Simple guide
A Retrieved Reformation Summary
A Retrieved Reformation is a short public-domain classic by O. Henry. This guide gives the original text, what happens, why it matters, and who appears.
Main idea
A Retrieved Reformation follows Jimmy Valentine, a skilled safecracker who leaves prison and returns to crime before love changes his life. Under a new identity, he builds a respectable future. When a child is trapped in a bank safe, Jimmy must reveal his old skill to save her, risking everything he has become.
- Jimmy Valentine tries to leave crime behind, but a trapped child forces him to use his old safecracking skill for good.
- This story matters because it turns a crime story into a question about whether a person can truly change.
- Read the original after the What happens here section so the older wording is easier to follow.
How to read it
Start with the What happens here section, then compare it with the original text. Focus on the conflict, the turning point, and what the ending changes.
Best section to start with
This work is short enough to read as one section, so begin with the main story page and use the full-original toggle when ready.
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FAQ
What is A Retrieved Reformation about?
Jimmy Valentine tries to leave crime behind, but a trapped child forces him to use his old safecracking skill for good.
Is A Retrieved Reformation hard to read?
The original may use older prose, but the Simple Classics page gives a plain-English bridge before the full original text.