The Ransom of Red Chief
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Themes
All Themes Crime, Violence, and Empathy Imagination and Play Justice Outsiders
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Sam Johnny Bill Driscoll Ebenezer Dorset
Symbols
All Symbols Letters
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Genre Hyperbole Irony Metaphors Mood Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone
Download PDF
Download Teacher Edition
The LitCharts.com logo.
Sign In Sign up for A+
The LitCharts.com logo.
AI Tools
  • Ask LitCharts AI
  • Discussion Question Generator
  • Essay Prompt Generator
  • Quiz Question Generator
Guides Guides
  • Literature Guides
  • Poetry Guides
  • Shakespeare Translations
  • Literary Terms
Sign In Sign up for A+ Sign up

The Ransom of Red Chief

by

O. Henry

Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Crime, Violence, and Empathy Theme Icon
    Crime, Violence, and Empathy
  • Imagination and Play Theme Icon
    Imagination and Play
  • Justice Theme Icon
    Justice
  • Outsiders Theme Icon
    Outsiders
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Sam
  • Johnny
  • Bill Driscoll
  • Ebenezer Dorset
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Letters Symbol Icon
    Letters
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Allusions
  • Genre
  • Hyperbole
  • Irony
  • Metaphors
  • Mood
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Style
  • Tone
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)
Previous
Ebenezer Dorset

The Ransom of Red Chief Symbols

Next
Letters

Letters

Letters—the medium through which Sam communicates his ransom demands to Ebenezer—represent the power conferred on people by class and education. Letters are associated with educated people (people who are well-educated are even called “lettered”…

read analysis of Letters

Letters Symbol Icon
Previous
Ebenezer Dorset
Previous
Ebenezer Dorset
Next
Letters
Next
Letters

Company
About Us Our Story Jobs
Support
Help Center Contact Us
Connect
Facebook Twitter
Legal
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Privacy Request
Home About Contact Help
Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved
Terms Privacy Privacy Request
The LitCharts.com logo.
Save time. Stress less.
Sign up!
  • AI Tools for on-demand study help and teaching prep.
  • Quote explanations, with page numbers, for over 47,723 quotes.
  • PDF downloads of all 2,146 LitCharts guides.
  • Expert analysis to take your reading to the next level.
  • Advanced search to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
  • Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.
  • Expert analysis to take your reading to the next level.
  • Advanced search to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
  • Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.
The LitCharts.com logo.
Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account
You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to request a guide
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Get your answer with a free account
You’ll also get tons of other helpful features, including free quizzes and saving guides.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Last step: complete your free account
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account.
You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to access notes and highlights
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Saving guides requires a free LitCharts account
Easily access your saved guides anytime.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to save guides
Already have an account? Sign in