# The Confession of a Murderer explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by O. Henry.

## What happens

A narrator confesses to killing a mosquito, describing the intense hatred and relief they feel after finally destroying the insect that had tormented them for months. The confession is revealed to be a humorous twist, as the 'murderer' is actually a mosquito.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Irony

The entire confession is a parody of a murder confession, with the twist that the victim is a mosquito, creating ironic humor.

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

The narrator's dramatic language deceives the reader into thinking a human murder occurred, when in reality it is a mosquito.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The confessor who describes killing a mosquito with dramatic, vengeful language.

## Key lines

> He is dead and I killed him. I gaze upon him, lying cold and still, with the crimson blood welling from his wound, and I laugh with joy.

The narrator exults over the dead body of his victim, celebrating the murder.

_Sets up the mock-serious tone of the confession._

> I think he is the largest and fattest mosquito I ever saw.

The narrator reveals that the victim is actually a mosquito.

_The punchline that transforms the confession into a humorous piece._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_41_se/chapters/the-confession-of-a-murderer
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_41_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_41_se/chapters