In One Dollar’s Worth by O.

Henry we have the theme of revenge, honesty, sacrifice, pity, love,

change, compassion, gratitude and justice. Taken from his Selected Stories collection the story
is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the
reader realises that Henry may be exploring the theme of revenge. Mexico Sam’s letter to Judge
Derwent suggests that Sam is not prepared to forget that he was sentenced to prison by Judge
Derwent. Nor is Mexico Sam prepared to forget that Littlefield was the prosecuting district
attorney. It may also be important that both Judge Derwent and Littlefield show no concerns
when they read the letter as this suggests that not only are they comfortable with their
prosecution of Mexico Sam and the fact that he was guilty but they also appear to be used to
the fact that people they have either sentenced or prosecuted often seek revenge. There is a
calmness within both men that may surprise some readers and it is this calmness that suggests
that both Judge Derwent and Littlefield are comfortable about upholding the law. Mexico Sam’s
letter is part and parcel of life for Judge Derwent and Littlefield. Which may be important as the
lack of fear shown by both men suggests that both are again comfortable about upholding the
law.
Henry also appears to be exploring the theme of honesty through Joya’s character. Though
there is no need for her to come to the courthouse and tell Littlefield that she is responsible for
the counterfeit dollar she still takes the risk even though it may cost Joya her freedom. This may
be significant as it suggests not only is it possible that Joya is being honest with Littlefield but
she may also be very much in love with Rafael. So in love with him that she is prepared to
sacrifice her freedom in order to ensure Rafael’s release from prison. It might also be important
that Kilpatrick tells Littlefield ‘never trust a woman that’s in love.’ Not only is this remark a
generalization about all women but it also offends Nancy who is very much in love with
Littlefield. Kilpatrick appears to be blinded by his own arrogance. Which may be something that
Henry is deliberately doing. He may be attempting to highlight to the reader that at times the law
can be blind. Which appears to be the case when it comes to Joya’s testimony to Littlefield.
Littlefield is adamant that Rafael is guilty.
It is also interesting that when Joya tells her story to Littlefield the only one who can identify with
her is Nancy. She can feel Joya’s pain and asks Littlefield ‘doesn’t the law know the feeling of
pity?’ This identification between two women in love is completely at odds with how Littlefield
and Kilpatrick think. Both of them believe in following the law as strictly as possible. To them
love is not a valid enough reason to commit a crime. They do not appear to see the possibilities
that Nancy sees. For Nancy Rafael’s actions are the result of a man desperate to help the
woman he loves. For Littlefield and Kilpatrick it is a cut and dried case with Rafael’s guilt being
self-evident. For them love plays no role in justice. Both are men who deal in facts rather than
emotions and as such are confident of Rafael’s guilt despite what Joya has said. Though some
critics might suggest that Littlefield is being heartless it is important to remember that it is his
role to prosecute people. He looks on a case from one side. A side that is advantageous to
assuring prosecution.
The end of the story is also interesting as Henry appears to be exploring the theme of change,
justice and gratitude. It is only after using the counterfeit dollar to shoot Mexico Sam that
Littlefield changes. Though he no longer has the evidence to convict Rafael, he also no longer
has the heart to convict him. Littlefield knows that the counterfeit dollar has saved both his and
Nancy’s life and the reader suspects that Littlefield also begins to understand just how deeply in
love Joya is with Rafael. If anything there is a sense of justice for Rafael at the end of the story.
Littlefield’s change of heart and his gratitude to Joya is something that surprises the reader. As
throughout the story Littlefield has lived his life (as a district attorney) following the letter of the
law. Now he finds himself open to compassion just as Nancy had been. The fact that Littlefield
also asks Kilpatrick to find out where Joya lives may also be significant as it suggests again that
Littlefield and Nancy are both grateful to Joya and wish to thank her. It is as though Joya’s
testimony to Littlefield has opened Littlefield’s eyes. For the first time in the story Littlefield can
see the reasoning behind Joya and Rafael’s actions.

End check below

A judge on the US-Mexico border, named Derwent, receives a letter from a criminal he had sent
to prison for four years. The man, who has now been released, tells the judge that his daughter
died one year into his prison sentence, supposedly from the ‘disgrace’ of having a father in jail.

The criminal, who signs the letter simply as ‘Rattlesnake’ in reference to the judge’s description
of him during his sentencing, tells the judge that he is going to make him feel the pain of losing
a daughter.

