Introduction/Thesis Given the fact that, during the course of recent decades, the hawks of feminist cause have largely succeeded in instilling young men with mental insecurities, on the account of their perceptional manliness, the reading of O.Henry’s short story The Ransom of Red Chief came in as a particularly refreshing literary experience, as this story does promote masculine values in rather straight forward manner – thus, resulting in both: providing readers with good entertainment and prompting them to think that there is nothing unnatural about young boys indulging in behavioral malevolence. Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that this particular O.Henry’s story does not only represent a high literary, but also philosophical and socio-political value, as it provides readers with the insight onto possession of what kind of psychological qualities had allowed the ancestors of today’s feminized American males to gain their country the status of world’s superpower. In this paper, we will aim at substantiating this thesis to a further extent. Brief summary The plot of The Ransom of Red Chief is not particularly complicated. Two outlaws, Bill Driscoll and Sam Howard have decided to kidnap 10 years old son of a wealthy citizen Ebenezer Dorset so that they would be able to demand ransom from the boy’s father. However, it did not take too long for both kidnappers to realize that their captive was anything but trouble – after having been kidnapped and while believing that his capture was part of a game, the boy never ceased subjecting Driscoll and Howard to a variety of physical assaults (such as trying to scalp Howard with the knife, while he was asleep). As time went by, both kidnappers began to wonder whether the kidnapped boy was worth the money, they have asked for his release, as he had proven himself an ultimate troublemaker. Yet, the worst was still laying ahead – it is not only that Dorset had refused to pay ransom for the release of his son, but he himself demanded ransom from both kidnappers, in order to agree to have Dorset. Jr. being returned to him. Driscoll and Howard had no choice but to oblige. Themes The foremost theme of The Ransom of Red Chief is best defined as the ambivalence of malevolence – even though that there can be very little doubt as to the fact that Dorset Junior’s parents were not entirely happy with their son’s tendency to cause mischief on a full-time basis, it is namely due to boy’s apparent wickedness that he was able to return back home safely: “Tell you the truth, Bill,’ says I, ‘this little lamb has somewhat got on my nerves, too. We’ll take him home, pay the ransom, and make our getaway” (1907, 11). Being hardened criminals, Driscoll and Howard were never able to acknowledge a possibility for 10 years old boy to be so thoroughly wicked. Even though Dorset Junior’s misbehavior was not something, both kidnappers could not have subdued, the fact that they have realized themselves being existentially related to the kidnapped boy, had disarmed them psychologically. Thus, in his short story, O.Henry was promoting the idea that there can be no clearly defined difference between the concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’, in the conventionally religious sense of this word. Another theme, which is being explored throughout the story’s e