Critical Appreciation of the Story Hearts and Hands
Introduction
Like many of O. Henry’s short stories, ‘Hearts and Hands’ is an interesting story which is full of suspense. The story has surprising ending. It is a story about two acquaintances who meet in the coach of a train. The story deals with generous, kind and sympathetic nature of the marshal for the convict. It is because of having compassionate heart that the marshal tells a lie to Miss Fairchild and he does this to save Mr. Easton from the humiliation of being identified as a convict in front of an old friend. The story also shows how the people in this materialistic world are inclined to outward appearance and are unable to judge the reality.
Plot of the Story
Exposition : The story opens in Denver, with boarding of passengers on the eastbound B.M. Express into one of the coaches where a very pretty young woman sits.
Rising Action: The story continues with the entrance of two companions, one young and handsome, the other “heavily built and roughly dressed’, handcuffed together.
Conflicts and Complications: Miss Fairchild (the young lady) recognises Mr. Easton (the young man) and strikes up a conversation with him. The handcuffs, however, worry Miss Fairchild, but the prisoner soothes her worries, explaining that Mr. Easton is a marshal taking him to prison. The two converse until the men depart to the smoke room at the prisoner’s request.
Climax: The story cuts to another set of passengers who had been listening the conversation. One comments on the marshal’s good character. His companion comments on the young age of the marshal. The other seems confused before replying, ‘did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand.
Falling Action/Denouement: The conclusion is ambiguous because the story leaves the reader to connect the dots without telling what happened after the other passenger’s comment.
Moral of the Story
The story also brings to us a great moral that the outward appearances are deceptive. They not only mislead us but also invite troubles to us. The people who give importance to charming appearances, are often befooled. The lady in the story seems to be dazzled by the materialistic way of life in which outward appearances are given grat importance, hence she forgets to notice that Mr. Easton’s right hand is handcuffed to the left hand of the other man.
Setting and Atmosphere
The setting of the story occurs on the B.M. Express also known as a train. It takes place during the time in American history known as the wild west, or the early colonization of the west coast. The majority of the story takes place in one of the coaches. The story feels engaging and busy with a casual, unassuming atmosphere. The passengers have a light conversation and then go their separate ways.
Characterization
The short story has three main characters and two characters who reveal the short story’s irony. The three main characters are Miss Fairchild, her acquaintance, Mr. Easton and the marshal. All the characters in the short story are on a train bound for Denver. Perhaps running into Easton in this manner seems like a fortuitous meeting to the young woman and she misses the clues that might have indicated the truth of Easton’s situation. Easton is described as having a ‘handsome presence with a bold, frank countenance and manner’.
The woman may be interested in Mr. Easton as a potential suitor, for she asks questions about his plans to return to Washington. Once she becomes convinced that Easton is the marshal, Miss Fairchild thinks that she could be happy in the West where the air agrees with her. In addition, she indicates to Easton that she is no longer seeing her former suitor, the ambassador. At any rate, Miss Fairchild misinterprets his position in the handcuffs, believing Easton is the marshal rather than the criminal. The other characters are the passengers who are flat characters. They are indirectly characterised.
Appropriateness of the Title
The title of ‘Hearts and Hands’ is appropriate because it refers to the conclusion of the story where the true identities of Mr. Easton and the marshal with the knowledge that a marshal always cuffs prisoners to their left hand, are revealed. It may also refer to the marshal’s good heart and the helping hand he offered Mr. Easton in relation to Miss Fairchild. It may also have something to do with the flirtatious relationship between Miss Fairchild and Mr. Easton.
Irony in the Story
The whole situation is profoundly ironic, leading to the surprise ending. In other words, there is situational irony. In turn, there are other kinds of irony in the story, such as dramatic irony. This means that we as readers know something that one of the characters in the story does not know. Even if we don’t get the twist until it’s revealed at the end, we should still realise that all is not what it seems. The marshal is gruff and unkempt; Easton is smooth, charming and debonair.
There is also verbal irony. This is where a character says one thing, but means something else. For example. ‘He’s taking me, to Leavenworth prison. It’s seven years for counterfeiting.’ Of course, Miss Fairchild naturally thinks that it’s Mr. Easton’s disheveled companion who is the fraudster.
In some places, Henry combines both situational and verbal irony, as in the following:
‘I had to do something. Money has a way of taking wings into itself, and you know it takes money to keep step with our crowd in Washington. ’
Miss Fairchild thinks that Easton had to become a marshal to make both ends meet, but, in actuality, he is referring to his ‘career’ as a criminal.
Irony is a useful literary device for Henry because it allows him to highlight the story’s theme of the difference between appearance and reality :
‘My butterfly days are over, I fear.’
Easton’s days as a socialhutterfly are indeed over. However, it is not because he’s short of money (as Miss Fairchild thinks), rather, it is because he is about to go to prison.
Foreshadowing
Mr. Easton told Miss Fairchild that he needed to go to Leavenworth, but he did not say whether he would be going as a marshal or a prisoner. He also said, ‘My butterfly days are over’, hinting at his future imprisonment. Miss Fairchild, however, thought he was referring to his social days. Mr. Easton’s uneasiness and shyness at the beginning of the story also foreshadow the conclusion.
The Use of Imagery and Symbols
The author vividly describes the setting and characters. Among the newcomers were two youngmen, one of handsome presence with a bold, frank countenance and manner; the other a ruffled, glum-faced person, heavily built and roughly dressed. The two were handcuffed together.
The author also uses symbols. The handcuffs symbolise a lower standard of living, especially compared to Miss Fairchild’s standard of living. When Mr. Easton points them out, Miss Fairchild is horrified and quick to judge the situation.
The Use of Figures of Speech
The author has used the figure of speech personification in the following line :
‘I think the air here agrees with me. ’
(In the above line, air has been personified.)
We also find figure of speech hyperbole in the following line :
‘I’m half dead for a pipe.’
Narrating Technique
The story has been narrated in third person. The narrator is subjective and does not participate in the plot at any time. The episode begins and ends in a straight forward manner. The remarks by the two passengers at the end of the story are significant because they reveal the irony in the story. These unexpected remarks reveal the truth about the character of Mr. Easton. The simple sentence at the end of the story surprises the readers.
Tone of the Story
The tone of the story is casual and unassuming, with the majority of the story consisting of light-hearted conversation between the passengers. There is nothing extremely suspicious to prematurely lead the reader to the conclusion of the story until the surprise is revealed.
Lucidity of Language
O. Henry seems to be very well aware of the fact that simplicity is the best way to reach the heart of the readers. Therefore in simple language, he presents simple incidents in such manner which touches people and their hearts. He does not use any complicated phrases, words and sentences which might create any kind of trouble for an average reader.
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