The judge dismisses the note as an idle threat, as does the young district attorney, Bob
Littlefield, who is due to marry the judge’s daughter, Nancy. They look through the court records
and decide that Mexico Sam, a man sentenced to prison for manslaughter four years ago, is the
most likely candidate for the ‘Rattlesnake’. The court is in session, and a Mexican named Rafael
Ortiz, who was apprehended trying to spend a counterfeit silver dollar, is awaiting trial.

When Nancy comes to visit Littlefield in his office, where he is preparing for the trial with his
deputy, Kilpatrick, she persuades him to take her plover-shooting in the afternoon. However,
their plans are interrupted by the arrival of a young Mexican woman, Joya Treviñas, who pleads
that Ortiz is innocent and that she forged the counterfeit dollar.

She also claims that she was sick with fever, and explains that Ortiz was using the counterfeit
coin to pay for medicine for her. She speaks to Kilpatrick, since he understands Spanish and the
girl cannot speak English.

Littlefield dismisses the girl, but before Treviñas leaves, she whispers the message to Kilpatrick
(but clearly meant for Littlefield) that ‘if the life of the girl you love is ever in danger, remember
Rafael Ortiz.’ Nancy pleads with Littlefield to do something to help the young lovers, but he says
there is nothing he can do and Ortiz is already as good as convicted.

When Littlefield and Nancy are returning in their carriage from their afternoon of plover-shooting,
they see a man with a rifle coming towards them. Littlefield recognises the man as Mexico Sam,
the probable match for the ‘Rattlesnake’ who had threatened Judge Derwent.

Sam opens fire on the couple, who dive for cover. Sam’s weapon allows him to fire on the pair,
but he remains out of range from their shots, since they have only birdshot rather than the
buckshot they’d need to hit Sam from such a distance.
Littlefield tells Nancy to shoot at Sam to disorient him while he takes out his pocket-knife. He
then raises his shotgun as Sam rides nearer, and fires a deadly shot at the man. The next day,
at the trial of Ortiz, Littlefield, who has his arm in a sling, tells the court that the evidence
condemning Ortiz is no longer available and so the charge against him must be dropped.

At the end of the story, Littlefield tells his deputy, Kilpatrick, how he managed to find a bullet to
kill Sam. He used the counterfeit dollar, which was made of lead, to fashion a bullet and used
that to dispatch his assailant. He asks Kilpatrick for the address of Treviñas, the Mexican girl, as
Nancy wants to know where to find her.

The story opens with a letter. The letter is a threat from one of the convicts to the judge Mr.
Derwent, who had presided over the case leading to his conviction.

The judge, used to such threats in his line of work over the years, brushes it aside, although he
does make a note of the threat against the district attorney.

The district attorney, Mr. Littlefield, is engaged to be married to Nancy Derwent, the judge’s
daughter.

The judge informs Littlefield of such a threat, who smiles with contempt, but is curious to know
the writer, who, he soon learns, is a man nicknamed Mexico Sam.

The distraction didn’t last long, as the district attorney was soon called upon to judge the case of
counterfeiting by Rafael Ortiz.

There were witnesses to him passing on the counterfeit coin to purchase a medicine bottle.
According to the deputy that brought him in, this was the first time he was caught.

A woman named Joya Trevinas soon visits them and claims to be the one that made the
counterfeit money and got Rafael to pass it along. It was her fault that he was in prison, and she
would happily swap places with him.

Littlefield, having seen such occurrences commonly, denied offering to make any such
accommodation. He would prosecute based on evidence and nothing else. Rafael would have
to make his case in court.

Littlefield and Miss Derwent went off for plover shooting later that day. While busy enjoying the
shooting and each other’s company, they soon see a man attempting to attack them. Littlefield
tries to keep Miss Derwent out of harm’s way while struggling to defend himself against the
attacker.
Littlefield gets minor injuries in a crossfire that ensues, while Mexico Sam, their attacker, dies.

The following day in the court, Littlefield requests the court to strike off the case and requests a
pardon for Rafael Ortiz.

It is later revealed in the conversation between Littlefield and Kilpatrick that the fake lead
counterfeit coin ended up saving their life. He also asked for the address of Ortiz’s girlfriend,
Nancy Derwent, who had been meaning to meet her.