Parent Guide > The Guilty Party

by O. Henry 1909

Welcome to the parent guide for this text! Read below to find out about what your child is reading in class and how you can support him/her at home.

This week in class, we’re reading "The Guilty Party" by O. Henry.

William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), better known by his pen name, O. Henry, was an American writer. His short story, "The Guilty Party," published in 1909, is a tragic story about a girl named Liz who is engaged to be married, overcome with jealousy, and then driven to violence.

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Comedy & Tragedy and Morality as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :

"What can we learn from tragedy?" and "Why do people do bad things?"

Ways to support your child:

  • Ask your child about this short story at home:
    • What was "The Guilty Party" about?
    • What did you learn about Comedy & Tragedy?
    • What did you learn about Morality?
  • Watch InBrief: The Science of Neglect at home with your child.