After Twenty Years Critical Analysis

“After Twenty Years” written by O. Henry, is abundant in literary devices which add to the total effect of the story, and its impact on readers. The story contains Irony, conflict, and characterization, all which are portrayed through the theme of ‘change’. “After Twenty Years”regards two old friends, “Silky” Bob and Jimmy, who haven’t corresponded in 20 years and who agreed to meet up with one another after the aforementioned 20 years passed. Throughout the story, readers are able to observe how much the characters have changed, the changes in their relationship, and see how much different everything seems after those long 20 years. The change both of the men undergo is ironic, and creates a major conflict between the two. It also helps

There are many different types of conflicts used , but the main one that readers find in “After Twenty Years” is a man vs. man conflict. The theme of “change” affects the story by using the conflict to depict the changes that the two men went through. “Silky” Bob became a completely different man within those 20 years, creating conflict between Jimmy and himself as a result . Jimmy tells Bob in his letter, “When you struck the match to light the cigar I saw it was the face of a man wanted in Chicago.” (20). This quote shows how Bob’s change,where he transforms into a criminal, created conflict between him and his old friend who was now a police officer. Once we figure out that Jimmy is the police officer, and he knew Bob was a criminal, the conflict between the two reveals itself to us. The difference in Bob did not only creates a conflict between him and Jimmy, a man vs man conflict, it also creates a man vs. inner self conflict within Jimmy. Jimmy says in his note to Bob, “Somehow, I couldn’t arrest you myself” (20). Bob’s change creates conflict within Jimmy because even though Bob is an old friend, he is now a criminal. Jimmy has to make a hard decision by arresting his friend instead of protecting him. The quote shows how torn Jimmy was by having to arrest his friend. As it says on page 18, Bob and Jimmy used to be just like brothers. Now that things have changed and they have walked

The end of the story was full of irony considering how different the 2 men were from each other and how their lifestyles became polar opposites within those 20 years. The irony in the story begins to show when Bob reads the letter written by Jimmy that starts off with “Bob: I was at the appointed place on time.” (20). When Jimmy writes that, the readers tend to ask themselves, who was there with Bob? After asking themselves that question, they come to the conclusion that only the police officer was there, meaning that the police officer was Jimmy all along. It was ironic because he was waiting for his friend, and talking about his friend to this random police officer, only to have it have been his friend he was talking to all along. Silky Bobs transformation into a criminal, creates an ironic conflict between him and his old friend. In the story the second officer says “here’s a note i was asked to hand you. It’s from patrolman Wells.” (20). It is at this moment that the readers realize, Jimmy Wells is Patrolman Wells. Both men changed, Jimmy into a police officer and Bob into a criminal. Those are two conflicting jobs, and it’s ironic that they both changed into completely opposite roles. What were the chances that the two old friends would turn into criminal and cop? Another part of the story that was ironic, was