The Coming-Out of Maggie (Henry): Difference between revisions

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| Cycle = [[The Four Million (Henry)|The Four Million]]
| Cycle = [[The Four Million (Henry)|The Four Million]]
| Author = O. Henry
| Author = O. Henry
| Genre = short story
| Literary form = short story
| Year of publication =
| Year of publication =
| Microsummary = A plain girl brought a charming suitor to a dance, pretending he was from a respected family. The club leader confronted him, leading to a near-violent altercation. The girl confessed the truth, finding redemption.
| Microsummary = A plain young woman brought a charming man, pretending to be Irish, to a dance. The club leader confronted him, a fight ensued, and the woman's deception was revealed, ending peacefully.
| Wikidata =  
| Wikidata =  
| Wikisource = The Four Million/The Coming-Out of Maggie
| Wikisource = The Four Million/The Coming-Out of Maggie
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In the early 1900s, the Clover Leaf Social Club held a dance every Saturday night at the Give and Take Athletic Association hall on the East Side. To attend, one had to be a member of the association or work at Rhinegold's paper-box factory. Maggie Toole, a plain-looking girl with a dull social life, usually attended these dances with her best friend, Anna McCarty, and Anna's boyfriend, Jimmy Burns.
Maggie Toole, a plain and unassuming young woman, usually attended the weekly dance at the Clover Leaf Social Club with her friend Anna McCarty and Anna's boyfriend, Jimmy Burns.


{{Character
{{Character
| Name = Maggie Toole
| Name = Maggie Toole
| Description = Plain-looking girl in her 20s; works at a paper-box factory; dull eyes, broad mouth; loyal, sweet, and unassuming
| Description = plain, loyal, unassuming girl in her 20s; Anna's best friend; dull eyes, broad mouth, brown hair; transforms into a more confident and assertive woman
| Emoji = 👩🏻‍🦱
| Emoji = 👩🏻‍🦱
}}
}}


One Saturday, Maggie surprised Anna by announcing that she had a gentleman friend who would escort her to the dance. At the event, Maggie introduced her suitor as Terry O'Sullivan, a charming and attractive man who quickly became the center of attention.
One day, Maggie decided to bring her own date to the dance, a charming man named Terry O'Sullivan. However, Terry was not who he claimed to be; his real name was Tony Spinelli, and he was an Italian man pretending to be Irish to fit in with the club members.
 
At the dance, Terry quickly became popular with the attendees, impressing them with his good looks and smooth dance moves. However, Dempsey Donovan, the club's leader, grew suspicious of Terry and confronted him.


{{Character
{{Character
| Name = Terry O'Sullivan (Tony Spinelli)
| Name = Dempsey Donovan
| Description = Maggie's suitor, later revealed to be Italian; in his 20s or 30s; dark curly hair, bright eyes, and teeth; charming, attractive, and deceitful
| Description = club leader in his 30s; strong, authoritative figure; values loyalty and integrity; intervenes in the fight with Terry; asks Maggie to the next dance
| Emoji = 🧑🏻
| Emoji = 👨🏻‍🦳
}}
}}


However, the leader of the association, Dempsey Donovan, grew suspicious of Terry's true identity, as he had never seen him before and questioned his claim of being an O'Sullivan.
A fight broke out between the two men, and Maggie rushed in just in time to stop Terry from using a knife he had drawn from his clothing. She revealed Terry's true identity and her own deception to the club members.


{{Character
{{Quote|I knew he was a Guinea. His name's Tony Spinelli. I hurried in when they told me you and him was scrappin'. Them Guineas always carries knives.}}
| Name = Dempsey Donovan
| Description = Leader of the Give and Take Athletic Association; in his 30s; strong build, glacial eye, dominating mouth, and fair complexion; cool, confident, and protective
| Emoji = 👱🏻‍♂️
}}


As the night progressed, Dempsey confronted Terry, and a tense standoff ensued. Just as Terry was about to attack Dempsey with a stiletto, Maggie intervened, grabbing his arm and causing the knife to fall to the floor. This shocking act went against the club's code of conduct, and Terry was promptly thrown out.
Despite the dramatic turn of events, the situation was resolved peacefully. Terry was escorted out of the club, and Dempsey, showing his understanding and compassion, asked Maggie to attend the next dance with him. Maggie, who had never had a boyfriend before, was thrilled by the invitation and happily accepted.


Maggie then confessed to Dempsey that Terry was not an O'Sullivan but an Italian man named Tony Spinelli. She had arranged for him to pretend to be an O'Sullivan so that he would be accepted by the club members. Feeling guilty, Maggie offered to resign from the club. However, Dempsey, touched by her honesty, asked her to attend the next dance with him, to which she happily agreed.
{{Quote|With you, Dempsey? Say—will a duck swim?}}


The story highlights the importance of honesty and staying true to oneself, as well as the challenges faced by immigrants in a society that often judged them based on their ethnicity. It also showcases the power of friendship and the potential for redemption and new beginnings.
The story highlights the importance of honesty and acceptance in relationships and social settings. Maggie's deception, while initially successful in helping her fit in with the club members, ultimately led to a dangerous situation and the revelation of Terry's true character. However, the story ends on a hopeful note, with Dempsey offering Maggie a chance at genuine connection and acceptance within the club.


{{End of text}}
{{End of text}}

Latest revision as of 10:15, 14 May 2023

Disclaimer: This summary was generated by AI, so it may contain errors.
The Coming-Out of Maggie
 
Summary of the Short Story
from the Collection «The Four Million»
Microsummary: A plain young woman brought a charming man, pretending to be Irish, to a dance. The club leader confronted him, a fight ensued, and the woman's deception was revealed, ending peacefully.

Maggie Toole, a plain and unassuming young woman, usually attended the weekly dance at the Clover Leaf Social Club with her friend Anna McCarty and Anna's boyfriend, Jimmy Burns.

👩🏻‍🦱
Maggie Toole — plain, loyal, unassuming girl in her 20s; Anna's best friend; dull eyes, broad mouth, brown hair; transforms into a more confident and assertive woman.

One day, Maggie decided to bring her own date to the dance, a charming man named Terry O'Sullivan. However, Terry was not who he claimed to be; his real name was Tony Spinelli, and he was an Italian man pretending to be Irish to fit in with the club members.

At the dance, Terry quickly became popular with the attendees, impressing them with his good looks and smooth dance moves. However, Dempsey Donovan, the club's leader, grew suspicious of Terry and confronted him.

👨🏻‍🦳
Dempsey Donovan — club leader in his 30s; strong, authoritative figure; values loyalty and integrity; intervenes in the fight with Terry; asks Maggie to the next dance.

A fight broke out between the two men, and Maggie rushed in just in time to stop Terry from using a knife he had drawn from his clothing. She revealed Terry's true identity and her own deception to the club members.

I knew he was a Guinea. His name's Tony Spinelli. I hurried in when they told me you and him was scrappin'. Them Guineas always carries knives.

Despite the dramatic turn of events, the situation was resolved peacefully. Terry was escorted out of the club, and Dempsey, showing his understanding and compassion, asked Maggie to attend the next dance with him. Maggie, who had never had a boyfriend before, was thrilled by the invitation and happily accepted.

With you, Dempsey? Say—will a duck swim?

The story highlights the importance of honesty and acceptance in relationships and social settings. Maggie's deception, while initially successful in helping her fit in with the club members, ultimately led to a dangerous situation and the revelation of Terry's true character. However, the story ends on a hopeful note, with Dempsey offering Maggie a chance at genuine connection and acceptance within the club.