Short Fiction · Chapter
A Christmas Pi explained
The narrator, a writer who has never written a Christmas story, recounts his annual cycle of promising to write one and failing.
What happens
The narrator, a writer who has never written a Christmas story, recounts his annual cycle of promising to write one and failing. On Christmas Eve, he encounters a man about to throw a brick into a pawnbroker's window, whom he initially tries to stop. The man reveals he is actually a magazine writer seeking a real story by getting arrested, and the narrator jokingly identifies himself as a plumber named John Horner.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the precise moment the protagonist’s humor shifts f…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Humor and Irony
The narrator's ironic self-deprecation about never writing a Christmas story and the twist that the brick-throwing man is also a writer seeking a story highlight the chapter's humorous tone.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator, a writer who has never written a Christmas story, encounters a man on Christmas Eve and tries to prevent him from throwing a brick.
Key passages
“I am not without claim to distinction. Although I still stick to suspenders—which, happily, reciprocate—I am negatively egregious.”
I have some unique qualities, like still wearing suspenders (which thankfully hold up my pants), but I am notable for what I haven't done.
The narrator humorously lists things he has never done, establishing his character.
“I would get copy from a cop, material from a mater, plot from a messenger boy.”
I planned to find story ideas from a police officer, material from a mother, and a plot from a messenger boy.
The narrator's playful wordplay shows his desperation for a Christmas story idea.
“My name is John Horner, and I'm a plumber.”
I am a plumber named John Horner.
The narrator's false identity is a humorous reference to the nursery rhyme 'Little Jack Horner,' ending the chapter on a whimsical note.
