1.3 THE COP AND THE ANTHEM- MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD- CLASS 12-ENGLISH
1.3: ‘The Cop and the Anthem’
Maharashtra State Board
Class 12, English
O’Henry
O’Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter, an American writer known for his short stories with twist endings. Born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina, O. Henry worked various jobs, including as a pharmacist and a bank clerk, before turning to writing full-time.
His stories often depict everyday life and feature ordinary characters in unexpected situations. One of his most famous works is “The Gift of the Magi,” a heartwarming tale about a couple who sacrifice their most prized possessions to buy each other gifts.
O’Henry’s writing style is characterized by wit, clever plots, and surprise endings, making his stories both entertaining and thought-provoking. He passed away on June 5, 1910, but his works continue to be popular and widely read.
‘The Cop and the Anthem’
The Cop and the Anthem is a short story by O. Henry. It tells the story of a man named Soapy, who is homeless and lives in a city. As winter approaches, Soapy decides he needs to get arrested so he can spend the cold months in the warmth and safety of jail.
Soapy tries various petty crimes to get arrested, like breaking a window and refusing to pay at a restaurant. However, each time, something unexpected happens, and he is not arrested. Finally, while sitting on a park bench, Soapy hears beautiful music from a church. This music makes him reflect on his life, and he decides to turn over a new leaf and find honest work.
Ironically, just as Soapy resolves to change his ways, a police officer arrests him for loitering. The story ends with Soapy being sentenced to three months in jail, which was what he initially wanted but no longer desires.
The story highlights themes of irony, the human desire for redemption, and the often harsh realities of life.
‘पोलीस व ईशस्तवन’ (The Cop and the Anthem) ही ओ. हेन्री या प्रसिद्ध अमेरिकन कथाकाराने लिहिलेली लोकप्रिय कथा आहे. सोपि नावाच्या एका बेघर व वैफल्यग्रस्त व्यक्तीच्या असुरक्षित व भरकटलेल्या जीवनाचे वर्णन या कथेमध्ये लेखकाने अतिशय कुशलतेने केले आहे.
हिवाळा सुरू व्हायला अवघे काही दिवस शिल्लक असतात. अशा या कडाक्याच्या थंडीत आपल्याला कुठे आश्रय मिळेल या विचारात सोपि मग्न असतो. अचानक त्याला एक कल्पना सुचते. आपण काहीतरी गुन्हेगारी कृत्य करू, पोलीस आपल्याला पकडतील व शहरातील तुरुंगात टाकतील, साहजिकच तिथे आपली किमान तीन महिने तरी राहण्याची व खाण्याची सोय होईल अशी सुपिक कल्पना सोपिच्या डोक्यात येते.
सोपि एका महागड्या व नंतर एका स्वस्तातल्या हॉटेलात जेवायला जातो. पोटभर जेवल्यानंतर पैसे न देता तो तिथून जायला निघतो, हॉटेलवाले मला पकडतील व पोलिसांच्या ताब्यात देतील असे त्याला वाटले. परंतू तसे झाले नाही, दोन्ही ठिकाणी त्याचा अवतार पाहून त्याला हॉटेलातून बाहेर जाण्यास सांगण्यात आले, धक्के देऊन त्याला बाहेर काढण्यात आले.
त्यानंतर रस्त्याने जात असताना सोपि एका दुकानाची काच फोडतो. यावेळीदेखील तो वाट पाहतो कि पोलीस मला पकडतील, परंतु तसे काहीच झाले नाही. येनकेन प्रकारे पोलिसांनी मला पकडावे या विवंचनेत सोपि एका दुकानात जातो. तिथे असलेल्या एका व्यक्तीची छत्री चोरण्याचा तो प्रयत्न करतो. छत्री मालकाने विरोध करताच सोपिने त्याला पोलिसांना बोलावण्यास सांगितले. छत्री मालकाला ती छत्री एका हॉटेलात सापडलेली असते, सोपि हा छत्रीचा मालक आहे असे समजून त्याने सोपिला ती छत्री घेऊन जाण्यास सांगितले.
सर्व प्रयत्न बेकार गेल्याने सोपि प्रचंड निराश होतो. त्यानंतर तो आपल्या नेहमीच्या जागी म्हणजेच एका बागेतील बाकड्यावर जाऊन बसतो. आता आपण कधीही तुरुंगात जाऊ शकत नाही या विचाराने तो आणखीनच हैराण होतो. अचानक त्याला बागेसामोरच असलेल्या एका चर्चमधून सुमधुर असे ईशस्तवन ऐकू येते. परमेश्वराची भरभरून स्तुती असणाऱ्या या गीताने त्याच्यामध्ये अचानक परिवर्तन होते व त्याला आत्मसाक्षात्कार होतो. चोरी करून तुरुंगात जाण्यापेक्षा उद्यापासून काहीतरी काम शोधण्याचा निर्णय तो घेतो. पश्च्यातापाने डोळे बंद करून व आपले दोन्ही हात जोडून तो चर्चसमोर शांतपणे उभा असतो. तेवढ्यात पाठीमागून कुणीतरी त्याच्या खांद्यावर हात ठेवतो, सोपि मागे वळून पाहतो तर मागे एक पोलीस असतो. पोलिस विचारतात, ‘इथे काय करतोस?’. सोपि उत्तरतो, ‘काहीही नाही’.
