1.3. The Cop and the Anthem
- O’ Henry (1862-1910)
About the author:
William Sydney Porter is an American writer who is better known by his pen name O’ Henry. Even he is well known for his short stories. He ran a humorous weekly, ‘The Rolling Stone’ and when he failed in it, he joined the ‘Houston Post’ as a reporter, columnist and occasional cartoonist. He implied twisted way of thoughts and endings in almost every story. His stories are having naturalistic observations, witty narration and surprise endings.
About the Story:
In this story the main character, Soapy, is a vagabond and a person with criminal background. He makes different plans to re-enter the prison as he has no shelter to protect himself from the severe winter. The story ends in an unexpected way. O’ Henry has depicted Soapy’s futile attempts to get arrested in a very humorous vein.
‘The Cop and the Anthem’ is about freedom and confinement. Initially, Spapy feels that there is freedom (from miseries and worries) in confinement (prison). The notes of Anthem transform him from within and he resolves to work hard. Soapy faces the irony of fate as the moment he realizes the real freedom lies in a virtuous life, he is taken into confinement.
