In "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry, two men named Sam and Bill Driscoll hatch a plan to kidnap a child and demand a ransom in order to raise enough money to buy some land. They choose a small town called Summit in Alabama as their target and decide to kidnap Johnny, the only ..........................
The Ransom of Red Chief - New Broadway - Class 6 - English
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Back Questions - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Literature | English | Class 6
A kidnapping plan ought to do better in the country than in the city. Why did Sam and Bill think so?
Sam and Bill preferred a kidnapping plan in the country because it offered several key advantages. Most notably, the isolated environment of the countryside. The absence of other people made it less likely that their actions would be observed and reported, thereby reducing the risk of getting caught during the act. Additionally, the physical layout of the countryside presented another benefit to executing their plan. The geographical advantage of a hidden cave enabled them to effectively hide their captive, making it even more difficult for anyone to locate the boy or for the boy himself to escape.
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That boy had Bill frightened from the start. How? In what way did it affect the course of the story?
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Sign up nowRed Chief knew that he had been kidnapped and so he began to trouble the kidnappers in different ways. True or False?
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Sign up nowO. Henry is often called a master of surprise endings. Does this story have a surprise ending?
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Sign up nowDo you think Red Chief was happy in the cave? How can you tell?
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Sign up nowWhich of these words can be used to describe the boy’s behaviour at the cave?
unusual
violent
funny
normal
cruel
unexpected
naughty
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Sign up nowSuppose Sam and Bill had not been frightened of the little boy. How do you think the story would have ended?
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Sign up nowKidnapers are usually tough and ruthless people. Were Sam and Bill of this kind? How can you tell?
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Sign up nowIs this a humorous story? What makes you think so? Pick out instances of humour in the story.
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Sign up nowBelow is a list of things that Sam, Bill and the boy do in the story. Write a word or a phrase to describe what each action tells us about the person concerned. One has been done for you.
Action | Word/phrase |
---|---|
a) The boy nearly hit Bill in the eye with a piece of brick. | Aggressive |
b) The boy put a red-hot potato down Bill’s back | |
c) Sam caught the boy and shook him until he couldn’t shake him any more | |
d) Sam waited at the post office to find out whether the news of the kidnapping had spread all over the town. | |
e) Sam immediately accepted Bill’s suggestion that they pay 250 dollars to get rid of the boy. | |
f) Bill, fat as he was, ran so fast that he was a mile and a half out of Summit before Sam could catch up with him. |
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Sign up nowOne of the greatest Russian short story writers. Anton Chekhov, once said that hidden behind every comedy is a sad tale. Do you think this is true of this story too? Discuss this in small groups by focussing on
- The kid’s happiness in the company of his kidnappers.
- his not wanting to go back home to his father.
- The contents of Mr Dorset’s letter to the kidnappers.
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Sign up nowBack Exercises - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Literature | English | Class 6
Here are a few eye expressions in column A. Match tem with their meanings in column B. One has been done for you.
A | B |
---|---|
be all eyes | to take care of something/somebody and make sure they are not damaged or harmed |
have an eye for something | to be watching somebody or something carefully and with a lot of interest |
keep an eye on something | to be able to judge if things look attractive or somebody or valuable |
not see eye to eye with somebody | to be seen only by a particular person |
for somebody’s eyes only | not to share the same views with somebody |
A | B |
---|---|
be all eyes | to be watching somebody or something carefully and with a lot of interest |
have an eye for something | to be able to judge if things look attractive or somebody or valuable |
keep an eye on something | to take care of something/somebody and make sure they are not damaged or harmed |
not see eye to eye with somebody | not to share the same views with somebody |
for somebody’s eyes only | to be seen only by a particular person |
Imagine that Mr Ebenezer Dorset goes to the police station to complain about his missing son. He asks the police to put up a poster saying that the person who finds his son will receive a reward of two thousand dollars.
What kind of a poster will the police make? Can you help them design a poster? See the model poster. Make the necessary changes based on the story.
MISSING
Have you seen this girl?
Meena, aged 11, was last seen in a children’s park in Bandra, Mumbai on 12 June.
She is 4 fee to inches tall, has black eyes and short hair. At the time she went missing, she was wearing a dark blue skirt and a white blouse.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of this girl should get in touch with the Bandra Police.
Telephone: (022) 23421121
Finder will be given 10,000 as reward.
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Sign up nowExtra Questions - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Literature | English | Class 6
Since love of children was strong in country people, we decided to kidnap a kid from that town.
