According to Their Lights (Henry): Difference between revisions

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According to Their Lights

1911

Summary of the Short Story
from the Collection «The Trimmed Lamp»

Microsummary: Two destitute friends in New York City struggled to find food and shelter, while remaining loyal to their principles and refusing to betray former friends for personal gain.

In the depths of a big city, two down-on-their-luck men, young Murray and the Captain, met and became friends. Both had fallen from respectable positions and were struggling to survive. The Captain, a former police officer, had been dismissed from the force and lost all his possessions. Murray, once a wealthy man, had been disowned by his family and left penniless.

👮🏻‍♂️

Captain — former police captain; large, red-faced, and unkempt; loyal, stubborn, and principled.

🧑🏻

Murray — young, fallen from wealth; ragged, ghost-like appearance; cynical, disillusioned.

One evening, the two men sat on a park bench, hungry and desperate for a meal. Murray expressed his desperation and willingness to betray someone for a small amount of money or alcohol.

I think, that I would play Judas for the price of one drink of whiskey. For thirty pieces of silver I would

The Captain left to try and find food, but returned covered in filth and empty-handed. Meanwhile, Murray had gone to the police station to inquire about a possible reward for turning in the Captain, but was rebuffed by the desk sergeant.

Later, a well-dressed man named Charlie Finnegan approached the Captain with a proposition. He offered the Captain $500 to testify against his former superior, Inspector Pickering, who was on trial for corruption. Despite his desperate situation, the Captain refused to betray his friend.

A man that gives his friend away is worse than a pirate.

Murray, on the other hand, was approached by a man in an opera hat who informed him that his wealthy uncle had decided to reinstate him into the family and provide him with money. However, this came with the condition that Murray marry a certain heiress. Murray declined the offer, unwilling to marry the woman due to her unattractive appearance.

The two men then joined a long line of people waiting for free bread, as the city clocks struck midnight. Despite their differing backgrounds and values, both Murray and the Captain had chosen loyalty and personal integrity over financial gain.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 | Title = According to Their Lights
 | Author = O. Henry
+| Cycle = [[The_Trimmed_Lamp_(short_story_collection,_Henry)|The Trimmed Lamp]]
 | Literary form = short story
 | Year of publication = 1911
-| Microsummary = Two down-on-their-luck friends debated the merits of staying in the city versus escaping to the countryside during summer, while one of them refused to betray a former friend for money.
+| Microsummary = Two destitute friends in New York City struggled to find food and shelter, while remaining loyal to their principles and refusing to betray former friends for personal gain.
 }}
 {{Start of text}}
-In the depths of a big city, two down-on-their-luck friends, young Murray and the Captain, met and bonded over their shared misfortunes. Both had fallen from respectable positions and were now struggling to survive.
+In the depths of a big city, two down-on-their-luck men, young Murray and the Captain, met and became friends. Both had fallen from respectable positions and were struggling to survive. The Captain, a former police officer, had been dismissed from the force and lost all his possessions. Murray, once a wealthy man, had been disowned by his family and left penniless.
 {{Character
 | Name = Captain
-| Description = former police captain; large, red-faced, and down on his luck; loyal to his friends
+| Description = former police captain; large, red-faced, and unkempt; loyal, stubborn, and principled
 | Emoji = 👮🏻‍♂️
 }}
@@ Line 21: / Line 22: @@
 {{Character
 | Name = Murray
-| Description = young man; fallen from wealth and respectability; prefers city life in summer
+| Description = young, fallen from wealth; ragged, ghost-like appearance; cynical, disillusioned
 | Emoji = 🧑🏻
 }}
-One evening, they sat on a bench in a park, discussing their hunger and failed attempts to find food. The Captain decided to try one more time to find something to eat and left Murray in the park.
+One evening, the two men sat on a park bench, hungry and desperate for a meal. Murray expressed his desperation and willingness to betray someone for a small amount of money or alcohol.
 {{Quote
-| Text = I’d marry the Empress of China for one bowl of chop suey. I’d commit murder for a plate of beef stew. I’d steal a wafer from a waif. I’d be a Mormon for a bowl of chowder.
+| Text = I think, that I would play Judas for the price of one drink of whiskey. For thirty pieces of silver I would
-| Context = The Captain says this while he and Murray are sitting on a park bench, expressing his desperation for food and the lengths he would go to in order to get it.
+| Context = Murray expresses his desperation and willingness to betray someone for a small amount of money or alcohol. This conversation takes place while the two friends are sitting on a park bench, discussing their dire situation.
 }}
-While waiting, Murray inquired about a former police captain named Maroney, who had been dismissed from the force, to see if there was a reward for his capture. The sergeant informed him that there was no reward and that Maroney was not wanted.
+The Captain left to try and find food, but returned covered in filth and empty-handed. Meanwhile, Murray had gone to the police station to inquire about a possible reward for turning in the Captain, but was rebuffed by the desk sergeant.
-Meanwhile, the Captain tried to propose marriage to an Italian woman who sold apples and garlic on Essex Street, hoping to improve his situation. However, she rejected him, leaving him covered in a greasy, garlic-smelling liquid. He returned to the park, where Murray informed him of his inquiry about Maroney. The Captain was appalled that Murray would consider betraying a friend for money.
+Later, a well-dressed man named Charlie Finnegan approached the Captain with a proposition. He offered the Captain $500 to testify against his former superior, Inspector Pickering, who was on trial for corruption. Despite his desperate situation, the Captain refused to betray his friend.
-Later, a man named Charlie Finnegan approached the Captain, offering him $500 to testify against his former inspector, Dan Pickering, who was on trial for graft charges. The Captain refused, stating that he would never betray a friend. Murray, on the other hand, said he would have taken the money and testified against Pickering.
 {{Quote
-| Text = I think I would play Judas for the price of one drink of whiskey. For thirty pieces of silver I would
+| Text = A man that gives his friend away is worse than a pirate.
-| Context = Murray says this while sitting on the park bench with the Captain, revealing his own desperation and willingness to betray someone for a small amount of money or comfort.
+| Context = The Captain shares his strong belief in loyalty and friendship, even in the face of personal hardship. This quote occurs after he refuses to testify against a former friend for money, despite his desperate situation.
 }}
-The story highlights the different values and moral compasses of the two friends, who both act according to their own beliefs and circumstances. Despite their hardships, the Captain remains loyal to his friends, while Murray is willing to betray them for personal gain.
+Murray, on the other hand, was approached by a man in an opera hat who informed him that his wealthy uncle had decided to reinstate him into the family and provide him with money. However, this came with the condition that Murray marry a certain heiress. Murray declined the offer, unwilling to marry the woman due to her unattractive appearance.
+The two men then joined a long line of people waiting for free bread, as the city clocks struck midnight. Despite their differing backgrounds and values, both Murray and the Captain had chosen loyalty and personal integrity over financial gain.
 {{End of text}}