त्यानंतर सोपिला कोर्टात उभे करण्यात येते व त्याला तीन महिन्याच्या तुरुंगवासाची शिक्षा ठोठावण्यात येते. ब्लॅकवेलच्या तुरुंगात सोपिची रवानगी करण्यात येते.
ICE BREAKERS
Activity: Suppose you have gone to a place where the winter season is very severe, suggest the ways in which you would protect yourself in the cold climate:
Activity: When you see a cop approaching, you feel either ‘relieved’ or ‘scared’. Discuss with your partner the situation when you feel ‘relieved’ or ‘scared’:
Activity: Discuss some of the motivating things that can change a person’s life:
BRAINSTORMING
Activity: Discuss and find out the different ways in which Soapy tried to get arrested:
Activity: Describe the atmosphere when Soapy reached near the church:
Activity: Read the story and match the incidents given in Column A with the consequences given in Column B:
Answer:
| Column A | Column B |
| 1) Soapy tried to enter a cafe. | Strong and ready hands of the head waiter turned him around. |
| 2) Soapy broke a glass window. | The cop ran after another man. |
| 3) Two waiters pitched Soapy on the callous pavement. | He stood up slowly beating the dust from his clothes. |
| 4) Soapy heard the anthem being played in the Church. | Suddenly a wonderful change came in his heart. |
| 5) Cop arrests Soapy for hanging around. | Dream of turning around in life was shattered. |
Activity: Give reasons and complete the following:
a) Soapy had confidence in himself because he saw well-shaven, his coat was trim and he was wearing a neat, black bow.
b) The head waiter of the luxurious cafe did not allow Soapy to enter because he caught sight of Soapy’s tattered trousers and decadent shoes, also judged that Soapy is unable to pay for a meal.
c) The cop did not arrest Soapy for breaking the glass window because the cop knows very well that the men who smash the window do not stay there for a long time, they leave the place immediately.
d) The cop did not arrest Soapy for shouting and dancing because he thought that Soapy was young man who came from a party at Hartford College and the cops have been neglecting such youngsters.
Activity: Pick out the lines from the text which show that:
| a) Soapy wants to enter the cafe for two reasons. |
| i. He was thinking of roasted mallard duck, bottle of wine, cheese, coffee and cigar. ii. Soapy strongly wanted to spend winter days in the jail. |
| b) Soapy was afraid that he won’t be able to enter the prison- |
| His route to the coveted island was not be an easy one. Some other way of entering the limbo must be devised. |
| c) Soapy was not caught by the cop for throwing stones at the glass. |
| The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue. Soapy, with disgust in his heart, drifted along, twice unsuccessful. |
| d) Soapy actually did not want the umbrella. |
| He hurled the umbrella angrily into an excavation . He muttered against the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. |
| e) Listening to the anthem, Soapy remembered his good old days. |
| Soapy had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars. |
Activity: ‘He would make a man of himself again’ – The word ‘man’ in the sentence means:
- A person who still believes his capabilities.
- A person who hopes to rise again like a phoenix.
- A man who feels some remorse at his actions.
- Soapy’s desire to regain his self-respect, dignity and a sense of responsibility.
- Soapy’s aspiration to lead a respectable and purposeful life, in contrast to his previous aimless existence.
- Soapy’s resolve to improve himself and become a better person.
Activity: Soapy’s earlier life was much different from his present life. Complete the table to show this contrast:
Answer:
| Earlier life | Present life |
| a. Contained friends and roses | a. Unworthy desires |
| b. Love and support of Family | b. No support and hopes |
| c. Mothers and roses | c. Dead hopes |
| d. Ambitions and friends | d. Wrecked Faculties |
| e. Clean and tidy thoughts | e. Lack of values |
| f. Stable and respectable life | f. Homeless vagrant, struggling to survive |
| g. Respectful or indifferent | g. Seeks arrest as a means of survival |
| h. Had a place to live | h. Sleeping on benches and in parks |
Activity: After listening to the sweet and solemn organ notes, Soapy decides to:
- set up a revolution in him
- to go into the roaring downtown district to find work
- to bring back his old eager ambitions
- to settle himself without losing confidence and determination
Activity: Write an incident in which you did something wrong and repented for it later. Give reasons:
Incident 1: On Sunday morning, I got into a fight with my sister, and my mother scolded me. Upset, I ran away from home. My family was very worried and searched for me all day. When I came back in the evening, they were really happy to see me. I felt bad about what I did and apologized to everyone.
