One Thousand Dollars

As in many O. Henry stories, the ending of “One Thousand Dollars” offers an ironic twist. Gillian is a frivolous man who depends on his uncle to finance his extravagant lifestyle. The reader expects this behavior will continue; however, O. Henry follows the evolution of Gillian’s character from a selfish beneficiary to a selfless benefactor. Instead of taking the fortune for himself, he directs it to Miss Hayden out of love, even though his love is unrequited.

We see evidence of Gillian’s character through his interactions with others and their perceptions of him. In the first scene, the solemn Tolman admonishes Gillian for his lack of attention, but Gillian responds jokingly. The same is true when Gillian meets with Bryson, who is annoyed by his presence. Bryson points out that the money could mean a lot or little, depending on who has it. He runs through morally grounded uses of the money, which offends Gillian, who notes that more people would like Bryson if he didn’t always moralize things. He again asks what he could do with the money, demonstrating that Bryson’s original suggestions were of no interest to him. This exchange shows that Gillian has been selfish to this point. His unwillingness to consider Bryson’s charitable suggestions demonstrates his inconsiderate and heedless nature.

Gillian’s journey toward transformation is symbolized by his journey through New York City in a cab. At each stop, he makes choices that influence the story’s outcome. After his conversation with Miss Lauriere, Gillian realizes that his selfish behavior has led to a relationship that is vapid and unloving. Here, Gillian begins to change. After meeting the blind man, Gillian realizes that the man has worked his whole life for almost the same amount of money Gillian views as inconsequential, leading Gillian to consider what the $1,000 would mean for Miss Hayden. He realizes that love is more important than money and that his love for her is more powerful than his love of fortune.

In the end, Gillian evolves from a frivolous selfish man to a man inspired by his love for Miss Hayden. He realizes that money doesn’t lead to happiness and that the value of life is in a person’s selfless acts rather than in their financial fortune.