NEB Grade XI Optional English Note | Unit 1 | Lesson 9 | The Cactus | O' Henry

The Cactus

About the Author

William Sydney Porter, known as ‘O’ Henry’ in his literary career, was a prolific American short- story writer. He wrote in a dry, humorous style and, as in his popular story ‘The Last Leaf’ often ironically used coincidences and surprise endings. Writing massively under the pen name ‘O’ Henry’, he completed one story a week for a newspaper, in addition to other stories for magazines. Popular collections of his stories include ‘The Four Million’, ‘Heart of the West’, ‘The Trimmed Lamp’, ‘The Gentle Grafter’ and ‘The Voice of the City’, etc.

Like most of the stories written by O’ Henry, ‘The Cactus’ also has an abrupt ending. The reason why the protagonist broke up with his beloved remains in suspense till the end of the story. A cactus is the conventional symbol of repulsion, suffering and wound. It ultimately becomes the symbol of loving invitation.

Summary

Trysdale with his friend is in his apartment after a wedding. There is a cactus in a red earthen vessel on the table. His friend is the brother of the bride. He stands at a sideboard complaining at being allowed to drink alone. Both men are in evening dress.

Trysdale looks to be disturbed by the events of the day. He is now looking at his true self. He sees all his pretense and egoism now turn to foolishness. He remembers the fragrance of flowers and noises from the church where a marriage took place. He reminisces watching her walk to the altar and look at her now husband. With that look, she used to look at him.

He recalls how she considered him to be perfect. He thinks of a time when he was asked about speaking Spanish because she heard it from one of his friends. To impress her, he told her a lie that he knew Spanish well. When he asked her to marry him, her reply was to wait for her words till next day. He waited impatiently for her response. But the following day, she sent him a red earthen vessel with a cactus. There was a tag which he thought was the vernacular name of the plant. There was no note at all.

Trysdale’s friend asks him if he knows Spanish well and he says no. Actually the word written on the vessel is Ventomerame, which means ‘come and take me’. Just because of his lie, he has been apart from his love. If the lie had not been told, the girl would have sent the message in a common language.