"The Cop and the Anthem" is set in New York City in the early 1900s. The city is shown as a fairly orderly place. By contrast, our main character, a homeless man named Soapy, is all about disorder. From his mismatched clothes to his willingness to break windows, eat in restaurants he can't pay for, and make a ruckus on the street, Soapy is the anti-order. Soapy is like a guy stuck in opposite day. Most people try not to get arrested, and they try to stay out of jail. Soapy's backwards plans are thwarted mostly by waiters and policemen who know that he's just trying to do something bad so he can use jail as his winter hotel. Of course, just when Soapy decides that he would like to switch over to the side of order, a policeman decides to arrest Soapy for being a vagrant. The story leaves open whether Soapy will maintain his desire to put his life in, as they say, order, or continue to live the disordered existence that seems to be really hurting him.
Questions About Rules and Order
- What are some of the ways Soapy contributes to the city's disorder?
- Why don't any of the first five policemen arrest Soapy?
- How do you feel about the fact that Soapy is arrested right after he decides he no longer wants to be?
Chew on This
Even though the policemen in the story are antagonists to Soapy because they thwart his plans, they are shown sympathetically by O. Henry.
The organ music helps Soapy put his thoughts in order, showing the beneficial and healing properties of music.