Read below our complete notes on the short story “A Service of Love” by O. Henry. Our notes cover A Service of Love summary, themes, and literary analysis.
Introduction
“A Service of Love” is a short story written by an American author William Sydney Porter. He wrote all his stories under the pen name, ‘O. Henry’. He was very famous for his witty narrations and twisted endings. His characters are always determined to solve problematic situations through ordinary wit and creativity. This always leaves the readers in complete awe.
Background
O.Henry is often categorized as a realist writer by many critics. Realism is an artistic and literary movement developed during the 19th century. It unfolded everyday concerns in contemporary settings. The aim was to present the real image of all social classes in a true manner inclusive of all unpleasant aspects of life.
Common people were the main subject of O.Henry’s writings. Everyone could relate to the struggles of his characters. Setting of his stories was realistic. Readers could connect with it on a deeper level.
Joe and Delia both were from the working class, striving hard to maintain the flow of money. They were doing it for the sake of each other’s art, their struggles were similar to any human trying to earn a good fortune. The decisions which they made in their situation were what any other human being would make.
Overview
This story features a young man and a young girl. The male protagonist Joe Larrabee belonged to Midwest, who had a talent for pictorial art. The female protagonist Delia Caruthers was from South, who was a pianist. In order to pursue their dreams, they both set off to New York City. They met at an art studio and fell for each other. Their passion for art bonded them together and they got married.
They did not have all the luxuries of life and lived in a simple apartment. Although they were poor, they felt mighty (richer than Bill Gates). To them, love and support were more important than any other thing in the world.
Joe joined an expensive class with a famous art master. Delia started taking classes with a famous pianist. They both wanted to make their future bright in the field of art. Joe wanted to be able to paint masterpieces that old wealthy men would like to buy for generous sums of money. Delia wanted to become a member of a famous band, so she could be celebrated as a diva.
A Service of Love Summary
As the story opens the narrator says, ‘when one loves one’s art no service seems too hard’. While this story is based on this proposition, it ends up proving it wrong. The male protagonist, Joe Larrabee was a young, ambitious artist from the Middle West. He drew his first painting at the age of six, which was then hung in a pharmacy. After he turned twenty, he moved to New York to pursue his dream of studying art.
Then we are introduced to the female leading character, Delia, who was a skillful pianist from a village in the south. She was really good at playing the piano. Her family gathered up the money to send her to New York City to further polish her skills.
Joe and Delia met each other at an art studio in New York. Different art novices had gathered there to learn and talk about various forms of art. Joe and Delia grew fond of each other in a short time and tied the knot soon after. They began spending their life in a plain and simple apartment. They were extremely happy together in each other’s company.
Joe joined an expensive course with the famous Magister. He wanted to become a professional and renowned painter. His aim was to sell art pieces to rich old men with a good taste in art. Delia started taking her lessons with a famous pianist, Rosenstock, to refine her skills. They both had a clear vision regarding their careers and interests.
Their life was going smooth until they ran out of their savings. Delia decided to give piano lessons to earn some money for Joe. She wanted him to continue his painting classes. Delia’s decision upset him because he did not want her to work and give up on her own dreams. He thought about finding some work and quitting his classes. Delia disagreed and insisted he continues his classes.
One day Delia came home happily and exclaimed with joy that she had found a student. She told Joe that she would be giving music classes to the daughter of wealthy General Pinkney. Her name was Clementina. They would be paying her five dollars per class and she would take three classes per week. She described to Joe how lavish their house was and how sweet was her new pupil.
By the end of the week, Delia was very proud of her earnings. She placed fifteen dollars on the table. After seeing her salary Joe told Delia that he sold one of his sketches to a rich man. He made eighteen dollars out of it. They both were overjoyed for the money they earned and decided to have a small celebration.
Next week Joe arrived home earlier than Delia. Delia came home after half an hour. Joe was quick to notice her bandaged hand. He gently inspected her hand and inquired about it. Delia told him that her student accidentally spilled some hot food on it. She told Joe there was nothing serious to worry about.
He figured out that there was something which Delia was keeping from him. He asked her about the time of the accident, upon which she told him that it took place around five o’clock. Joe asked Delia to sit down and tell him honestly what exactly was she doing the past two weeks. She was a bit hesitant at first but eventually told him the truth. She explained to him that she could not find any student to give classes to, so she decided to start ironing clothes at a laundry. She had to lie because she didn’t want him to give up on his dreams. This was the reason for which she took that job and tried to keep the money coming.
Delia then inspected how Joe caught her lie, upon which he revealed that no one bought his sketches. In reality, he had been firing the engine in the same laundry for the last two weeks. Joe explained to her that he was the one who sent the cotton with the ointment upstairs. He was told that a girl burned her hand with a hot iron. They both laughed it off as they knew they lied to each other, but it was purely out of love.
