Jimmy Valentine is a deflated balloon. The balloon should always be inflated with good actions, but bad actions can cause the balloon to deflate. Once the balloon does not have any more air, it is hard to fulfill with air again. The balloon represents the difference between an honest life and a dishonest life. Because Jimmy Valentine was truly dedicated to living a moral life, Jimmy Valentine quit robbing banks, started making a living, and he was about to marry Annabel Adams. Since, Jimmy Valentine quit robbing banks, he has been much more successful in his life. Jimmy Valentine opened up a shoe store that makes a lot of profit, therefore he is doing financially well. There was not any shoe stores in Eleanor. Before Jimmy’s shoe store, shoes …show more content…
He did not immediately make quality choices right away. When Jimmy Valentine was released from prison, the warden gave him some advice stating, “You’re not a bad fellow at heart. Stop cracking safes, and live straight.” (A Reformed Reformation, O. Henry) At first, Jimmy did not take him seriously, he continued to rob safes for awhile. When Jimmy came across a little town called Eleanor, he had a change of heart. He changed his perspective towards the warden’s advice about poor choices. Jimmy Valentine did start living straight, he was doing very well doing so. The balloon was equally balanced between beneficial and defective choices at this point. Furthermore, Jimmy Valentine quit breaking into safes. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make because it meant him being able to be with Annabel. This is a giant step towards going down the correct pathway because the crimes Jimmy was doing were not small, but they were big, serious crimes that would cause huge punishment. Finally, Jimmy changed his identity to Ralph D. Spencer so that no one would recognize his past of robbing safes. Jimmy was giving himself a fresh new start towards success that could lead towards new