# The Flag Paramount explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by O. Henry.

## What happens

Don Sabas Placido, a fugitive revolutionary leader, attempts to escape Coralio by sea with two officers. They commandeer a sloop under the command of a crazed admiral, who recognizes Sabas as a traitor and steers toward shore to deliver him to execution. A struggle ensues, the admiral is shot dead, and the flag of the defunct navy is taken. Don Sabas, a passionate collector, rejoices in the flag's uniqueness, valuing it above all else, and pins it on the dead admiral before boarding the steamer Salvador.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

The admiral's uniform and title are a farce, yet he acts with deadly seriousness; the flag is a symbol of a nonexistent navy, but becomes a priceless collector's item.

### Ambition and Failure

Sabas's revolutionary ambitions fail, but his collector's passion triumphs; the admiral's deluded loyalty ends in death.

### Crime and Consequence

Sabas is a traitor fleeing execution; the admiral is killed for his loyalty; the escape involves violence and deception.

## Character check-ins

### Don Sabas Placido

Fugitive revolutionary leader; collector of battle flags; kills the admiral and later treasures the unique naval flag.

### The Admiral

Crazed commander of the sloop El Nacional; recognizes Sabas as a traitor and attempts to deliver him to execution; shot dead by Sabas.

### Colonel Rafael

Officer accompanying Sabas; takes the helm after the admiral is killed.

### Captain McLeod

Captain of the steamer Salvador; assists in the escape by freeing the Carib crew.

## Key lines

> He was trying to estimate this sombre and fantastic lad, whose impenetrable stolidity puzzled him.

He studied the strange, serious young man, whose unreadable calm confused him.

_Sabas observes the admiral's inscrutable demeanor._

> With your face to a wall and shoot you dead. That is the way they kill traitors.

They execute traitors by shooting them against a wall.

_The admiral reveals the fate awaiting Sabas._

> Thus ended the Minister of War's little piece of after-dinner drollery, and by the same hand that began it.

The joke that started as a dinner amusement ended with the same person who began it.

_The admiral's commission and the flag's origin are tied to the Minister of War's jest._

> Beautiful flag! Only flag! Little devil of a most heaven-born flag!

What a beautiful, unique, and almost divine flag!

_Sabas exults over the rare naval flag._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_41_se/chapters/the-flag-paramount
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_41_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_41_se/chapters