Through humor and irony, this story by Oscar Wilde shows how an act of kindness can sometimes change one’s life. Handsome, well-spoken and adored by everyone who knows him, Hughie Erskine can’t seem to make a success of life. To marry the woman he loves, he needs to show her father that he has the impossible amount (for him) of £10,000 to his name. A chance visit to an artist friend and the generous gift of his last sovereign to a beggar he was painting solves his problem. Themes include appearance vs. reality, compassion and kindness, selflessness, generosity, karma.
A fascinating discussion question raised by the story is how one measures generosity. Hughie selflessly gave the “beggar” his only silver coin (the equivalent of £1) because he wants it more than I do, but it means no hansoms [cabs] for a fortnight. The Baron gave Hughie £10,000, which he could easily afford, because he was touched and perhaps a little amused by his gesture. Who was the more generous?
The Model Millionaire Text / PDF / Audio (2,000 words)