Jimmy Valentine by O. Henry – Questions and Answers(L.A.Q.) || Minhajuddin Mondal

A Brief Discussion About the Story:

Jimmy Valentine is an interesting short-story of O. Henry. The main character of the story is Jimmy Valentine. The whole story revolves round Jimmy. He is a top class burglar. He loots banks, leaving no clue. The police suspect him but hardly arrest him. A noted detective can spot him out. But Jimmy is not at all bad at heart. After a big bank burglary Jimmy changes his address. He comes to settle in Elmore. Here he suddenly changes for the better. 

It is all for Annabel Lee, a banker’s daughter. Jimmy falls in love with her. Jimmy the burglar is transformed into Mr. Ralph D. Spencer, the businessman. Jimmy opens a shoe-shore in Elmore and soon his business thrives. Jimmy and Anabel are engaged. So far there is no twist in the story. 

But an accident takes place. Annabel’s cousin gets locked in a vault in her father’s bank. None can open the lock. It is a new vault. The system of unlocking the vault is not known. Obviously, all are panicky. The situation comes to such a pass that Jimmy has to use his expertise. He knows the result of his work. To save the life of the girl means the public exposure of his past identity. But he does not hesitate. Anyway, the girl has been saved. And Jimmy comes face to face with the detective, Ben Price who has long been watching the whole scene. Here again the story takes an abrupt turn. Then the ball is in the court of the detective. Yet Jimmy wins the game. For, the detective  refuses to recognize Jimmy. Thus the story, within its short compass upholds the whole of Jimmy.

1)What did Jimmy write to his old friend? Why did he write so? [3+2 = 5] [class 11 – 2015, 2018]

Ans:- ➢After spending a year in Elmore and settle himself as a prosperous businessman, Jimmy wrote a letter to his old friend Billy. He asked Billy to meet him at Sullivan’s place on next Wednesday.  He wanted to wind up some little matters and to present him the burglar’s tools. He did not need them because he wished to lead an honest life. He had a nice shoe-store. He also informed Billy that within two weeks, he was going to marry the finest girl on earth.

➢He wrote the letter to inform Billy about his present position as a successful businessman and his future-plans after marriage. He realised that leading an honest life was the only life. His words showed Jimmy’s reformation as a good human being.

2)What did Jimmy Valentine do from the time he got out of jail till met Mike Dolan? [5] [class 11 – 2017]

Ans. After coming out of the jail, Jimmy headed straight for a restaurant ignoring the natural beauties like the songs of birds, the waving green trees, and the smell of the flowers. In the hotel, he tasted the first sweet joys of liberty in the form of a broiled chicken, a bottle of white wine and a good quality cigar. Then he reached the depot and before entering the train, he tossed a quarter of a dollar in the hat of a blind man. Then he travelled for three hours and reached a little town where his friend Mike Dolan lived.

OR

Jimmy had been in jail for nearly ten months. He had been accused of burglary. However, he managed to get pardon from the governor and the warden released him. The clerk handed him a railroad ticket, a sum of five dollar and the warden give him a cigar. After released from jail, he walked out into the Sunshine and disregarding the song of the birds, the waving green trees, and the smell of the flowers, he headed straight for a restaurant. There he tasted the first sweet joys of liberty in the shape of a broiled chicken and a bottle of white wine. Then he relished a fine cigar better than one given by the warden. From there he proceeded leisurely to the depot. He found a blind man sitting by the gate and he tossed a quarter into his hat and boarded his train. In three hours he reached the little town. He went to the café of Mike Dolan and shook hands with him And took the key to his room.

3)What new name did Jimmy Valentine assume at Elmore? What business did Jimmy open there? How did Jimmy fare at Elmore? [1+1+3 = 5] [class 11 – 2016]

Ans:- ➢ Jimmy Valentine assumed a new name Ralph D. Spenser at Elmore.

➢Jimmy opened an exclusive shoe-store at Elmore.

➢Jimmy opened a shoe-store and secured a good run of it. Within a year he became a prosperous businessman and he earned the social reputation in the community. And most of all he fell in love. In two weeks he was going to marry the finest girl on earth, Annabel Adams. He was received cordially by the Adams family.

OR

Ans:- ➣ Jimmy Valentine assumed the new name of Ralph D. Spencer at Elmore.

 ➣ He opened a shoe business at Elmore.

 ➣In Elmore Jimmy’s shoe business was flourishing and secured a good run of trade. In Elmore, dry-goods and general stores handle the shoe business. There was not any exclusive shoe-store in the place, it was an additional benefit for Jimmy to prosper his business. At the end of the year, Jimmy had won the respect of the community and had an adorable person. He succeeded in securing the love of Annabel and they were engaged to be married. Even Mr. Adams, the typical, plodding, country banker approved of Jimmy.

