Summary of the lesson:
The lesson 'The Cop and the Anthem' is written by an American writer William Sydney Porter whose nick name is O’Henry. The Cop and the Anthem is O’ Henry’s well-known story. In the title the word ‘cop’ means police and the anthem means a song sung in the praise of religion or nation. In this story, the main character is Soapy who is vagabond. Here vagabond means the person who doesn’t have his own home and job. Hence, Soapy is homeless, jobless and moneyless person along with having criminal background. He leads his life on the bench in the park. The story is about Soapy’s different plans to get arrested and at the end the story ends ironically as fate has different plan in the life of poor Soapy. The story begins with Soapy’s ridiculous and miserable situation as the winter season is approaching very fast. Soapy is restless as he doesn’t have his own house for shelter. The story revolves around the main character ‘Soapy’ who makes five plans to get arrested in any circumstances. He wants to get arrested for three months till the end of winter season. He is in the search of the place where he can protect and survive himself. According to him, there is no proper place than prison or jail. Therefore he wants to get arrested. Soapy’s five plans are as follows-
The setting of the story is a park where Soapy is sitting on the bench.
First plan- wants to have lunch at luxurious café.
Second plan- wants to break glass of crockery shop.
Third plan- wants to have dinner at cheap restaurant.
Fourth plan- shouting loudly on the sidewalk.
Fifth plan- stealing silk umbrella outside the cigar store.
In any condition, Soapy wants to get arrested as he wants to protect himself from the severe cold of winter season. Therefore he has plan in his mind to get entry into a luxurious café and to eat varied and costly food items along with wine and cigar. After having a lunch, he will get arrested as he is not going to pay bill. But before he can put his plan into action. As soon as he wants to enter the café, the head waiter’s eye falls upon his tattered trouser and old shoes. Therefore, he is thrown out of the café. This is how his first attempt drastically failed as his entry is denied.
It seemed that Soapy’s way to prison/island is not so easy. From the Broadway, he turned to Sixth Avenue and attempts a second mischief or plan. He picks up a stone and dashes it through the glass of the shop. In this way, he breaks the glass of the store and expects the policeman standing nearby will arrest him. On the contrary of his desire, the policeman does not suspect him to have broken the glass and tries to follow someone else to arrest. This is how Soapy’s second plan also failed.
Discouraged from the failure of two attempts, he tries for the third plan. Now he wants to have his meal in the restaurant of the modest quality which is located opposite side. He enjoys there beefsteak, doughnuts and pie at a modest restaurant. When the time comes to pay the bill, Soapy asks them to call a cop. But the waiters in the hotel just kicks him out of the restaurant and not turn to police station. This is how Soapy’s third attempt to go to prison failed and remained a dream.
Now Soapy’s tried for his fourth attempt. It involves him yelling and shouting at the top of his voice disturbing the surrounding. The cop standing nearby looks at him but neglects this attempt. The policeman looks upon him as one of the lads of college and has a order to let them as there is no harm from them.
Now it is the last attempt made by Soapy. This time he pretends to be stealing a silk umbrella resting outside a store. He hopes to get arrested by the owner of umbrella. But his luck proves bad here as well because the man admits that he himself stole the umbrella from a restaurant and thinks Soapy might be its owner.
Soapy gets depressed by so many failed attempts, the vagabond makes his way back to the bench which is his only shelter. While returning to his bench, he comes across the church and listens to the Anthem. It makes him to stop at the gate of the church. The notes of the Anthem reminds him of his family and past life.
The Anthem, thus, prompts a sudden positive change in him. He thinks of how he is trapped into this pointlessness life. At this time of self-realisation, he resolves to begin his life afresh. He abandons all his plans to go to the prison. Just when the poor, homeless man is all determined to change for good and be a better man, a cop arrives and an argument arises between them.
The story ends with three months of imprisonment for misbehaving at the gate of church. Ironically it happens at a moment when he decides to start a new life. The vagabond like Soapy could not understand the difference between confinement and freedom.
Activities based on the lesson:
Extract-1 Soapy left his bench.......must be devised.
A1. Write the reasons that gave Soapy confidence to enter the luxurious cafe.
Reasons:
1.................................................
2.................................................
3.................................................
4.................................................
A2. Make a list o food items which Soapy desired to get in the luxurious cafe.
1..................................................
2..................................................
3..................................................
4...................................................
A3. Soapy couldn't fulfill his desire to enjoy the meal in the cafe. Give its reason.
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A4. Personal Response
Give a list of your favourite dishes that you like to eat in the hotel.
