"Girl" Flashcards
by O. Henry — tap or click to flip
Flashcard Review
Flashcards: "Girl"
Why does Hartley hire a detective at the beginning of the story?
Hartley hires a detective to find the address of Vivienne Arlington, who has recently moved and stopped responding to his letters.
Where does the detective say Vivienne Arlington is living?
She is living at No. 341 East --th Street, care of Mrs. McComus, in a flathouse called "The Vallambrosa."
What condition does Vivienne set before she will agree to come to Hartley?
Vivienne insists that Heloise must be removed from Hartley's home before she will agree to come.
What happens when Townsend arrives at Vivienne's flat?
Hartley confronts him in the hallway and orders him to go back, invoking "the Law of the Jungle" to claim priority. Townsend retreats.
What excuse does Townsend give for being at Vivienne's building?
Townsend claims he came to see a plumber about bathroom connections, which Hartley dismisses as a lie.
What does Hartley promise to do "to-night" in order to secure Vivienne's agreement?
He promises to send Heloise away from his home that very night.
What does Hartley's wife reveal that Vivienne's actual role will be?
She reveals that Vivienne is coming to cook for the family, and Hartley must go fire the drunken current cook, Heloise.
How is Hartley physically described at the start of the story?
He is twenty-nine years old, described as serious, thin, good-looking, and nervous.
What is Robbins's role in the story and how does he contrast with Hartley?
Robbins is Hartley's fifty-year-old business partner who is an overweight socialite addicted to nightlife, contrasting Hartley's serious suburban lifestyle.
How is Vivienne Arlington physically described?
She is about twenty-one, of pure Saxon type with ruddy golden hair, ivory-clear complexion, deep sea-blue eyes, and a strong yet graceful frame.
Who is Heloise and why does Hartley want to get rid of her?
Heloise is the Hartley household's current cook. She has been frequently drunk and unreliable, making Hartley's domestic life miserable.
How is Townsend described when he arrives at The Vallambrosa?
He is described as looking like a Spanish grandee in light tweeds, a Panama hat, and a curling black mustache.
How does the story explore the theme of appearance versus reality?
Every detail of Hartley's pursuit of Vivienne appears romantic, but the reality is that he is trying to hire a cook for his household.
What does the story suggest about the value of domestic help in early 1900s New York?
Hartley's intense pursuit, rivalry with Townsend, and use of a detective all suggest that finding a competent domestic servant was treated with the same urgency as a romantic courtship.
How does the city versus suburb contrast function as a theme in the story?
Vivienne's reluctance to leave city life for the suburbs mirrors the real tension domestic workers faced in choosing between urban independence and suburban employment.
How does O. Henry use humor as a thematic element in this story?
The humor comes from the gap between the reader's romantic expectations and the mundane domestic reality, deflating the dramatic buildup with a punchline about hiring a cook.
What is the primary literary device that drives the entire narrative of "Girl"?
Misdirection. O. Henry uses the language and conventions of romantic fiction to disguise a story about hiring domestic help.
What is the effect of the double entendre in the phrase "the girl you get will be a lucky one"?
On first reading it sounds like romantic praise, but after the twist it clearly refers to the lucky cook who will work in a kind employer's home.
Identify the allusion in Hartley's confrontation with Townsend.
Hartley invokes "the Law of the Jungle" and "the Pack," alluding to Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book to assert his prior claim over Vivienne's services.
What literary device is O. Henry using when he describes The Vallambrosa's rubber plant as "wondering to what kingdom it belonged -- vegetable, animal or artificial"?
Personification. The rubber plant is given human curiosity, and the humorous taxonomy highlights the chaotic, crowded nature of the tenement building.
What does "debonair" mean as used to describe Robbins's exit from the office?
It means confident, stylish, and charming in manner. Robbins leaves with a casual, self-assured nod toward his evening entertainments.
What is a "flathouse" as referenced in the story?
A flathouse is an apartment building, common in early 1900s New York, typically a multi-story walk-up divided into individual flats or apartments.
What does "duns" mean in the phrase "whether it might be admitting friends or duns"?
Duns are persistent creditors or debt collectors who make repeated demands for payment.
Who says "The Law of the Jungle. Do you want the Pack to tear you in pieces? The kill is mine" and what does it mean in context?
Hartley says this to Townsend, asserting that he found Vivienne first and has the prior right to hire her, using Kipling's language to frame their rivalry.
What is the significance of Vivienne's line: "I was born a city girl, and I am afraid to bind myself to a quiet suburban life"?
It sounds like a woman reluctant to marry a suburbanite, but actually expresses a domestic worker's preference for city employment over a suburban household position.
What is revealed by the wife's final line: "you must go right down into the kitchen and discharge Heloise"?
This line is the story's punchline, revealing that the entire "pursuit" was about hiring a cook, and Heloise is a drunken servant, not a romantic rival.