Themes in A Service of Love
Love
The core theme of the story, “A service of love” is Love. Joe and Delia loved each other unconditionally. Their love is what made them consider quitting their lessons in order to provide for their partner. They chose to secretly perform other jobs other than their artwork, from where they could earn some money. They both wanted each other to keep on learning from their art lessons. The last dialogue of Delia in the story, “just ‘When one loves'”, clearly supports this theme.
Sacrifice
They both valued their relationship more than their passions. They had not spent much of their lives together, but when their savings ended, they both were ready to sacrifice their goals for their partner. In the time of need, they both were willing to back each other selflessly. In case they would not have been working at the same place coincidentally, they might have kept it a secret for a longer time.
Art
Art is what brought Joe and Delia together in the first place when they fell in love and tied the wedding knot. They loved each other’s passion for art. They both wanted each other to achieve the individual goals they had set for themselves. It was because of this reason; they both gave up on their aspirations until their financial situation improved. This clearly proved that, when one loves one’s art no service seems too hard.
A Service of Love Characters Analysis
Delia
Delia is narrated as a young, caring and selfless character. Her devotion towards her husband and his career was very explicit. When they ran out of money, Delia decided to quit her lectures and took an ironing job at a laundry. She kept explaining the details to Joe so that he could completely trust her story. On the contrary, Joe was also hiding the truth from her, but he talked about his made-up story fewer times and with lesser details. She did not let Joe feel guilty about the fact that she was taking care of the income while dropping her passion. She was not just in love with Joe but seemed committed to their relationship as well.
Joe
Joe is sketched as a very humble, loving and considerate character. He adored Delia and was willing to sacrifice his passion for painting just to keep his wife learning her piano lessons. When they faced some financial crisis, he was not willing to let Delia give piano lessons as that was not learning for her, let alone the ironing.
On the other hand, he himself quit his painting classes and was firing engines at the laundry. Another point to ponder is the resistance’s capacity for suffering when one has to take a blue-collar job. Delia when presented her earnings often showed weariness while Joe seemed unbothered by the toughness of his job. When Delia got her hand burned, Joe showed great care and concern towards her pain but did not say a word about the toughness of his work. Gender can be a possible reason behind it or maybe Joe does not want to make Delia worried.
A Service of Love Literary Analysis
The gist of the story lies in the theory, ‘When one loves one’s Art no service seems too hard’. Though the story revolves around this premise, it ends up proving it wrong which is the point intended to be made by the writer. When a reader reads the story, so till the end he/she is made to believe that when a person loves art, he/she would do anything to serve art. No matter if it is a form of art that is pursued by oneself or by the other person, a lover of art will always struggle to expand art and help other people acquire it.
However, the ending validated that it is not art rather love that makes people sacrifice even the dearest of their interests. The title of the story, ‘A Service of Love’, supports the author’s narrative that both the characters were serving love and not art.
Moving towards the plot of the story, it is observed that the core reason behind all the trouble faced by the characters was money. Providing that, if both the characters have planned out things beforehand and have exhibited farsightedness, they could have saved themselves from challenges ahead. Entirely because they were in love they got married too soon before they could plan other things.
If we closely analyze the story, there are quite many minute hints that beautifully unfold the story to the readers with an element of surprise. Just before the climax of the story, when Joe returned home before Delia, he washed out something dark from his hands which was suspected to be some black paint.
After the climax, the reader can easily guess that that black substance was engine oil instead of any dark-coloured paint on his hands. At another instance when Delia returned home with a bandaged hand, Joe asked her about it. Delia hesitantly replied, “The iron–I mean the rabbit…”, which gives a hint that she is trying to fabricate a story.
Setting of the Story
Joe and Delia started their journey from small towns. Joe was from the Midwest and Delia was from the South. They moved to New York to achieve a better and brighter future.
Symbolism
Stuttering
When someone lies, they usually find it difficult to form coherent answers, their lies are full of contradictions. Delia stuttered when she lied to Joe about her injury. Her stutter symbolized her lie.
Art
The whole story revolved around love and art. In this story art symbolizes the eternity of Delia and Joe’s true love.
Irony
The situational irony in the story occurs when the reader discovers that Joe and Delia had lied about their jobs.
Despite the fact that both the characters lied to each other. They still understood that they hid the reality purely out of love and consideration.
Significance of the title
Love is a very basic theme which can be taken from “A service of love”. We see certain steps that the characters have taken and what they have refrained from, simply because of their love for each other.
Joe and Delia had their goals planned. They were very clear about their interests. But love was above all. They were ready to give up their ambitions only to meet the needs of their respective partners. Therefore, this makes the title appropriate. They both served happily for their love.
Language and tone
The writer has adopted the third person narrative. The language from the beginning has a very simple and entertaining aspect to it. O. Henry presented his characters as cheerful, which made the whole story pleasant with a relaxed tone.