The Passage of Time

Beginning with the story’s title, “After Twenty Years,” it is clear that the idea of time, and specifically time past, is going to factor into its main idea and the author’s purpose. In the story’s few pages, author O. Henry repeatedly stresses the length of time between the friends’ meetings, which adds to the stakes of the outcome for the characters and the reader’s own anticipation. For example, an unobservant Bob assures the patrolman of his harmlessness by immediately disclosing the peculiar details of his appointment. Then, just after the patrolman lights Bob’s cigar, revealing his true identity, Bob references the now-closed “Big Joe” Brady’s restaurant (215). Because that was the two old friends’ favorite place to meet and the location of their last goodbye, the restaurant’s demise in the time since represents just how powerful a...