Page 5 - LESSON NOTE-3

Jimmy and Bob. It was once a place where they shared meals and
dreams, but now it has closed, just as their friendship is no longer
possible.

Irony:

The main situational irony in "After Twenty Years" involves the fact that
Bob is waiting for Jimmy and doesn't realize he is actually talking to him.
Then when Jimmy leaves, Bob thinks Jimmy didn't show up, but he
continues to wait. It is ironic that he doesn't realize that he is waiting to
get arrested. The irony in this story is that the police officer, Jimmy, and
the wanted man, Bob, used to be best friends. When they met again
Jimmy realized that Bob was wanted. He knew he had to turn him in.

Conflict:

(Internal)

The predominant conflict in the story is its an internal one that is not

apparent to the reader until the surprise ending of the story. This internal
conflict arises between friendship and duty within the character of Jimmy
Wells (Man vs. Self). The policeman, JImmy Wells, is torn between his
duty as an officer of the law and his loyalty and friendship to the friend of
his youth, 'Silky' Bob, who has arrived for their previously arranged
twenty-year reunion.

It is not until O. Henry's ironic reversal at the end of the narrative that
"Silky" Bob becomes aware that his old friend Jimmy has been on time
for their meeting. And, as he reads the letter from Jimmy, Bob learns of
the internal conflict between the part of Jimmy that was his friend and
the part that is a policeman on duty.

(External)

The external conflict has to do with the twenty years that have passed
since the two men have seen one another. People change a lot in
twenty years, and both men have no idea what to look for in a physical
appearance . Jimmy, the policeman, says that when Bob lit the cigar he
was smoking, he recognized the man who was wanted in Chicago, not
his friend, Bob. The only reason he knew it was his friend was from their
conversation. Bob also did not recognize his friend. He befriends this
man who walks up to him, but he even comments that he doesn’t
remember Jimmy having that height. Still, he is willing to be persuaded
that Jimmy grew a few inches after he turned twenty! It wasn’t until he