Poetry · Chapter
Alfred O'Gara explained
A brief, whimsical poem about Alfred O'Gara, president of the U.S.
What happens
A brief, whimsical poem about Alfred O'Gara, president of the U.S. Airplane Exhibition Company in Chicago, expressing nervousness about trying his new taxiplane service.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the speaker confronts the painful realization that his child’s lov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Humor and Satire
The poem uses lighthearted rhyme and exaggeration to poke fun at the narrator's anxiety about a new aviation service.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The speaker who expresses nervousness about flying in O'Gara's taxiplane.
Key passages
“In Yellows I always get nervous And holler out, “Heaven preserve us!””
Whenever I see yellow, I become anxious and cry out for divine protection.
The narrator's humorous admission of fear, possibly referencing yellow as a color associated with caution or danger.
“I wonder how I Will feel when I try O’Gara’s new taxiplane service.”
I am curious about my reaction when I actually use O'Gara's new airplane taxi service.
The narrator anticipates the experience of flying in a taxiplane, a novel form of transportation.
