1. What literary movement is ‘A Retrieved Reformation’ an example of?
A. Realism
B. Surrealism
C. Modernism
D. Romanticism
Answer: Realism (A)
Realism was a popular literary movement in the US and Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
2. Where was ‘A Retrieved Reformation’ first published in 1903?
A. The Atlantic
B. The New Yorker
C. Harper’s Magazine
D. The Cosmopolitan
Answer: The Cosmopolitan (D)
The story was originally published under the title ‘A Retrieved Reform’ in The Cosmopolitan.
3. What is a characteristic of O.Henry’s stories?
A. Use of complex vocabulary
B. Wit, realistic detail, and ironic plot twists
C. Long, descriptive paragraphs
D. Use of supernatural elements
Answer: Wit, realistic detail, and ironic plot twists (B)
O.Henry’s stories are known for their wit, realistic detail, and ironic plot twists.
4. What is the inspiration for the events in ‘A Retrieved Reformation’?
A. The real-life experiences of William Sydney Porter
B. The American Civil War
C. The author’s childhood experiences
D. European folklore
Answer: The real-life experiences of William Sydney Porter (A)
The story’s events are inspired by the real-life experiences of William Sydney Porter, who wrote as O.Henry.
5. How many stories did O.Henry write?
A. Over 100
B. More than 600
C. Over 400
D. More than 200
Answer: More than 600 (B)
O.Henry wrote over 600 stories during his lifetime.
6. What is a characteristic of the endings of O.Henry’s stories, such as ‘A Retrieved Reformation’ and ‘The Gift of the Magi’?
A. Long, descriptive conclusions
B. Tragic and somber
C. Unhappy endings
D. Surprise endings
Answer: Surprise endings (D)
O.Henry’s stories are known for their surprise endings, which add to their wit and irony.
7. What was the title of the 1910 Broadway play adaptation of ‘A Retrieved Reformation’?
A. A Retrieved Reformation
B. Valentine’s Revenge
C. Alias Jimmy Valentine
D. The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Answer: Alias Jimmy Valentine (C)
The 1910 Broadway play adaptation was a significant milestone in the history of the story.
8. What was Jimmy Valentine doing when he was first introduced in the story?
A. Working in the prison shoe-shop
B. Meeting with Mike Dolan
C. Receiving a pardon from the governor
D. Serving in the warden’s office
Answer: Working in the prison shoe-shop (A)
The story sets the scene for Jimmy Valentine’s journey.
9. How much of his sentence did Jimmy Valentine serve before being released?
A. 10 months of a 2-year sentence
B. 2 years of a 4-year sentence
C. 4 years of a 4-year sentence
D. 10 months of a 4-year sentence
Answer: 10 months of a 4-year sentence (D)
The details of Jimmy’s sentence are crucial to understanding his situation.
10. What did Jimmy find in his room above Mike’s café?
A. A newspaper clipping about his arrest
B. A letter from the governor
C. A button from the shirt of Ben Price
D. A map of Elmore, Arkansas
Answer: A button from the shirt of Ben Price (C)
The details of Jimmy’s room reveal his past.
11. What is the name of the PBS series that adapted ‘A Retrieved Reformation’ in 1985?
A. Great Performances
B. Frontline
C. American Playhouse
D. Masterpiece Theatre
Answer: American Playhouse (C)
The 1985 adaptation was a significant milestone in the story’s history.
12. What is the name of the award named after O.Henry?
A. The O.Henry Prize
B. The PEN/O.Henry Prize
C. The O.Henry Award
D. The O.Henry Medal
Answer: The O.Henry Award (C)
The O.Henry Award is a prestigious literary honor.
13. What is the name of the character who helped secure Jimmy’s pardon?
A. The Governor
B. The Warden
C. Ben Price
D. Mike Dolan
Answer: Mike Dolan (D)
Mike Dolan played a crucial role in Jimmy’s release.
