This short story shows us one day and (briefly) one morning in the life of Soapy, a homeless man living in New York City in the early 1900s. There is nothing stable in his life except the city itself and the jail cell he spends his winter in. Although told in a humorous lighthearted style, Soapy's story is rather brutal and nightmarish. "The Cop and the Anthem" doesn't judge Soapy for his lifestyle (though Soapy ultimately judges himself) nor does it romanticize it. There is lots of room for the readers to come to their own conclusions. What's important is that Soapy realizes that he doesn't like this life of impermanence and he craves something more solid. We hope he finds what he's looking for.
Questions About Transience
- Does this story promote negative stereotypes about homeless people or not? Is it relevant to our understanding of the current problem of homelessness in America? Why or why not?
- Why does Soapy begin to crave a more permanent, stable lifestyle?
- Soapy believes that he chose to become homeless. What do you think motivated him to make such a choice?
Chew on This
The story stereotypes homeless people in contemporary America and simplifies the issues they face; it should be read alongside other material on the topic that is relevant to today's world.
By showing that even though Soapy seems like a stereotype of a homeless person, O. Henry keeps him from being a stereotype by showing us that inside, Soapy is a deep and sensitive man.