Reversal. A reversal is a dramatic change in the direction of events in
a drama or narrative, especially a change in the fortunes of the protagonist. As you read, look for the reversal that happens in this story. How has O’Kelly’s life changed in a year?
Character. A character is a person who figures in the action of a literary work. A dynamic character is one who changes in the course of the action. As you read the story, pay attention to how George O’Kelly changes.
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“The Sensible Thing” was first published in the magazine Liberty in 1924 and then in a collection of short stories called All the Sad Young Men (1926). Fitzgerald’s readers were drawn to his carefully crafted plots, which often revolved around the themes of love and loss. In “The Sensible Thing,” the story’s protagonist, George O’Kelly, experiences a reversal of fortune much as Fitzgerald had done in 1919 and 1920 when he achieved early success as a writer. Also like Fitzgerald, George O’Kelly recaptures his beloved, only to find that love is not repeatable. In this story Fitzgerald introduces common themes that return in The Great Gatsby and other stories.
“The Sensible Thing” was developed into an acclaimed independent short film that was featured as the premier episode of Public Broadcasting’s television series American Storytellers in 1999.
If you went away for a year, what adjustments would you anticipate having to make upon your return?
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