14. What is the name of the town where the story takes place?
A. Elmore, Texas
B. Elmore, Oklahoma
C. Elmore, Arkansas
D. Elmore, California
Answer: Elmore, Arkansas (C)
The setting of the story is significant to its context.
15. What is the name of the radio series adaptation of ‘A Retrieved Reformation’?
A. The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
B. The Jimmy Valentine Show
C. Alias Jimmy Valentine
D. Valentine’s Revenge
Answer: Alias Jimmy Valentine (C)
The radio series adaptation was a popular rendition of the story.
16. How much money did Jimmy have when he was released from prison?
A. One dollar
B. Ten dollars
C. Five dollars
D. Twenty dollars
Answer: Five dollars (C)
The amount of money Jimmy had is significant to his situation.
17. What did Jimmy lose during the arrest struggle?
A. A suitcase full of burglar tools
B. A rose
C. His collar button
D. His coat
Answer: His collar button (C)
The significance of the lost collar button is that it is a small but important detail that helps to establish Jimmy’s character.
18. What is the value of the suitcase full of burglar tools?
A. Exactly two thousand dollars
B. Nearly a thousand dollars
C. Over five thousand dollars
D. Nearly five hundred dollars
Answer: Nearly a thousand dollars (B)
The value of the suitcase is significant because it shows the extent of Jimmy’s criminal career.
19. What is the occupation that Jimmy pretends to have in Elmore?
A. Lawyer
B. Banker
C. Shoe store owner
D. Doctor
Answer: Shoe store owner (C)
Jimmy’s occupation as a shoe store owner is a clever disguise for his criminal activities.
20. Who is the young woman that Jimmy becomes interested in?
A. Annabel Adams
B. Agatha
C. The bank teller
D. May
Answer: Annabel Adams (A)
Annabel Adams is the daughter of the bank owner and becomes the object of Jimmy’s affections.
21. What is the reason for Jimmy’s transformation?
A. Getting out of prison
B. Meeting Annabel Adams
C. Moving to Elmore
D. Receiving a letter from Billy
Answer: Meeting Annabel Adams (B)
Jimmy’s transformation is a significant aspect of the story, as it shows his ability to change and adapt to new circumstances.
22. What is the problem that arises in the bank?
A. The vault is on fire
B. The vault is burglar-proof
C. The vault is locked with a little girl inside
D. The vault is empty
Answer: The vault is locked with a little girl inside (C)
The situation with the little girl trapped in the vault is a critical moment in the story, as it tests Jimmy’s skills and character.
23. What is the significance of the rose in Jimmy’s pocket?
A. It is a good luck charm
B. It is a symbol of Jimmy’s love for Annabel
C. It is a reminder of his criminal past
D. It is a distraction from the situation
Answer: It is a symbol of Jimmy’s love for Annabel (B)
The rose is a subtle detail that highlights Jimmy’s romantic feelings towards Annabel.
24. Who is waiting for Jimmy at the door of the bank?
A. Mr. Adams
B. Ben Price
C. Billy
D. Annabel Adams
Answer: Ben Price (B)
Ben Price’s arrival marks the end of Jimmy’s attempted reformation and his return to his criminal life.
25. What is Jimmy’s response to being caught by Ben Price?
A. He accepts his fate
B. He tries to bribe Price
C. He denies his identity
D. He tries to escape
Answer: He accepts his fate (A)
Jimmy’s acceptance of his fate shows his resignation and awareness of his own identity.
26. What is the significance of Ben Price’s remark at the end of the story?
A. It reveals his own moral ambiguity
B. It shows his admiration for Jimmy’s skills
C. It indicates his confusion about Jimmy’s identity
D. It highlights his determination to catch Jimmy
Answer: It indicates his confusion about Jimmy’s identity (C)
Ben Price’s remark about not recognizing Jimmy as ‘Ralph Spencer’ is a subtle comment on the complexity of identity and morality.
