Introduction

William Sydney Porter (1862–1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, is one of the most celebrated American short story writers of the early twentieth century. His literary fame rests on his ability to portray the everyday life of ordinary people through humor, irony, and moral insight. O. Henry’s stories are distinguished by their colloquial language, lively characterization, and unexpected endings that leave readers both surprised and moved. His works often reflect the lives of the lower and middle classes in urban America, focusing on themes of poverty, hope, kindness, and the triumph of the human spirit [1, p. 24].

Among his numerous short stories, «The Skylight Room» stands out as a touching example of O. Henry’s artistic style and social compassion. The story tells about Miss Leeson, a young typist who rents a small room at the top of a boarding house — a «skylight room». Despite her difficult living conditions, she remains optimistic, naming a distant star «Billy Jackson». The irony of the story lies in the fact that when she later collapses from hunger, she is saved by a doctor with the same name.

The stylistic value of the story lies in the interplay between simple linguistic form and emotional intensity. Through figurative language, contrast, and symbolic imagery, O. Henry turns an ordinary scene into a moral allegory of faith and endurance. The combination of irony, sympathy, and linguistic economy creates the author’s unique tone that blends realism with poetic sensitivity [2, p. 56].

The purpose of this study is to conduct a stylistic analysis of «The Skylight Room» in order to identify and interpret the main stylistic devices that contribute to the story’s aesthetic and emotional power. The analysis focuses on the author’s use of irony, symbolism, metaphor, and colloquial speech as key elements of his literary technique. The research also aims to demonstrate how O. Henry’s individual style serves not only as a means of artistic expression but also as a reflection of humanistic values and social empathy.

Theoretical Background

Stylistics is a branch of linguistics that studies the expressive resources of language and the principles that determine their use in various types of texts. According to Galperin, stylistics «investigates the special language means which secure the desirable effect of the utterance» [7, p. 18]. It explores how different linguistic forms — lexical, syntactic, phonetic, and semantic — contribute to the overall meaning, tone, and aesthetic impact of a literary work.

Leech and Short define stylistics as «the study of the relationship between linguistic form and literary function» [6, p. 11]. This definition emphasizes the connection between form (language structure) and function (the effect it produces on the reader). The primary goal of stylistic analysis is to explain how linguistic choices shape the author’s individual style and emotional influence.

According to Wales, stylistics serves as «a bridge between linguistics and literary criticism» [5, p. 7]. This means that stylistics allows researchers to interpret literature not only aesthetically but also linguistically, uncovering how an author’s word choice, sentence pattern, and figurative language convey deeper meaning.

Stylistic analysis usually includes several levels of examination. At the lexical level, the researcher studies word choice, connotation, and emotional coloring. At the syntactic level, attention is paid to sentence structure, rhythm, and repetition. At the figurative level, the analysis focuses on imagery, metaphor, irony, and symbolism [4, p. 22]. These devices help create the atmosphere, tone, and emotional effect of the story. In literary stylistics, language is not viewed as a neutral medium but as a tool of artistic creativity. As Kukharenko notes, «the main task of stylistic analysis is to reveal how the writer’s linguistic means realize his artistic intention» [3, p. 33]. This perspective is especially relevant to O. Henry’s works, where simple language and colloquial expressions conceal profound human emotions and moral reflection.

Thus, stylistics provides the theoretical foundation for analyzing O. Henry’s «The Skylight Room». It helps reveal how irony, metaphor, and symbolic imagery work together to create the story’s emotional depth and humanistic tone.

Stylistic Analysis of «The Skylight Room»

O. Henry’s short story «The Skylight Room» is a vivid example of the writer’s humanistic worldview and stylistic mastery. The narrative, while simple and humorous on the surface, contains profound symbolic and emotional layers. Through the image of a poor typist named Miss Leeson, the author explores themes of loneliness, imagination, social indifference, and hope. The story, set in a cheap New York boarding house, reveals the life of ordinary people struggling to survive in an urban environment. O. Henry’s unique style — marked by irony, contrast, and emotional sincerity — gives the story its timeless charm and moral depth [1, p. 3].

1. Irony as a Dominant Stylistic Device

Irony serves as the central stylistic device throughout the story. The narrator’s polite yet mocking tone highlights the absurdity and cruelty of the boardinghouse world. For example, «You would not dare to interrupt her description of their advantages…» ridicules Mrs. Parker’s self-importance while revealing the humiliation of the poor room-seeker. The second-person narration («you») draws the reader into this social drama, blurring the boundary between observer and victim. This pervasive irony gives the story both its humor and its underlying moral tension.

2. Symbolism and Its Emotional Effect

The skylight is the story’s central symbol. It represents both confinement and hope. The tiny room is described as «like the sides of a coffin», yet through the skylight, Miss Leeson sees «a square of blue infinity». The contrast symbolizes the coexistence of despair and aspiration in the human spirit. The star she names «Billy Jackson» becomes a personal emblem of faith and imagination. In the final scene, when she whispers «Good-bye, Billy Jackson,» the symbol achieves full emotional resonance: the star embodies both her isolation and her enduring hope.