Incident 2: I still remember a day when I was in 10th grade. It was Teacher’s Day, and some of my friends were acting as teachers. When one of my friends was teaching, I started making comments and teasing her on purpose. She ended up crying in front of the class. I immediately felt bad and apologized to her.
Incident 3: The day before the science exam, my friend asked me to explain a chemistry equation to her, but I told her I was too busy. She got really nervous. Later, when I found out she failed in chemistry, I cried and said, ‘Oh God, please forgive me! I regret what I did so much now.’
Incident 4: It was an inter-school cricket tournament, and I was the captain of my team. We were close to winning the match easily, but I hit the ball high and got out at 49 runs. After that, the rest of our players got out quickly, scoring only 10 more runs. We lost the match by just 3 runs. I felt really bad about my mistake.
Activity: O’Henry has used different words to indicate prison where Soapy wants to reach. Make a list of those words:
- Island
- Arcadia
- Limbo
Activity: Find out the words used for the ‘degraded state of Soapy’:
- The degraded days
- The pit into which he had tumble
- Unworthy desires
- Dead hopes & Mire
- Wrecked faculties and base motives
Activity: The specific meaning of the word ‘anthem’ in the content of the story is_________:
In the story “The Cop and The Anthem” the word “anthem” has a special meaning. It refers to a song that makes the main character, Soapy, feel a strong emotion. When Soapy hears the anthem being played outside the church, it reminds him of better times in his life and makes him want to change for the better. So, in this story, the “anthem” symbolizes hope, inspiration, and the desire to improve oneself.
Activity: Convert the following sentences into Negative without changing their meanings:
a. The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.
Ans: The policeman did not accept Soapy even as a clue.
b. Soapy drifted along twice unsuccessful.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice not successful. OR
Soapy did not succeed twice as he drifted along.
c. Soapy stopped his unavailing racket.
Ans. Soapy did not resume his unavailing racket. OR
Soapy did not continue his unavailing racket.
d. The island seemed very far away.
Ans. The island seemed not at all close. OR
The island did not seem very close.
e. The island seemed an unattainable Arcadia.
Ans. The island did not seem an attainable Arcadia. OR
The island did not seem like an attainable Arcadia.
Activity: Convert the following sentences into Affirmative without changing their meanings:
a. Men who smash windows do not remain to chat with the police.
Ans. Men who smash windows avoid remaining to chat with the police. OR
Men who smash windows leave before the police arrive to chat.
b. Why don’t you call a cop?
Ans. You may call a cop. OR
You should call a cop.
c. On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant of no great pretensions.
Ans. On the opposite side of the street was a very simple restaurant. OR
On the opposite side of the street was a modest restaurant.
d. Noisy; but no harm.
Ans. Noisy; but without harm. OR
It was noisy, but harmless.
e. They seemed to regard him as a King who could do no wrong.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a King who remained always right.
Activity: ‘Forgiveness is often better than punishment’. Write two paragraphs- one for and another against this notion:
For Forgiveness:
Forgiveness can be better than punishment because it helps to mend relationships and encourages people to do better. When someone is forgiven, they often feel more supported and are more likely to learn from their mistakes. Forgiveness can make people feel valued and less ashamed, which helps them grow and improve. For example, if a friend makes a mistake and you forgive them, they are more likely to try harder and avoid repeating the mistake.
Against Forgiveness:
Sometimes, forgiveness might not work as well as punishment. If someone is always forgiven without facing any consequences, they might not understand how serious their actions are. Punishment can teach important lessons and help prevent the same mistakes from happening again. For instance, if a student breaks rules repeatedly and only receives forgiveness, they may not learn to follow the rules and might continue to misbehave.
Activity: You are the class representative and you have been asked by the Principal to conduct an interview of a cop. Frame 8-10 questions with the help of the following points, give introduction and conclusion:
- reasons for joining the department
- special training
- developing the skill to identify and locate criminals
- dealing with criminals
- achievements and awards.
“Good afternoon Sir. It’s our immense pleasure to take an interview of such a brave cop who is better known for his versatile personality. Welcome Sir!!! Let’s start gossiping-
- What inspired you to join the police department?
- Can you tell us about any special training or education you underwent before becoming a police officer?
- How do you develop and hone the skills needed to identify and locate criminals?
- What are some of the most challenging aspects of dealing with criminals in your daily work?
- Can you describe a situation where you successfully identified and located a criminal? What was the process like?
- How do you manage stress and maintain professionalism when dealing with difficult or dangerous situations?
- What is one of your most memorable achievements or awards that you’ve received during your career?
- How do you think your role as a police officer has impacted the community you serve?
- What advice would you give to young people who are considering a career in law enforcement?
- Are there any future goals or projects you are looking forward to in your role?
Thank you for sharing your experiences and insights with us today. We appreciate the valuable information you’ve provided and the time you’ve taken to speak with us.
Thanks a lot! Have a nice day!!!
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