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A5. Language Study
1. If only he could reach a table in the restaurant unsuspected, success would be his. (Use 'Unless')
2. Some other way of entering the limbo must be devised. (Use 'infinitive)
A6. Vocabulary
Match the words given under 'A' to their meaning given under 'B'
'A' 'B'
1. strolled a. old and worn out
2. decadent b. greatly desired
3. ignoble c. walked in a leisurely way
4. coveted d. dishonourable
Extract-2 At a corner of Sixth Avenue..........walked down the street.
A1. True or false
Rewrite the statements and state whether they are true or false
1) Soapy expected that police should catch him.
2) Soapy dashed the glass of the shop window to take a revenge.
3) The waiter handed over Soapy to the police.
4) The restaurant where Soapy ate was not a rich restaurant.
Answers:-
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A2. Describe
Describe the restaurant where Soapy ate meal.
Answer:- ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
A3. Give reason
The policeman refused to accept Soapy as a culprit of dashing the glass window. Give its reason.
Answer:-
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A4. Personal response
Give any funny event of your in 50 words.
Answer:-
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A5. Language study (Do as directed)
1) The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.(Make negative sentence)
Answer:-
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2) Men who smash windows do not remain to chat with the police. (Make simple sentences)
Answer:-
...............................................................................................................
A6. Word Register
Choose and write the words related to the restaurant from the extract.
Answer:-
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Extract 3-Soapy was seized with..............................man retreated.
A1. Complete the information taking the help of the extract.
1)Soapy feared about......................................................... that prevented his arrest.
2)The cop did not arrest Soapy for shouting and dancing because ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
3)The umbrella man retreated because ............................................................................................................
4)Soapy desired to go ............................................. by braking the law.
A2. Mention
Mention the two attempts of Soapy to the break the law.
Answer:-
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A3. Find
Find the two ironic situations from the extract.
Answer:-
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A4. Personal response
Write any four situations when you felt 'scared' seeing the policeman approaching to you.
Answer:-
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A5. Language Study ( Do as directed)
1) Would never a policeman lay hands on him?( make assertive sentence)
answer:-
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2) He had set his silk umbrella by the door on entering.
(Frame a wh-question to get the underlined words as answer)
Answer:-
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A6. Vocabulary
Find the homophones for the following from the extract:-
a)wood b)cot c)bee d)bye
Answer:-
a)............. b)............. c) ............... d)...............
Extract4- The policeman hurried to ................................. thoughts and collars.
A1. Choose
Choose the two statements showing appropriately the theme of the extract.
1)Soapy was sad due to the attitude of the police.
2The natural aspects of the country churchyards made Soapy recall his past life.
3) The police liked to help the beautiful tall woman.
4) Soapy liked to enjoy wondering everywhere.
Answer:-
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A2. Describe the atmosphere when Soapy reached near the church.
Answer:-
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A3. Pick out
Pick out the lines from the text which shows that-
a) Soapy complained about the behaviour of the cop.
b)Listening to the anthem, Soapy remembered his good old days.
Answer:-
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A4. Personal Response
Write any four situations when you felt 'relieved' seeing the cop approaching you.
Answer:-
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A5. Language Study (Do as directed)
1) He hurried the umbrella angrily into an excavation.
(Frame a wh- question to get the underlined words as answer)
Answer:-
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2) Here was an old church, quaint and rambling and gabled.( write adjectives used here)
Answer:-
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A6. Vocabulary
Find the words from the extract which mean-
a) a state of great disturbance
b) attractively unusual or old fashioned
c) a person with pale yellow hair
d) Perfectly clean and tidy
Answer:-
a)................................ b) ............................ c) ....................................
d) ...............................
Extract 5- The conjuction of soapy's ............................... the next morning.
A1. Complete
Complete the information taking the help of the extract.
'A' 'B'
1. Change in Soapy's soul due to a............
b............
2. A fur importer offered a post to Soapy c.............
3.Verdict of the Magistrate d.............
A2. Choose
Describe the wonderful change in Soapy's mind.
Answer:-
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A3. Explain
Explain the irony shown at the end of the story.
Answer:-
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A4. Personal Response
Write an incident in which you did something wrong and repented for it later.
Answer:-
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A5. Language Study(Do as directed)
1) A strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fact.
(Begin the sentence with 'he')
Answer:-
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2) Tomorrow he would go into the roaring downtown district and find work.
(Join the clauses by infinitive)
Answer:-
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A6. Find the words
Find out any four words to describe the 'degraded state of Soapy' from the extract.
Answer:-
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