Life presents us with many paths, some risky and some tranquil, but depending on what paths you choose, will determine how you live your life. Jimmy Valentine is a young adult who lives in Missouri during the late 1800’s. His occupation is a criminal, and a rather good one at that. Jimmy’s high status in the criminal world comes with great skill and many friends. After three months in jail, Jimmy is released back into the regular world. Getting straight down to business, he almost immediately travels out of town and resumes robbing banks. Which led to an investigation and a man hunt by a detective named Ben Price. Then, one day, Jimmy came to the small town of Elmore, Arkansas. Here, Jimmy’s life change in no way he could ever imagine. Jimmy
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The first step Jimmy took in his journey was changing his name to Ralph Spencer. A simple name change shows Jimmy doesn’t want to be stuck as a criminal, but rather to have a chance starting new. In time, Elmore provided Jimmy with many friends and family. “He was much at home in the family of Mr.Adams and that of Annabel’s married sister as if he were already a member” (O. Henry page 3). Marrying Annabel changed Jimmy, causing him to stay in Elmore, and it helped shape into the caring, respectable man he has become. His commitment to Annabel gave him a reason to become moral, a lifelong love and a family who supports him. In the process of cutting away the last ties to his previous life, Jimmy, writes a letter to an old friend, including his plans to move west. Not only was Jimmy’s business a huge commitment, but selling it and moving west proves his willingness for a straight life. The west provides new land and freedom to escape the stress of his past, giving him the final push to be separated from his old …show more content…
Although, Jimmy loves Annabel and his newly found family very much, to hide his past he had to lie to them. Knowing he had found a better life, along with a life long love, Jimmy knew that lying was the only way he could conceal his past, without hurting those he loved. He loved his family so much, he lied just to have a happy future with them. Despite his lying, the truth was finally revealed. “In a minute Jimmy’s pet drill was biting smoothly into the steel door” (O. Henry page 6). During an inspection of Mr. Adam’s, Jimmy future father-in-law, new safe one of Annabel’s sister’s children, Agatha, got trapped inside, with no way of freeing her. Additionally, after a long time of searching Ben Price, the detective searching for Jimmy, has finally found him in the bank watching for what Jimmy will do. In a moment of life or death, Jimmy risks everything he’s worked for in the past year to save Agatha. With no hesitation, Jimmy pulls out his tools, drills open the safe, revealing his past, and saves Agatha. “Got along at last, have you? Well, let’s go. I don’t know that it makes much difference now” (O.Henry page 6). Feeling defeated, Jimmy sees Ben and know instantly the fights over and surrenders. However, after realizing Jimmy’s effort to live a moral life, he acts as if he’s never seen him before and leaves the bank. Even Ben Price can see, though Jimmy’s acts of courage, that he is devoted
The first step Jimmy took in his journey was changing his name to Ralph Spencer. A simple name change shows Jimmy doesn’t want to be stuck as a criminal, but rather to have a chance starting new. In time, Elmore provided Jimmy with many friends and family. “He was much at home in the family of Mr.Adams and that of Annabel’s married sister as if he were already a member” (O. Henry page 3). Marrying Annabel changed Jimmy, causing him to stay in Elmore, and it helped shape into the caring, respectable man he has become. His commitment to Annabel gave him a reason to become moral, a lifelong love and a family who supports him. In the process of cutting away the last ties to his previous life, Jimmy, writes a letter to an old friend, including his plans to move west. Not only was Jimmy’s business a huge commitment, but selling it and moving west proves his willingness for a straight life. The west provides new land and freedom to escape the stress of his past, giving him the final push to be separated from his old …show more content…
Although, Jimmy loves Annabel and his newly found family very much, to hide his past he had to lie to them. Knowing he had found a better life, along with a life long love, Jimmy knew that lying was the only way he could conceal his past, without hurting those he loved. He loved his family so much, he lied just to have a happy future with them. Despite his lying, the truth was finally revealed. “In a minute Jimmy’s pet drill was biting smoothly into the steel door” (O. Henry page 6). During an inspection of Mr. Adam’s, Jimmy future father-in-law, new safe one of Annabel’s sister’s children, Agatha, got trapped inside, with no way of freeing her. Additionally, after a long time of searching Ben Price, the detective searching for Jimmy, has finally found him in the bank watching for what Jimmy will do. In a moment of life or death, Jimmy risks everything he’s worked for in the past year to save Agatha. With no hesitation, Jimmy pulls out his tools, drills open the safe, revealing his past, and saves Agatha. “Got along at last, have you? Well, let’s go. I don’t know that it makes much difference now” (O.Henry page 6). Feeling defeated, Jimmy sees Ben and know instantly the fights over and surrenders. However, after realizing Jimmy’s effort to live a moral life, he acts as if he’s never seen him before and leaves the bank. Even Ben Price can see, though Jimmy’s acts of courage, that he is devoted