Short Fiction · Chapter
City Perils explained
Jeremiah Q.
What happens
Jeremiah Q. Dilworthy, a Houston resident who promised his wife he would abstain from drinking for a year, breaks his promise and goes out with friends. While walking home on a rainy night, he staggers to the side of the street and suddenly falls into the sidewalk, disappearing from sight before anyone can help.
Themes in this chapter
Humor and Irony
The ironic twist of a man falling into a sidewalk rather than water, combined with his broken promise, creates a darkly humorous situation.
Ambition and Failure
Dilworthy's failed promise to his wife and his subsequent downfall illustrate the theme of personal ambition undermined by weakness.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator recounts the ironic mishap of Jeremiah Q. Dilworthy.
Key passages
“On January first, he promised his wife he would not take another drink in a year. He forgot his promise and on Tuesday night we met some of the boys, and when he started home about nine o’clock he was feeling a trifle careless.”
He had vowed to his wife on New Year's Day to stay sober for a year, but broke that vow when he went out drinking with friends on a Tuesday night, leaving home around nine feeling unsteady.
Highlights the broken promise and the start of Dilworthy's fateful evening.
“A policeman standing on the corner heard a loud yell of despair, and turning, saw a man throw up his arms and then disappear from sight. Before the policeman could call someone who could swim the man had gone for the third and last time.”
A nearby policeman heard a desperate cry and saw a man fling his arms up before vanishing; before he could summon a swimmer, the man had sunk for the final time.
Emphasizes the absurdity of the situation, as the man appears to drown on dry land.