1.3. The Cop and the Anthem - Class 12 - English Yuvakbharati

Author: O'Henry (William Sydney Porter) | Genre: Prose (Short Story)

1. Comprehensive Glossary

2. Introduction & Summary

Ice Breakers:

• Protection from Cold: In severe winter, one would protect themselves by wearing heavy woolens, using heaters, drinking hot beverages, and seeking sturdy shelter.

  
  

• Feelings Toward Cops: A person might feel 'relieved' when seeing a cop while walking alone in a dark street, but 'scared' if riding a bike without a valid driving license.

  
  

Summary: "The Cop and the Anthem" is a humorous yet ironic story about Soapy, a vagabond who seeks shelter in prison to survive the harsh New York winter. To get arrested, he attempts several minor crimes: trying to dine at a luxurious restaurant without paying, smashing a shop window, eating at a modest cafe and declaring he has no money, harassing a young woman, and "stealing" an umbrella. Ironically, despite his best efforts to be caught, the police repeatedly ignore him or dismiss his actions as harmless.

The turning point occurs when Soapy reaches an old church and hears a Sabbath anthem. The sweet music triggers a profound spiritual transformation, making him regret his wasted life and resolve to find honest work the next day. However, in a final twist characteristic of O'Henry's style, a policeman arrests him for "loitering" just as he decides to change. He is sentenced to three months in prison—the very fate he had been pursuing all day, but now no longer wants.

3. HSC Board Activity Sheet Pattern (Prose Section)

A1. Global Understanding (2 Marks)

• Set 1: True/False – 1. Soapy wanted to go to the "island" to escape the winter. 2. The policeman arrested Soapy for breaking the glass window. 3. Soapy stole an umbrella from a cigar store. 4. The anthem music made Soapy feel motivated to change his life. 5. The story ends with Soapy getting a job as a driver.

  • Answer: 1-True, 2-False, 3-True, 4-True, 5-False.

    
    

• Set 2: Complete the Web – Describe the ways Soapy tried to get arrested.

  • Answer: 1. Tried to enter a luxurious cafe. 2. Smashed a shop window. 3. Ate at a restaurant and refused to pay. 4. Shouted and danced to simulate 'disorderly conduct'. 5. Stole an umbrella.

    
    

• Set 3: Arrange in Sequence – 1. Soapy hears the anthem at the church. 2. Soapy is sentenced to three months on the island. 3. Soapy smashes a plate-glass window. 4. Soapy decides to find work the next day.

  • Answer: 3, 1, 4, 2.

    
    

• Set 4: Match the Column – Match the incident with the consequence.

  • 1. Soapy broke a glass window -> The cop ran after another man.

  • 2. Two waiters pitched Soapy on pavement -> He stood up slowly beating dust from clothes.

  • 3. Soapy heard the anthem -> Suddenly a wonderful change came in his heart.

  • 4. Cop arrests Soapy for hanging around -> Dream of turning around in life was shattered.

    
    

• Set 5: Correct the Sentences – 1. The head waiter let Soapy eat a roasted duck. 2. The policeman thought Soapy was a student from Hartford College.

  • Answer: 1. The head waiter saw his tattered trousers and turned him away. 2. He thought Soapy was a Yale lad celebrating.

A2. Complex Factual (2 Marks)

1. Why did Soapy want to go to the prison ("the island")? 

   -> The severe winter was approaching, and Soapy had no home except a park bench. He viewed the prison as a place where he would receive food and a bed, free from the miseries of the cold.

   
   

2. Describe the incident at the luxurious restaurant. 

   -> Soapy hoped to eat a mallard duck and coffee unsuspected. However, as soon as he entered, the head waiter noticed his tattered trousers and decadent shoes and quietly escorted him out.

   
   

3. Why did the policeman refuse to arrest Soapy after he smashed the window?

    -> The policeman believed that men who smash windows do not stay to chat with the police; they usually run away. He saw another man running to catch a car and chased him instead.

   
   

4. How did the "umbrella man" react to Soapy’s theft? 

   -> Instead of calling a cop, the man became apologetic. He admitted he had found the umbrella in a restaurant that morning and, seeing Soapy claim it so savagely, he retreated to avoid a scene.

   
   

5. Describe the atmosphere near the church. 

   -> It was an unusually quiet corner with an old gabled church. A soft light glowed through a violet-stained window, the moon was full and radiant, and sparrows twittered sleepily in the eaves.

A3. Inference / Interpretation / Analysis (2 Marks)

1. Analyze the irony of the story’s ending. 

   -> The irony lies in the fact that when Soapy was actively committing crimes to get into prison, he was ignored. But the moment he decides to lead a virtuous life and find a job, he is arrested for doing nothing.

   
   

2. What does the "Anthem" symbolize in the story? 

   -> The anthem symbolizes Soapy’s lost innocence and potential. It acts as a catalyst for his internal revolution, reminding him of a time when his life contained "mothers and roses and ambitions".

   
   

3. Why does O'Henry use the term "winter island" for the prison? 

   -> It reflects Soapy’s perspective: for him, the prison is not a place of punishment but a safe "island" of refuge away from the "sea" of winter cold and homelessness.

   
   

4. Explain the term "smile with tears" regarding O'Henry's style. 

   -> It implies that his stories are humorous but contain underlying sadness or irony. We laugh at Soapy’s failed attempts to get arrested, but feel the tragedy of his arrest just when he resolves to change.

   
   

5. Interpret: "The homing instinct survives even when the home is a park bench." 

   -> This suggests that even a vagabond like Soapy feels a sense of belonging or a need to return to a familiar spot when they are tired or defeated, showing his desperate state.

A4. Personal Response (2 Marks)

1. Do you think Soapy was a "criminal" in the true sense? 

   -> No, Soapy’s "crimes" were desperate attempts to survive the winter rather than acts of malice. He was a victim of circumstances and poverty, looking for the basic necessity of shelter.

   
   

2. How does music affect a person's emotions? 

   -> Music has a deep psychological impact. Just as the anthem transformed Soapy's soul, certain songs can evoke memories, inspire hope, or provide comfort during difficult times.

   
   

3. Is prison the right place for someone like Soapy? 

   -> Instead of prison, someone like Soapy needs social support, rehabilitation, and job opportunities. Confinement only addresses his immediate need for shelter but doesn't solve the root cause of his vagrancy.

   
   

4. Describe a time when you were misunderstood by an authority figure. 

   -> (Model Answer) Once, I was running to help an elderly person who fell, but a teacher thought I was running in the corridor to break rules. Like Soapy, my intentions were different from the authority's perception.

   
   

5. What would you do to help a person resolve to change their life? 

   -> I would offer them encouragement and practical help, like assisting them in finding work. Providing a supportive environment is crucial for someone trying to pull themselves out of the "mire".

END

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