One Thousand Dollars Summary

The short story One Thousand Dollars by O. Henry is about a young Gillian that must be providing the report how to use money one thousand dollars. Gillian has a rich uncle but her uncle died. From this will, he’s uncle want a report of how Gillian can use this one thousand dollars if Gillian have this money. Gillian meets some people, he want to know and ask of them if they have one thousand dollars. He went to Old Bryson at his club to ask how to use one thousand dollars. After that, he also met Miss Lauriere in theater stage. She also gave an answer as to how to spend a thousand dollars. Mr. Gillian asked the taxi driver to answer the same questions but the answers he is also not the way he wanted to spend the money.

However, no one can help him. Then, he saw the blind man had more than one thousand dollars in the account. Gillian made a sudden decision to give all the inheritance money to Miss Hayden. Finally, he visited Miss Hayden at the library. He also told her that he loved and gave one thousand dollars. Miss Hayden refused to love the Giilian but received the money. Then, he wrote the account shows how he spent one thousand dollars and are ready to provide a report on the accounts to the lawyer Tolman. Then he discovered that there are conditions of his uncle who said that if he used the money prudently, fifty thousand clear would be given to him. However, he was not concerned with conditions set forth. Giilian tore the reports before read by the lawyer Tolman and left happily.

2.0 TYPE OF STORY

In “One Thousand Dollars”, Mr. Gillian told by lawyers Tolman to use the money wisely one thousand dollars and he should prepare a report on how he uses it. Gillian got the idea after asking a few people about how to use the money, and continue to make the decision to give money one thousand dollars to the person who loved the Miss Hayden. Although Ms. Hayden rejects his love, he still wants to give money one thousand dollars to the woman. Gillian prepares a report on how he uses the money one thousand dollars and goes to the lawyer Tolman. Gillian was ready to show the report but not occur and tearing that report. This is because he feels that will not get money fifty thousand dollars for not using the money wisely. With whistling happy situation, he has left office. This statement indicates that the story is textually implicit. Gillian not sad but happy when he does not get the money fifty thousand dollars and his love as well. This also because, he not knows the right way for manage one thousand dollars that given to him.

3.0 STORY STRUCTURE

ELEMENT 1 – THEME:

In “One Thousand Dollars” by O.Henry related to the money. Theme appropriate of One Thousand Dollars is how to manage money and to manage the money we need to have experience of how to manage. However, the main character does not know how to manage this money. Gillian asked to manage his money that his uncle had died. He is required to provide the reports how he uses this one thousand dollars as soon as possible. Therefore, Gillian immediately asked some people without thinking wisely. Besides that, love cannot buy with money. This is because Miss Hayden rejects his love even received money from him.

“Gillian half turned and looked out the window. In a low voice he said, “I suppose, of course, that you know I love you.”

“I am sorry,” said Miss Hayden, as she picked up her money.”(pg 3, line 24)

One Thousand Dollars Mr. Gillian can open our minds how to make this decision because of the decisions we make have to think about the good and bad for us and the people who are around us. We also need to trust in managing the money that has been entrusted to us. Moral of the story we need to manage finances wisely and must be carefully in action.

ELEMENT 2 – SETTING (Characters) :

The main character of the story “One Thousand Dollars” is Gillian. He is a young teenager who through experience on how to manage the money that had been left by a deceased uncle. If he could spend the money prudently, he will still get fifty thousand. According to his lawyer uncle, named Tolman during their first meeting.

“Young Gillian touched the thin package of fifty-dollar bills and laughed.

“It’s such an unusual amount,” he explained, kindly, to the lawyer. “If it had been ten thousand a man might celebrate with a lot of fireworks. Even fifty dollars would have been less trouble.”(pg 1,line 3)

In “One Thousand Dollars” Gillian is an ignorant and rude. He does not have the spirit and endurance. He relied on other people, or the people around him to help him on the way to use a thousand dollars prudently.

“Now, what can a man possibly do with a thousand dollars?”(pg 1, line 22)

“What would you do with a thousand dollars if you had it?” (pg 2, line 28)

He also calm and ego because when can know about if he used the money prudently, fifty thousand clear will be given to him, he tore the account and go to whistling happy. Gillian portrayed as an immature, volatile and not responsible for his actions.

“He calmly tore the report and its cover into pieces and dropped them into his pocket.”(pg 4, line 24)

“Tolman and Sharp shook their heads mournfully at each other when Gillian left. They heard him whistling happily in the hallway as he waited for the elevator.”(pg 4, line 29)

ELEMENT 3 – ATTEMPT:

Attempt is a character takes action to achieve his goals. In the story of One Thousand Dollars, the main character in the short story is Mr. Gillian. He has been taking action to prepare a report on how to make use of one thousand dollars. He tried to ask some of friends are known like Old Bryson at the club, the taxi driver when he boarded a taxi, a blind man on the sidewalk and Miss Lauriere in Stage Theater about what to do with the money of one thousand dollars.

