Вариант 2.

O.HENRY

(1862-1910)

The real name of the writer was William Sydney Porter. He was born in Greensboro, North California, USA, in the family of a doctor. He was brought up by his aunt because his mother died when he was a small boy. After finishing school at the age of fifteen, Porter worked as a clerk for five years in his uncle's chemist shop in Greensboro. Then he went to Texas because he wanted to see new places. For two years he worked on a farm, then he became a clerk at an office and at last got a job in a small bank. During this period he studied languages and became interested in literature. Soon he married and his daughter was born, Porter was a happy husband and a father, but his happiness did not last long.

One day a theft of a thousand dollars was discovered at the bank where he worked. Though it was not he who had taken the money, Porter left the town and went to Central America where he stayed for some time. But when he heard that his wife was very ill, he returned home and was sentenced to three years of prison.

After his wife's death Porter very often thought about his little daughter living with her relatives. She was told that her father had gone very far away and wouldn't return soon.

To get some money for a Christmas present for his daughter, Porter decided to write a story and sent it to one of the other American magazines. The story «Whistling Dick's Christmas Present» was published In 1899, and his daughter received a Christmas present. Porter had signed the story «O. Henry» - the first pen-name that came into his head. While still in prison, he published many other stories.

In 1901 when he was released from prison, he settled in New-York, and continued writing short stories for different magazines. Very soon he became one of the most popular short-story writers in America. O. Henry's stories won great popularity and were translated into many languages. Most of them have unexpected endings and the reader is always taken surprise.

During the short period of his literary activity O. Henry wrote 273 short stories and one novel «Cabbages and Kings» (1904).

In his stories he describes amusing incidents of everyday life in large cities, on the farms, and on the roads of America. In most of his stories he doesn't touch upon important social problems, but the author's sympathy is with the common people of America, whose life he knew very well. His greatest wish was that people should be happy.

Вариант 3.

THEODORE DREISER

(1871 - 1945)

Theodore Dreiser was born in a small town in the State of Indiana, USA, in a poor family. After his school years he had to support himself by doing different jobs. He worked at a laundry, then for several years he was a newspaper reporter in Chicago, Cleeveland and Pittsburgh. Later he moved to New York, where he found work as a magazine editor.

From the very beginning of his literary career, he fought against the writers who idealized America, and he wrote works of his own to tell the truth about it. But no publisher wanted to publish his books, and his ideals were criticized. Dreiser's life was a long fight for realistic literature.

In his first two novels «Sister Carrie» (1900) and «Jennie Gerard» (1911) Dreiser described the life of two young women in the capitalist world.

Three of his works, «The Financier» (1912) , «The Titan» (1914) and «The Stoic» (which was published only after his death in 1947), give the whole life story of an American capitalist showing the ways of making big wealth.

In 1927 Dreiser was a guest of Russia. He described his visit in «Dreiser Looks at Russia» (1928).

The economic crisis of 1929-1933 brought great misery to the American working people. In «Tragic America» (1931) Dreiser says that in order to end misery and exploitation American people should follow the example of Russia.

Besides the works mentioned above, Dreiser also published several collections of short stories.

Dreiser's literary work occupies an important place in American critical realism. His novels and short stories give a true picture of American society and h> influence upon the life of common people.