A Retrieved Reformation

Jimmy Valentine is a round, dynamic character. He is the protagonist of “A Retrieved Reformation”—a handsome man with connections in high places and a love of the finer things of life. He’s also a consummate criminal, a notorious safecracker and convicted felon whose life of crime is undone by unexpected love.

The third-person omniscient narrator first introduces “Valentine, 9762,” a convict working in the prison shoe-shop. Jimmy’s time in prison ends with a pardon from the governor. Once free, he quickly returns to his old ways, drawing the attention of the police detective who put him behind bars. Jimmy has a quick wit and a sense of ironic humor. When the warden refers to his arrest in Springfield, Jimmy is “blankly virtuous,” claiming, “Why, warden, I never was in Springfield in my life!” (1).

Jimmy’s custom set of burglar tools is a prized possession, and he carries them with him wherever he goes. He is also a fancy dresser, which earns him the nickname “Dandy Jim Valentine” (2) and the envy of people like the hotel clerk in Elmore, Arkansas. Jimmy’s tools and clothes thematically reflect