The twist ending in this O. Henry story has most readers believing that, after receiving an inheritance of $1,000 from an uncle and canvassing various options, the protagonist sees the error of his spendthrift ways. He then tells his uncle’s ward, who he loves and was left very little, that the money was left to her. And later, despite his profession of love being rejected, he contrives for her to receive an additional $50,000 to which he becomes entitled. Is this a story of selfless sacrifice, or could there be a further twist? Themes include change, deception, selflessness, generosity, love.
We know that Gillian likes to gamble. Could it be that rather than selflessly giving the $50,000 away to an unrequited love, he is actually placing a massive bet on his ability to win Miss Haydon’s heart. When he gave her the $1,000, she was alone in the world with nowhere to live after his uncle’s estate is settled. Gillian may sense that Miss Haydon does have feelings for him, and believe that she only rejected his advances because of his reputation as a wastrel. When she receives the $50,000, she will not only learn how much loves her, but also that he has seemingly reformed. If this is the case, the big question is whether his gamble will pay off.
One Thousand Dollars Full Text / PDF / Audio (2,150 words)