# The Winner explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by O. Henry.

## What happens

Three old cronies, after a performance, go to a saloon and begin telling tall tales over drinks. The judge proposes a lying contest for a mint julep, and the colonel starts a story that is quickly interrupted as too improbable.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Irony

The chapter revolves around a friendly lying contest, with the colonel's story being so absurd it is cut off.

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

The characters engage in deliberate lying, blurring the line between truth and fiction for entertainment.

## Character check-ins

### The Colonel

Participates in the lying contest and begins a story about his Saturday morning.

### The Captain

Not explicitly named but implied as one of the three cronies; referred to as 'the judge' in the excerpt.

### The General

Not explicitly named but implied as one of the three cronies; referred to as 'the major' in the excerpt.

## Key lines

> After the performance of “In Old Kentucky” Friday night three old cronies went into a saloon with the inflexible determination of taking a drink.

Three old friends went to a bar after a show, firmly resolved to have a drink.

_Sets the scene for the evening's events._

> Finally the judge suggested the concoction of a fine large julep⁠—a julep that would render the use of curling irons unnecessary⁠—and the one who told the most improbable story should be allowed to produce the vacuum in the straws.

The judge proposed making a large mint julep, and the person who told the most unlikely story would get to drink it.

_Establishes the contest and its prize._

## Links

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