4) “He opened this and gazed fondly.” – What was opened? What did the person gaze fondly at? Why did he gaze at it fondly? [1+2+2 =5]

Ans:-➢ Jimmy’s suitcase was opened.

➢Jimmy fondly gazed at the finest set of burglar’s tools which include the latest designs of drills, punches, braces, bits Jimmies, clamps, augers etc.

➢The burglar’s tools meant a lot for him. They were made of tempered steel which cost more than nine hundred dollars. He took pride in them. After ten months of separation from the suitcase, he was fortunate to meet the tools. So, he gazed fondly at his valuable possessions.

5) “Ben Price investigated the scene of the robberies and was heard to remark.” – Who was Ben Price? What did he say? What did he know of Jimmy’s habits? [1+1+3 = 5] [class 11 – 2020]

Ans:- ➢ Ben Price was a famous detective who arrested Jimmy and was investigating the cases of burglaries.

➢By investigating the method of burglaries, Ben Price was heard to remark that they were all done by Dandy Jim Valentine. He found his autograph everywhere. He resumed his business.

➢While working on the Springfield case, he learnt a lot of things about Jimmy’s habits. Long jumps, quick getaway, no crime partner and a taste for good society were his characteristic features. These habits made Jimmy a successful dodger from punishment.

6) “Mr Ralph D. Spencer, the phoenix that arose from Jimmy Valentine’s ashes.” – Who is Ralph D. Spencer? What is Phoenix? Why has the comparison been made? [1+2+2 = 5] [class 11 – 2019]

Ans:- ➢ Mr. Ralph D. Spencer was the new name that Jimmy Valentine had assumed at Elmore.

➢According to the ancient mythological stories, the phoenix is a legendary Arabian bird. It burns itself to ashes in every five hundred years and is again born out of its ashes.

➢When Jimmy Valentine looked into Annabel’s eyes, he forgot himself and became another man. He decided to avoid his old profession of burglary and would lead an honest life with a new name. By the attack of love, Ralph D. Spencer emerged from the ashes of Jimmy Valentine. Thus the comparison of jimmy valentine with the phoenix is appropriate.

7) “That child – she can’t stand it long in there.” – Who is referred to here? Why was she in danger? How was she saved? [1+2+2 = 5] [class 11 – 2014]

Ans:- ➢ The child referred to here is Agatha, daughter of Annabel’s elder sister.

➢While all were busy in talking, May in a spirit of play had shut Agatha in the vault. The vault could not be easily opened. The combination of bolts and knobs was not set. There was little air. Agatha would go into convulsion from fright. That was why she was in danger.

➢All were bewildered with excitement at that moment. Annabel with full of anguish begged Jimmy to do something to rescue the child. Jimmy agreed but aware of the fact that he would lose everything. He opened the suitcase and in ten minutes he broke the vault by his pet drills. In this way, he saved the child.

8) Describe the contents of Jimmy’s suitcase. Why does he gaze fondly at them?

Ans:- ➢  Jimmy is a professional burglar. Jimmy has a suitcase and it contains a complete set of the finest burglary tools made of special tempered steel. It contains latest designs in drills, punches, braces and bits, jimmies, clamps and augers. Some of them are quite novel as they are invented by Jimmy himself.

➢After being released from prison, Jimmy appears in his secret dormitory. There he took out his suitcase filled with dirt from a secret place on the wall. He then opens the suitcase and looks at the instruments in it with absolute affection, because these instruments were the most perfect set of stealing tools in the East. As a professional safe-cracker, he uses all the tools effectively. His profession success mostly depends upon these tools. Again, some of his tools are his own making. Obviously, he has great attachment to his invention. Besides, these tools cost him over nine hundred dollars. Jimmy knows the secret of his success lies in the effectivity of his favourite set of tools. Hence, I think Jimmy fondly gazes at them.

9)  “That’s Dandy Jimmy Valentine’s autograph” — Who is the speaker ? What was the context of the remark?

Ans:- ➢  The speaker is Ben Price, the detective.

➢After Jimmy’s release from jail, there was three neat job of safe-burglary done, first in Richmond in Indiana, then in Logansport, at last in Jefferson City. Ben Price, the detective investigated the scenes of the robberies and confirmed that those were the handwork of none other than Jimmy Valentine. Jimmy was a professional burglar. He did not leave any clue of his misdeeds. He jerked out the combination lock using his special tools. He used his drill to make only one hole in the vault. The tumblers were punched out clearly. Ben Price knew these were Jimmy’s signature style. By comparing with these notes, a remarkable similarity in the methods of burglary was detected which showed the invisible autograph of Jimmy Valentine.

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