The Cop and the Anthem Rules and Order Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (paragraph)

Quote #4

"'Tis one of them Yale lads celebratin' the goose egg they give to the Hartford College. Noisy; but no harm. We've instructions to lave them be." (29)

The policemen in the story are shown as tolerant, helpful, and sensible. They aren't overly concerned with rules, but play it by ear, trying to help make things flow in as orderly a fashion as possible. This passage shows how order can sometimes best be kept by not being overly concerned with the rules.

Quote #5

Soapy felt a hand laid on his arm. He looked quickly around into the broad face of a policeman. (44)

This policeman feels that order is best preserved by getting guys like Soapy off the streets. We don't know if this is because he's afraid Soapy will be harmed if he faces the cold, or because he thinks Soapy might be causing trouble, or some combination. Not having a place to live or way to support yourself was actually a crime in Soapy's day. Maybe this policeman just believes in the rules and feels obligated to enforce them. Likely, it's some combination of all this.