“Eight blocks down Broadway, Gillian got out of the cab. A blind man sat on the sidewalk selling pencils. Gillian went out and stood in front of him.”(pg 2, line 33)

“Excuse me, but would you mind telling me what you would do if you had a thousand dollars?” (pg 3, line 1)

He also went to meet a lawyer to find out what his uncle that he wanted to know. However, in the end for the sake of love Gillian was gived the money to Miss Hayden and willing to reject the conditions to get the sum of fifty thousand dollars. Gillian found the solution by asking questions. Finally, he made sure giving his lover the money was the best way.

“I beg your pardon,” said Gillian, cheerfully. “But was Miss Hayden left anything by my uncle’s will in addition to the ring and the ten dollars?”(pg 3, line 9)

“Paid by Robert Gillian, one thousand dollars on account of the eternal happiness, owed by Heaven to the best and dearest woman on earth.”(pg 4, line 1)

ELEMENT 4 – STYLE:

The language is a figurative language. As evidence, there are few words such as “Even fifty dollars would have been loss trouble”. (pg 1, line 5) The writer would like to make the text draw readers’ attention to read this story further. Besides, “When he saw Gillian coming near he took a noisy, deep breath, laid down his book and took off his glasses.” (pg 1, line 14).

There is also having simile language such as “You can go and buy Miss Lotta Lauriere a diamond necklace with the money and then take yourself off to Idaho and inflict your presence upon a ranch.”(pg 2, line 11).

Then, in One Thousand Dollars is interesting language such as “I have funny story to tell you, said Gillian”(pg 1, line 16) and ” I thought the late Septimus Gillian was worth something like half a million, said Old Bryson showed very little interest.(pg 1,line 23).

4.0 LITERARY CRITICSM

ELEMENT 1- THE CRITICAL RESPONSE :

In “One Thousand Dollars” is about how to manage the money of one thousand dollars. It is about a young Gillian. Maybe because his uncle knew he was having less moral, rich uncle died and informed his lawyer Tolman for testing Gillian. If Gillian can use the money wisely, he would receive a larger amount of fifty thousand dollars. At the beginning of the story, the authors draw the attention of the reader to want to know whether this story ends well or not. There, Gillian asked to manage money wisely and promptly. Gillian challenge given to him. This situation makes the reader more eager.

The authors use several different places in the story so that the reader does not get bored to read the next section. First place Gillian was visited at his club and meet Old Bryson, then with Miss Lauriere in Stage Theater, in cab, at street, at library and at office Tolman and Sharp. Overall, the places that used to play an important role so that the reader is easy to imagine the real situation that happened and would consider yourself to be in situations that story. This means that the reader can appreciate this story very well.

At the middle of this story, the authors tried portraying Gillian there he trying to get answers about how to manage the money of one thousand dollars. In addition, the authors use tone that reflects one’s feelings at the time as, “Gillian half Turned and looked out the window. In a low voice he said,” I Suppose, of course, That you know I love you. “(pg 3, line 24). Climax of this story is that when Gillian Tolman went to a lawyer’s office to submit the report the way he uses the money. At the end, Gillian tore reports once knew he was not receive the money of fifty thousand dollars for not meeting the specified requirements.

ELEMENT 2 – THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE:

In the literary criticism, we have to identify the main character Gillian. He’s maybe not good person and him do not know how him manage this one thousand dollars in him life. He meet with various partners who have different backgrounds so they give different opinion but him not accept they opinion because their ideas do not same with the requirements. Gillian began to feel confused as to what he would do. Gillian feels he can to manage the money properly. But Mr. Gillian not affords to bear the responsibilities given by his uncle.

Firstly, went our reading this short story we started thinking about what Mr. Gillian to manage his late uncle’s money. Then when he started to ask friends so we feel him can choosing which of the opinion will be accept. However, we can feel so angry and unexpected because actually he already using the money for his lover and cheat the lawyer Tolman and partner with inform them that his used money for races.

5.0 CONCLUSION

Money is not everything. This is because in this story of money cannot buy you love. Ms. Hayden jilts Mr.Gillian though she had received the money from him. Money cannot buy everything, especially “real happiness”. Money should be used for something useful, important, and valuable. We should not spend money with short minded to something that can satisfy our cravings while.

Further, in this story Gillian asked people “What would you do with a thousand dollars if you had to?” Showed his actions when he was faced with difficulties. It is a lesson for us not to be too dependent hope with others to solve problems. We should seek knowledge as much as possible in order to manage the problem well.

Money of one thousand dollars given by the lawyer Tolman from his uncles legacy is not achieve target his uncle died because Gillian was used the money to get the love for a woman. Although he had to cheat lawyer that he used one thousand dollars to the races. Actually, his used the money for the happiness of his love.

Thus, the lesson from this story is that we should be well on our way towards financial planning matters that are beneficial. Let the money be properly planned so that the money available to spend on worthwhile things. Finally, we must be wise and clever in managing our own lives.