Telemachus, Friend Flashcards
by O. Henry — tap or click to flip
Flashcard Review
Flashcards: Telemachus, Friend
Why is the unnamed narrator waiting in Los Pinos at the start of the story?
He is returning from a hunting trip and waiting for the south-bound train, which is one hour late.
What prompts Telemachus Hicks to tell his story about friendship?
The narrator asks what creature twisted and mutilated his left ear, and Hicks says it is "the relic of true friendship."
What agreement do Hicks and Paisley Fish make about courting Widow Jessup?
They agree to court her only in each other's presence, giving each man an equal opportunity, so their friendship can survive regardless of who wins.
How does Hicks honor the agreement when Mrs. Jessup moves closer to him on the bench?
He stands up and refuses to answer her leading question until Paisley arrives, explaining their pact of fair courtship.
What happens when Hicks nearly kisses Mrs. Jessup before Paisley arrives?
He stops himself and insists they wait for Paisley, saying he has never done anything dishonorable to their friendship.
Why does Hicks delay his own wedding ceremony?
He notices Paisley is missing and calls time on the preacher, insisting they wait because "a friend once, a friend always."
What is the surprise ending of "Telemachus, Friend"?
On his wedding night, Hicks sits on the porch waiting for Paisley out of habit before joining his wife, and Mrs. Hicks hits his ear with a broomhandle.
What is Telemachus Hicks's occupation at the time he tells the story?
He is the proprietor of the Summit House hotel in Los Pinos, New Mexico.
How long have Hicks and Paisley Fish been partners before the events of the story?
They have been partners for seven years, during which they mined, ranched, sold patent churns, herded sheep, took photographs, built wire fences, and picked prunes.
How is Widow Jessup physically and temperamentally described?
She is described as a sizable woman with a pink face suggesting a warm disposition and culinary temper, whose smile "would have brought out the dogwood blossoms in December."
What is Paisley Fish's courtship strategy with Widow Jessup?
He tries to impress her by telling long, dramatic tales of adventure, a method Hicks compares to Othello wooing Desdemona with exotic stories.
What does Widow Jessup eventually say to Paisley Fish about his chances?
She tells him bluntly that he is "nix cum rous" (out of the running) and that she has only tolerated him because he is Hicks's friend.
How does the story explore the tension between friendship and romantic love?
Hicks and Paisley's deep friendship is tested when both fall for the same woman, and their agreement to court her fairly preserves the friendship but reveals its limits.
What does the wedding night ending suggest about the power of habit?
Hicks's instinct to wait for Paisley even on his wedding night shows that deeply ingrained habits of friendship can persist irrationally into new circumstances.
What does the Connecticut man and monkey anecdote at the beginning illustrate?
It illustrates that the only perfect friendship Hicks has seen works because each party is satisfied with his own share, suggesting human friendships fail when interests overlap.
How does the story satirize male codes of honor?
Hicks takes his code of fairness to absurd extremes, pausing romantic moments and delaying his own wedding for a friend who has already lost, mocking rigid honor systems.
What narrative structure does O. Henry use in "Telemachus, Friend"?
He uses a frame narrative: an unnamed hunter listens as Telemachus Hicks tells the main story in his own vernacular voice.
How does Hicks's malapropism-filled dialect function as a literary device?
His colorful misuse of words ("fidus Diogenes" for fides, "collaborates with myself") creates humor while characterizing him as uneducated but expressive.
What is the effect of the extended metaphor comparing hand-holding to picking up a rock to throw at a cat?
It humorously conveys Hicks's courtship philosophy: act casual and pretend neither party notices the intimacy, revealing his surprising shrewdness about romance.
How does the story's opening question about Hicks's injured ear create dramatic irony?
The narrator assumes a wild animal caused the injury, but the true cause -- a broomstick from his wife -- creates irony by subverting expectations about frontier danger.
What does "surcease" mean as Hicks uses it when describing their trip to Los Pinos?
Surcease means a temporary relief or cessation. Hicks and Paisley came to Los Pinos for a month of rest and leisure from their usual work.
What does the Latin-sounding phrase "nix cum rous" mean in the context of the story?
It is mock-Latin slang meaning "nothing doing" or "out of the running." Mrs. Jessup uses it to tell Paisley he has no chance with her.
What does "gallivantery" mean as Hicks uses it to describe their courtship visits?
It is Hicks's humorous coinage meaning flirtatious socializing or romantic gallivanting, referring to their evening visits with Mrs. Jessup.
Who says "No friendship is an accident" and what does it reveal about the character?
Telemachus Hicks says it early in the story, establishing his earnest belief in the deliberate, sacred nature of friendship that drives the entire plot.
What does Mrs. Jessup mean when she tells Hicks, "You are too good a friend not to make a good husband"?
She recognizes that his loyalty and honor toward Paisley reveal the qualities of a devoted partner, and his steadfastness wins her over more than any courtship technique.
What is the significance of Hicks saying "Durn me if I wasn't waiting for old Paisley to--" on his wedding night?
It is the punchline of the story, showing that Hicks's devotion to the friendship pact has become so ingrained that he absurdly waits for Paisley even in the most private moment of his life.