XII English
Summary Notes
The Cop and The Anthem
William Sydney Porter an American writer is better known by his pen name O' Henry. Apart from being a writer, he was also a reporter, columnist and occasional cartoonist.
The story, The Cop and The Anthem is one of Henry's well-known stories. In this story, the main character (protagonist) Soapy is a Vagabond (homeless person, tramp) and a person who has gone astray and resorted to crime. He thinks that life in imprisonment is better than freedom.
Soapy makes different plans to re-enter the prison as he has no shelter to protect himself from the severe winter.Soapy wants to get arrested as he feels that there is freedom in confinement (jail). Maybe he wants to escape the responsibilities and anxieties in the real life and he finds jail a comfortable place where he will not have to work for his livelihood. Soapy earnestly desires to be confined to a jail. The writer describes Soapy's unsuccessful attempts to get arrested in a very humorous way.
Prison
The other words used for prison (jail) in the text are:
- Winter-island
- Coveted-island
- Limbo
Soapy's attempts to get arrested:
The first attempt:
(At a luxurious Cafe)
luxurious cafe
Soapy plans to enter a luxurious Cafe on Broadway Street even though he was penniless (moneyless). He felt confident of getting entry in the cafe because -
- He was shaven and
- He had put on a nice coat and a bow which was presented to him by a lady missionary
Soapy planned to order –
- A roasted mallard duck
- A bottle of wine
- A cup of coffee
- A cigar
He would have it all and would not pay for it.
Poor Soapy hoped that the cafe management would call the police and get him arrested on non payment of the bill, but the head waiter noticed his tattered trousers and decadent shoes.
But as Soapy set foot inside the restaurant door, the head-waiter's eye fell upon his tattered trousers and decadent shoes. Strong and ready hands turned him about and conveyed him in silence and haste to the side-walk and averted the ignoble fate of the menaced mallard.
Textbook Reference
Page 28
He had rightly guessed that Soapy was penniless and denied him the entry. Thus, Soapy's first plan to get arrested failed.
The second attempt:
At a corner of Sixth Avenue, Soapy caught sight of an attractive shop window. He took a stone and dashed it through the glass. The glass broke with a loud bang. People came running to the spot with the policeman in the lead to see what had happened. Soapy stood unafraid with his hands in his pockets and smiled at the police officer. The police officer agitatedly inquired about the man who had done that. Soapy hinted that it was he who had broken the glass.
"Don't you think that I might have had something to do with it?"
But the policeman didn't believe Soapy and refused to accept him even as a clue. He knew, men who smash windows do not stay there to chat with a police officer, they run away (take to their heels).
Just then the policeman saw a man running to catch a car. Thinking that he would be the culprit (one who had done wrong), the police man went running after him! Poor Soapy was twice unsuccessful.
The third attempt:
Soapy now targeted an ordinary restaurant catering to ordinary customers. The service and the quality of food was second grade (not so good). Its crockery and atmosphere were thick; its soup and napery thin. Soapy easily got entry there. He consumed beef stick, flapjacks, doughnuts and pie. And then he told the waiter that he had no money. The minutest coin and himself were total strangers. He told him to call a cop (policeman) but the waiter refused to call a cop. Two strong waiters threw poor Soapy on a pavement. It seemed Soapy's dream of imprisonment would never come true. He wondered if he had become immune to arrest. He was in a state of panic.
The fourth attempt:
Soapy saw a policeman lounging grandly (sitting comfortably and impressively) in front of a glittering theatre. He decided to do disorderly conduct (misbehaviour) with the hope that the policeman would lay hands on him (arrest him). Soapy began to yell (shout) at the top of his harsh voice to catch the attention of the policeman -- he danced, howled, raved and caused a great disturbance.
The policeman simply turned his back to Soapy and remarked to a citizen that he (Soapy) was one of the Yale (University) students celebrating their failure in the exam (goose egg: zero score). The policeman further said that, there were instructions to ignore these lads (youths) and not take any action against them as they were noisy but not harmful. Thus, this attempt too failed. With each failed attempt, Soapy became more and more restless. He was dying to get arrested.
The fifth attempt:
In a cigar store Soapy saw a well-dressed man lighting a cigar at the swinging light. He had set his umbrella by the door on entering. Soapy grabbed the umbrella and walked away (sauntered off) with it with the hope that the umbrella owner would call a cop. When the umbrella owner tried to chase Soapy, he told him to call a policeman.
"Well, why don't you call a policeman? I took it. Your umbrella! Why don't you call a cop? There stands one on the corner."
Textbook Reference
Page 30
But surprisingly, the man apologized Soapy (said sorry), because it was not his own umbrella! He had picked it up by mistake in a restaurant.
Now, when he saw Soapy walking away with the umbrella unafraid, he thought it would be his umbrella! Poor Soapy! He failed to get arrested for the fifth time. he threw away (hurled) the umbrella angrily because he didn't really want it. He grudged against the policemen because they were not arresting him.
He muttered against the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. Because he wanted to fall into their clutches, they seemed to regard him as a king who could do nothing wrong.
Textbook Reference
Page 31
Soapy was in a dejected mood. He was mentally disturbed and badly frustrated as all his attempts to get arrested had failed. In spite of trying his best, luck was not ready to favour him.
The music and the transformation:
Soapy reached a quiet corner and halted near an old church where an organist played an anthem with great skill. The sweet music had a very positive effect on Soapy's receptive mind. It proved a mood changer for him. The music notes reminded him of his good old days- family, friends, dreams, ambitions, and hopes. He remembered that he was once an innocent guy with no bad thoughts, bad intentions and bad actions.
Organ instrument
Church
Introspection and resolution to change:
The church and the music had brought a sudden and wonderful change in Soapy. He was horrified to see his own degradation-- unworthy desires, dead hopes and base motives. Soapy repented badly. He had gone astray (spoilt himself) too badly. He had fallen into a pit miserably.
Soapy now resolved to change his ways. He would no more continue with his anti-social ways. He would lead a prestigious life; he would make a man of himself again!
He would pull himself out of the mire and would make a man of himself again; he would conquer the evil that had enslaved him. There was time; he was young yet; he would resurrect his old eager ambitions and pursue them without faltering. Those solemn but sweet organ notes had set up a revolution in him. Tomorrow he would go into the roaring downtown district and find work. A fur importer had once offered him a place as driver. He would be somebody in the world. He would ---
Textbook Reference
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Irony of fate:
The moment Soapy decided to mend his ways and be somebody in the world, a policeman laid hands on him (caught him) and arrested him for suspiciously lingering near the church. Soapy was presented before the magistrate the next day and was sentenced three months imprisonment!
Thus, the story ends on an unhappy note. Soapy wins the reader's sympathy and we feel grieved to read about his tragic end! Poor Soapy!