Since love of children was strong in country people, we decided to kidnap a kid from that town.
a. Who are "we" in these lines?
b. Why do they plan a kidnapping?
c. Why do they plan to kidnap a child?
d. How does their plan backfire?
a. "We" in these lines refers to the two main characters of the story, Bill Driscoll and the narrator (Sam).
b. They planned a kidnapping because they needed to raise additional money. They had a joint capital of six hundred dollars and needed two thousand dollars to buy some land and fraud people.
c. They plan to kidnap a child because they believe that the strong love of children in country people will make them likely to pay a ransom for the child's safe return.
d. Their plan backfires because the child they kidnap turns out to be a handful and enjoys being with the kidnappers more than his own life at home. He causes them a great deal of trouble and pain during the kidnapping. Ultimately, instead of receiving a ransom, they end up having to pay the child's father to take him back, losing money in the process.
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The boy nearly hit Bill in the eye with a piece of brick. That will cost, the old man an extra five hundred dollars,' said Bill, climbing down.
a. Who is the 'boy' referred to in the first line?
b. What was Bill's first experience of the boy?
c. What does Bill mean by 'That will cost the old man an extra five hundred dollars'?
d. Who is the old man referred to by Bill?
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Sign up nowHow did the boy react to his kidnapping?
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Sign up nowWhy did Sam and Bill plan a kidnapping? Whom did they choose to kidnap and why?
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Unlock now 🔓The ransom of the red chief - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
Vocabulary - Flashcards - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
About the Author - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
O. Henry, born William Sydney Porter on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina, was an American short story writer known for his wit, wordplay, and twist endings. His stories often featured ordinary people facing unexpected situations and were set in various locations, including New York City and the American West.
O. Henry began his career as a pharmacist, but he eventually moved to Texas, where he worked in various jobs, including as a bank teller, journalist, and draftsman. He was accused of embezzlement while working at the bank and was sentenced to prison. During his time in prison, he began writing short stories to support his family and used the pen name "O. Henry" to hide his identity.
After serving his sentence, O. Henry moved to New York City, where he continued writing and gained considerable fame for his short stories. Some of his most famous works include "The Gift of the Magi," "The Ransom of Red Chief," and "The Cop and the Anthem." O. Henry's stories are characterized by their humor, surprise endings, and a deep understanding of human nature.
O. Henry's prolific career was unfortunately short-lived, as he passed away on June 5, 1910, due to complications from cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, and other health problems. Despite his relatively short writing career, O. Henry's unique style and memorable stories continue to entertain and inspire readers around the world.
Summary - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
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Plot - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
In this chapter, the story "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry is discussed. The plot revolves around two small-time criminals, Sam and Bill, who hatch a plan to kidnap a wealthy man's child and demand a ransom. They believe that kidnapping a child in the small town of Summit will be an easy task with little risk of getting caught.
They kidnap Johnny, the 10-year-old son of Ebenezer Dorset, a prominent citizen in the town. However, things do not go as planned. Johnny ....
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Unlock now 🔓Important Lines - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
- "It looked like a good thing: but wait till I tell you." - This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the story, introducing the reader to the idea that the plan concocted by Sam and Bill might not go as smoothly as they initially thought.
- "We knew that Summit couldn't get after us with anything stronger than constables and, maybe, some lackadaisical bloodhounds....
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Unlock now 🔓Themes - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
- Situational Irony:
Situational irony is a major theme in "The Ransom of Red Chief." The story is built on the premise that the kidnappers' plans go awry due to their misjudgment of their victim. Sam and Bill expect an easy payday, but instead, they find themselves tormented by the very person they kidnap. This ironic turn of events highlights how one's plans can backfire, often in humorous and unexpected ways. - The Role of Expectations:
"The Ransom of Red Chief" showcases how preconceived expectations can lead to unforeseen outcomes. Sam and Bill, as....
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Unlock now 🔓Character Sketches - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
Sam: Sam is the narrator of the story and one of the two "desperate men" involved in the kidnapping plot. He is more level-headed than his partner Bill and is the one who comes up with the idea to kidnap young Johnny. Although ruthless and desperate, Sam also has a pragmatic side to him, as he eventually chooses to accept old Dorset's offer to pay $250 to return Johnny. Sam is also quite observant, as he notices the town's reaction to Johnny's disappearance by talking to the townspeople and blending in. Throughout the story, he balances out Bill's more emotional reactions and keeps them focused on their goal of getting the ransom.
Bill Driscoll: Bill is Sam's partner in crime and ...
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Unlock now 🔓Vocabulary - The Ransom of Red Chief | New Broadway | Class 6 Literature | English
- Ransom: A sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner. In the story, Sam and Bill demand a ransom for Johnny's release.
- Provisions: Supplies of food, drink, or equipment, especially for a journey. In the chapter, Bill and Sam bring provisions to last them for a few days during the kidnapping.
- Collaborator: A person who ....
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