User:Somnathmitra/The Miracle of Lava Canyon

The Miracle of Lava Canyon is a short story by O. Henry.

O’ A beautifully knit story across the real life of a normal man, 'The Miracle of Lava Canyon' describes how a complete transformation of characteristics take place within fraction of seconds. Henry belongs to that genre of short story writers who gives us a surprise at the end of the story and this narrative is also no exception. The surprises are not pleasant in many cases, neither it ought to be, as life shows us time and again.

An overwhelming end achieved through a very credible climax testifies to the writer’s mastery over his art. This feature of a final twist as the story ends, is a common tool of a short story writer and this has been made use of by O’ Henry as well with a consummate skill. This apart, a cleverly crafted plot, and abundant yet precise use of psychological elements have made the reading of the story a truly unforgettable experience. Short stories are well known for their distinctive characteristics of handling a particular issue with great clarity and ‘The Miracle of Lava Canyon’ is a perfect model in this respect. The writer has set his story in a sort of expectant surrounding in a rough terrain which also plays the subtle role of creating a sort of suspense from the backstage. This is truly the hallmark of really great writers and when we appreciate this, we understand why O’ Henry is so widely read all over the world. Rad Conrad, the sheriff of the Siskiwah county labors under the heavy burden of a terrible secret. The secret is more terrible for the simple reason that he is a law keeper, and for a police officer, being in dread of violence and bloodshed, would really be shameful. However, the man has so far been successful in hiding this fact within him, although the task has not been an easy one. With an almost inhuman force, he chooses to embrace dangers when one comes onto him , and by using all his moral force tackles them in a most manly manner. Till date his luck has been with him. Stories of his wonderful escapades and incomparable bravery are told and retold in saloons and marketplaces but the man alone knows how false they are. He feels miserable at the thought of his secret being discovered one day. At the outskirts of the city of Lava Canyon, lives Miss Boadicea Reed, a lovely young woman, and also harboring an awful secret. Unlike the sheriff, the sensation of fear is quite unknown to her, and never in her life she has held any person or a thing in a reverential wonder. Near her cottage one day arrives Arizona Dan, the worst man in the country, to go to into hiding from the prying eyes of the police, after he causes some serious trouble in the city. Rad soon reaches the fugitive and as he tries to capture him unarmed, the familiar sense of dread overwhelms him. But he happens to meet the ardent gaze of Boadicea and a strange change comes over him as he feels he has somehow ceased to be a coward. He captures Rad easily after a brief struggle. Boadicea a witness to all these, suddenly falls in love with Rad and as they walk together in the falling evening, she for the first time in her life gives a scream of terror at the sight of an insignificant creature like an ugly looking lizard. We are taken aback by the miracle which makes two individuals completely merge with each other. The soul of one, as it were, passes into the other. Miracles commence taking place from the moment Rad and Boadicea meet each other. The sheriff loses all his inhibitions of physical cowardice as the alchemy of LOVE begins working its magic on him. On the other hand, Boadicea, the namesake of the ancient, bold queen, suddenly finds herself scared at the sight of an insignificant lizard. Their mental attributes, as it were, pass into each other. Human beings are what their minds are and nothing is impossible when things happen at the mental The contrasting element in the two protagonists also draws the readers inexorably to the storyline. These two characters are not only radically opposite in nature but also shares a common point between them at the same time. Both has to harbors a secret. At the end of the story, when these two souls become one, we are pleasantly surprised by the way they complement each other. At the same time they also get rid of their peculiarities, enabling them to lead normal, fuller lives. The twist, the surprise element and the way the crisis is finally resolved, leave us spellbound, as we come to the end of the story.