The Ransom of Red Chief Questions on Crime Does Not Pay
The Ransom of Red Chief
Analysis of the meaning and allusion in "The Ransom of Red Chief"
"The Ransom of Red Chief" is a humorous short story by O. Henry that alludes to the biblical story of the Prodigal Son. It satirizes the kidnapping trope by having the kidnapped boy, Red Chief, turn...
The Ransom of Red Chief
Motivations and reactions surrounding the kidnapping in "The Ransom of Red Chief"
In "The Ransom of Red Chief," the kidnappers, Sam and Bill, are motivated by the prospect of a quick ransom. However, their plan backfires when the kidnapped boy, Johnny, proves to be a mischievous...
The Ransom of Red Chief
How do the characters convince Red Chief to willingly return home?
The kidnappers convince Red Chief to return home by telling him his father bought him a gun and they would hunt bears the next day. Upon returning him, they pay a $250 reverse ransom to his father,...