The Cop and the Anthem Chapter 4 Summary and Question Answers

Here is a new blog post in Class 7th English. “The Cop and the Anthem” is Chapter 4 taken from the newly introduced textbook Let’s Read English textbook for students of Class 7^th of JKBOSE and An Alien Hand English for NCERT students. An American writer O’Henry, known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction wrote this story. This post concerns The Cop and the Anthem Chapter 4 Summary and Question Answers. In my previous post, you read about The Desert Chapter 3 Summary and Question Answers. So, let’s not waste any more time and get started with today’s post.

The Cop and the Anthem Chapter 4 Summary and Question Answers

Introduction

The story “The Cop and the Anthem” is about a guy named Soapy who doesn’t have a job or a place to live. He spends his time sitting on a bench in Madison Square. As winter comes, he faces difficulty finding a place to stay warm. Soapy decides to do something illegal to get arrested on purpose. He plans to end up in jail, where he believes he can find shelter from the cold. The story has elements of humour, sadness, and motivation.

The Cop and the Anthem Word Meaning

The Cop and the Anthem Chapter 4 Summary in English

Winter approached, and Soapy, homeless and without warm clothes, aimed to spend the three months of the winter season in the comfort of Blackwell’s Island prison, a place he had been to before for this purpose. His first plan was to dine at a fancy restaurant, claim he had no money, and get arrested. He would be taken to a judge. The judge would send him to prison for three months.  However, the head waiter noticed his worn-out shoes and promptly kicked him out.

Undeterred, Soapy tried another restaurant, successfully getting food but failed again when the waiter threw him out instead of calling a cop and getting him arrested He resorted to breaking a shop window, hoping the cop would arrest him, but the cop ignored him. Desperate, Soapy pretended to be a drunk college boy near a cop, but even this attempt failed as the cop dismissed him. Soapy then stole an umbrella, hoping the owner would call the cop, but it turned out the owner had stolen it too and offered it to Soapy.

After failing so many times Soapy was hopeless. He headed towards Madison Square, stopping at a familiar corner that reminded him of his childhood home. The sweet music and memories prompted a change in his soul, making him realize his wasted time, wrong desires, and lost potential. He decided to turn his life around, determined to find work the next day.

As Soapy contemplated his transformation, a cop approached and questioned him. Despite Soapy’s arguments, the cop took him in, and the next morning, the judge sentenced him to three months in Blackwell’s Island prison.

In summary, Soapy’s attempts to get arrested for a winter shelter failed until a moment of self-reflection at a familiar corner inspired him to change his life. The cop’s intervention finally led to Soapy’s imprisonment on Blackwell’s Island, where he hoped to find the discipline and structure to rebuild his life.

The Cop and the Anthem Chapter 4 Question Answers

Textual Exercises Page No. 29

Answer the following Questions

1. What are some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text?

Ans. The signs of the approaching winter are the movement of birds to the warm south regions, people wanting warm clothes and the dead leaves covering the ground.

2. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following:

(i) Soapy did not want to go to prison.

Ans. False

(ii) Soapy had been to prison several times.

Ans. True

(iii) It was not possible for Soapy to survive in the city through the winter.

Ans. True

(iv) Soapy hated to answer questions of a personal nature.

Ans. True

3. What was Soapy’s first plan? Why did it not work? 

Ans. Soapy’s first plan was to dine at a restaurant and claim that he had no money. They would immediately call a cop and he would get arrested. The plan failed because as soon as he put his foot inside the restaurant, the waiters blocked his entry and kicked him out of the restaurant.

4. “But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy”. What did the cop not consider, and why?

Ans. Soapy tried his second plan to get arrested by damaging the glass of the window but the policeman did not consider that Soapy was the vandaliser. The reason was usually, a criminal would avoid and run away from a cop and no such criminal would stop and talk to a policeman.

5. “We have orders to let them shout.” What is the policeman referring to?

Ans. The policeman was referring to the orders that he had got orders not to arrest the unruly and shouting college students.

6: Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.

(i) Soapy stole a man’s umbrella.

Ans. True

(ii) The owner of the umbrella offered to give it to Soapy.

Ans. True

(iii) The man had stolen the umbrella that was now Soapy’s.

Ans. True

(iv) Soapy threw away the umbrella. 

Ans. True

7. “There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul”. What brought about the change in Soapy?

Ans. When Soapy saw his home where he had spent his childhood, he suddenly changed his outlook. The old memories of his mother and the sweet music revived his love for a decent life. He decided to work and become somebody in life.

Discuss the following topics in groups

1. Suppose no cop came at the end. What would Soapy’s life be like through the winter?

Ans. If Soapy had not been arrested and sent to prison he would have faced harsh winter due to a lack of home and clothes. However, determined to start a new life he might have taken up some job and lived like a normal gentleman.

2. Retell an episode in the story which is a good example of irony in a situation.

Ans. Soapy was trying to get arrested and sent to prison for three cold months. He made several attempts to get arrested but failed every time. Finally, when he decided to work and lead a decent life, he was arrested by a cop. This is a good example of irony in a situation.

That’s it about The Cop and the Anthem Chapter 4 Summary and Question Answers. Hope it has helped. Do share your views about this post in the comment section below.