3. Use of Metaphor and Personification

Metaphor and personification animate the story’s emotional and visual imagery. The walls «seemed to close in upon you like the sides of a coffin», transforming the physical setting into a metaphor for social suffocation. The night sky is personified as «Night fastens her kimono with a big diamond pin», combining the cosmic and the domestic. Through these figures, O. Henry contrasts the harsh material world with the beauty of imagination. The doctor’s later appearance — «his face was that of one who bears his own dead» — turns a realistic moment into moral allegory, revealing compassion amid tragedy.

4. Epithets and Lexical Expressiveness

O. Henry’s epithets vividly characterize his figures while conveying emotional judgment. Phrases such as «half-contemptuous, half-Tuskegeenial tones» and «the tall blonde who taught in a public school and said, ‘Well, really!’» condense entire personalities into expressive linguistic forms. Descriptive adjectives like «gay-hearted», «fragile body», and «smooth-faced, confident» add emotional coloring and guide the reader’s sympathy. Through these lexical choices, the narrator maintains a delicate balance between satire and empathy — mocking social pretension while honoring human vulnerability.

5. Syntax, Dialogue, and Narrative Voice

The story’s syntax alternates between long, elaborate sentences and brief, dramatic ones. The lengthy, clause-filled sentences («Convinced by her second-floor manner that it was worth the $12…») mirror the tedious formality of social transactions, while short sentences like «‘I’ll take it!’ sighed Miss Leeson» emphasize emotional exhaustion. Dialogue functions as characterization: Mrs. Parker’s verbose manner, Miss Longnecker’s pretentious repetitions («Well, really!»), and Miss Leeson’s simple, playful remarks reflect differences in education, class, and temperament. The narrative voice combines irony with compassion, maintaining O. Henry’s characteristic tone of amused sympathy.

6. Tone and Mood

The tone evolves from comic satire to lyrical tragedy. The beginning ridicules urban life’s absurdities, yet by the end, the mood becomes tender and sorrowful. When Miss Leeson gazes at her star, humor dissolves into quiet despair and transcendence. The closing line — «Dr. William Jackson… says the patient will recover» — introduces a faint but genuine hope. This tonal shift creates the story’s emotional arc: laughter gives way to pity, and irony transforms into moral illumination.

7. Lexical Simplicity and Artistic Effect

O. Henry’s diction is simple and direct, which strengthens the story’s sincerity. Everyday words — «room», «star», «hungry», «little girl» — make the narrative accessible while intensifying its realism. The plainness of Miss Leeson’s farewell — «Good-bye, Billy Jackson… you kept where I could see you most of the time» — heightens emotional authenticity. The artistic effect lies in contrast: behind lexical simplicity, deep emotion and universal meaning emerge. This simplicity reflects O. Henry’s democratic vision of art — beauty found in the lives of ordinary people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the stylistic analysis of O. Henry’s «The Skylight Room» reveals the author’s remarkable ability to express deep human emotions through simplicity of form and richness of meaning. His writing style is characterized by clarity, emotional precision, and a subtle balance between irony and sympathy. The story reflects O. Henry’s central artistic principle — to find beauty, dignity, and moral value in the ordinary lives of common people.

Through the character of Miss Leeson, the author conveys the fragility of human existence and the resilience of imagination. The tiny room, symbolically named «skylight,» becomes both a prison and a window to the universe — a space where dreams resist despair. The star «Billy Jackson» embodies hope, companionship, and the belief that light exists even in darkness. These images, supported by stylistic devices such as metaphor, personification, and epithets, make the story emotionally vivid and thematically profound.

O. Henry’s stylistic mastery also lies in his use of irony. The ironic title and the unexpected ending create a powerful emotional reversal, demonstrating how imagination can transform reality. The combination of simple vocabulary, natural dialogue, and poetic undertones gives the narrative both realism and lyricism.

Ultimately, «The Skylight Room» represents the synthesis of O. Henry’s humanism and artistry. His careful choice of language and expressive means allows readers to perceive not only the external events of the story but also the inner world of its hero. The story affirms that kindness, imagination, and faith can transcend poverty and solitude, making O. Henry’s artistic message universal and enduring.

References:

1. Smith, C. Alphonso. O. Henry: A Biography. Garden City, N.Y. and Toronto: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1925.
2. Porter, William Sydney (O. Henry). The Skylight Room. New York: The McClure Press, 1912.
3. Bloom, Harold. Bloom’s Major Short Story Writers: O. Henry. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999.
4. Utkirovna, N. S. «O. Henry’s Unique Writing Style». Language, Literature, Translation, and Modern Approaches , 2022, pp. 126–128.
5. Khamdamovna, M. U. «Irony and Sarcasm in English Humour». Online Conferences Platform , 2021, pp. 78–82.
6. Leech, Geoffrey N., and Short, Michael H. Style in Fiction: A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose. 2nd ed., Pearson Education, 2007.
7. Galperin, I. R. Stylistics. Moscow: Higher School Publishing, 1977.