published by Barnes & Noble Books in 1993.

Mammon and the Archer Summary

O. Henry’s ‘‘Mammon and the Archer’’ begins with an example of Anthony Rockwall’s unwillingness to accept the limitations of his position. As a self-made millionaire, Rockwall does not belong to the same aristocratic circle as his neighbors, who despise the fact that Anthony lives among them. When Anthony sees one of his neighbors turn his nose up at a renaissance sculpture in front of Anthony’s home, Anthony tells himself that he will have his house painted red, white, and blue the following summer, to make his neighbors even more angry at him.

Anthony calls for his son, Richard, and proceeds to ask Richard how much he pays for soap and clothes. Anthony is satisfied with Richard’s answers, which show that Richard does not pay as much as the other young, wealthy men in the city. Anthony tells Richard that, due to his money, Richard is a gentleman in one generation, whereas common wisdom has always stated that it takes three generations to make a gentleman. Despite Anthony’s belief that money can buy everything, however, Richard says that he is distressed because his father’s money cannot buy his way into the aristocracy. Anthony correctly guesses that it is a matter of love and encourages Richard to use his money and position to win the woman’s hand in marriage. Richard informs his father that he has missed his chance, since Miss Lantry—the object of his affection—will be leaving the country in two days to live in Europe for two years. In... » Complete Mammon and the Archer Summary