LEAH: Retrieved Reformation

Leah Hirneisen

English 9

Ms. Henderson

October 12, 2017

Worthy Of Freedom

            In O’Henry’s short story “A Retrieved Reformation,” Jimmy Valentine deserves to be freed despite his acts of crime because he selflessly gave up everything to save the life of a child. To begin, Mr. Valentine reforms himself into a trustworthy citizen. “At the end of a year a situation of Mr. Ralph D. Spencer was this: he had won the respect of the community, his shoe store was flourishing, and he and Annabel were engaged to be married in two weeks” (O’Henry 192). Valentine is no longer pursuing a life of crime. While he used to rob safes, now he runs a successful, legitimate business. As a respectable gentleman, he is engaged to the banker’s daughter. Next, Valentine transforms into an honest businessman and is no longer a criminal. “She believes in me, and I wouldn’t do another crooked thing for the whole world. Be sure to be at Sully’s, for I must see you. I’ll bring the tools with me” (O’Henry 193). Falling in love with the banker’s daughter, has motivated Valentine to live a clean life. He is giving away his safe-breaking equipment. Without his gear, Valentine will be unable to rob safes ever again. Finally, Mr. Valentine risks his freedom to save a child. “With that act Ralph D. Spencer passed away, and Jimmy Valentine took his place…. He set his suitcase on the table and opened it out flat. In a deep silence and immoveable, the others watched him as if under a spell” (O’Henry 195). Valentine’s fiancé’s niece gets trapped in a safe. Valentine is forced to go back to his old safe-breaking self. Mr. Valentine risks his life to save another. Jimmy Valentine in O’Henry’s “A Retrieved Reformation”, is worthy of freedom because he risks everything he had to save a little girl.