Discussion Topic
Jimmy recognizes the man's true identity in "After Twenty Years."
Summary:
In "After Twenty Years," Jimmy recognizes the man's true identity as his old friend Bob, who is now a wanted criminal. Jimmy realizes this during their brief conversation, noticing Bob's physical features and mannerisms that match the description of the wanted man. Unable to arrest his friend himself, Jimmy sends a plainclothes officer to make the arrest.
When does Jimmy recognize the man from the west in "After Twenty Years"?
There is actually a precise moment when the policeman, who is Jimmy Wells, realizes that the man standing in the darkened doorway of the hardware store is the man who is wanted by the Chicago police. But the reader does not also realize this at the same time. In fact the reader does not understand this until the end of the story.
Jimmy Wells knows that the man in the doorway is his old friend Bob as soon as he confronts him. This is because Jimmy made a date to meet Bob at that location, which used to be a restaurant, twenty years ago when they parted. Bob may have changed in twenty years, but Jimmy knows it is his old friend in spite of the darkness because Bob immediately starts talking.
“It's all right, officer,” he said, reassuringly. “I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty...
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years ago.
Bob continues talking about the past. Obviously he knows so much about Jimmy Wells that he must be Bob. But then the confident Bob lights his cigar. This is when Jimmy is able to see his face for the first time. And this is when he realizes that his old friend Bob is also the man wanted by the Chicago police. But the reader does not realize this fact until the end, when the arresting plainclothes officer hands 'Silky' Bob a note from Jimmy Wells, who was the uniformed cop Bob was talking to without realizing it was his old pal Jimmy. The note reads as follows:
Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plainclothesman to do the job. JIMMY.
It should be noted that in those days, around 1906, there was no way of sending photographs or even sketches by telegraph wire. What probably happened was that the Chicago police sent the New York police a wire with a description of 'Silky' Bob's age and general appearance, especially his face. When 'Silky' Bob lights his cigar, this is what Jimmy sees:
The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarf pin was a large diamond, oddly set.
Jimmy's old friend fits the general description of the man called 'Silky' Bob who is wanted by the Chicago police. In addition there are two facts that provide nearly positive identification. The man in the doorway has a white scar near his right eyebrow, and he is wearing an "oddly set" diamond scarf pin. Both these details would have been included in the telegram from Chicago. In fact, the scarf pin would have been more precisely described. For example, it might have been a large diamond surrounded by thirteen small diamonds or rubies representing the original thirteen American colonies, or something comparably unique.
When the plainclothes officer arrives on the scene about twenty minutes later, he still makes sure he is arresting the wanted man.
The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career.The other, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.
Thinking he is talking to his old friend Jimmy Wells, Bob gives the detective all the information he needs to be sure he is arresting the right man.
When does Jimmy realize the man's true identity in "After Twenty Years" by O. Henry?
As soon as Jimmy sees Bob, he recognizes him as the wanted man, rather than his old friend.
In this story, two old friends make an arrangement to meet each other at a restaurant in twenty years. They do meet, but things do not go as planned. Jimmy and Bob have not seen each other for a long time. When Jimmy sees Bob, he does not immediately acknowledge him, but he does recognize him. He realizes he is a criminal.
Jimmy talks to Bob, pretending to be just another cop. He doesn’t acknowledge that he recognizes him as a wanted man from Chicago. He can’t bring himself to arrest his old friend. They chat, and then he walks off. He gets another cop to pretend to be him.
"...The old restaurant is gone, Bob. I wish it were here, so that we could have another dinner in it. Has the West been good to you?”
“It gave me everything I asked for. You’ve changed, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall.”
“Oh, I grew a little after I was twenty.”
“Are you doing well in New York, Jimmy?”
Bob realizes that something is up because the man has a different kind of nose. He is a little upset at the charade. At this point, Bob is given a note from Jimmy explaining why he did what he did.
“Bob: I was at the place on time. I saw the face of the man wanted by Chicago cops. I didn’t want to arrest you myself. So I went and got another cop and sent him to do the job.
JIMMY.”
Being a cop is important to Jimmy, but so is being a friend. Jimmy found a way to do his duty and still be a good friend. He kept his appointment. He did not betray his friend, at least not to his face.