Short Stories by American Writer O Henry (1862— 19 10). Subei, a tramp, wants to live in prison because he has no room and board to survive the severe winter. He deliberately did all kinds of illegal acts (throwing stones at shop window glass, eating and drinking in restaurants without paying, pretending to be a prodigal son molesting women, and drinking and talking nonsense in the street), but the police ignored him, but just when he heard the music of church hymns, his thoughts changed and he was determined to repent and turn over a new leaf. He was put in prison by the police because he was unemployed. The protagonist Subei is a young tramp. He once had an ideal life, but the cruel society suppressed his intelligence and turned him into a lazy tramp. However, he is arrogant and would rather spend the winter in prison than accept charity and hypocritical gifts in a grovelling manner. Through Su Bei's experience, the novel reveals the absurdity of American capitalist society, the distinction between right and wrong and the tragic fate of the urban poor.
The police and hymns strengthened the tragic atmosphere with ingenious ideas and unexpected endings. Contradictions are directly put forward at the beginning of the novel to guide readers to think about problems according to common sense and guess the ending. However, at the end of the story, Su Bei, who is determined to turn from evil to good, unexpectedly falls into the French Open. This unexpected ending reveals the essential characteristics of capitalist deformed society, which is to distinguish right from wrong and reverse black and white. The novel is humorous, but it hides helpless sadness and bitterness, forming a unique style of "tearful smile".