Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter:4-The Cop and the Anthem with the concerned video

The Cop and the Anthem Summary

Soapy was a man who was jobless as well as homeless. He was getting restless because of the signs of approaching winters. These signs were that birds were moving to the south, trees shedding leaves, and men had a desire for new warm clothes.

These signals made him fearful of the approaching winters. As such he had a desire for shelter during the winter period. He came to choose Blackwell’s Island prison instead of other places like the southern skies or Bay of Naples.

Soapy then made attempts to get himself arrested. His first plan was to eat at a fine restaurant and then say that he had no money. Soapy thought that this would send him to Blackwell’s prison for three months.

With this plan in mind, Soapy came to a restaurant where only the wealthy people came every evening. The head waiter saw the broken shoes of Soapy and forced him out. Hence, his first attempt was a failure.

Soapy then came to a second restaurant. After eating the food there, Soapy said that he had no money to pay. The waiter then threw him out instead of calling the cop.

He had another idea to break a glass window with a stone. Soapy stopped after seeing a policeman arriving there. However, instead of arresting him, the policeman thought wrongdoers don’t flee the crime scene and hence he didn’t arrest Soapy.

Soapy made another attempt for his arrest. This time he began shouting like a drunk man in front of the theatre. The cop thought that he was a college boy and hence left him.

Soapy then saw the umbrella of a man buying a newspaper. He then came to the decision of stealing it. Soapy then took the umbrella and the man kept following him.

Soapy then told him to call the cop who was standing at a corner. The man refused to call the cop because he himself had stolen the umbrella.

Soapy then gave up all hopes of getting arrested. Then he stopped at his old childhood home. Then a sudden change came in his soul.

At that moment, Soapy came to the decision of changing his life for the better. He decided to fight the challenges of life. Most noteworthy, Soapy decided to find work from the very next day.

Just then a cop came there and he asked Soapy that what he was doing there. Soapy then began to argue with him due to his new confidence. However, the cop took him and the judge gave him three months prison sentence on Blackwell’s Island.

Exercise (Page 29)

Answer the following Questions.

Question 1:
What are some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text?
Answer:
The signs of the approaching winter are the movement of birds to warm south, the woollens needed by people and the dead leaves covering the ground.

Question 2:
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following:
(i) Soapy did not want to go to prison.                                                                                           __________
(ii) Soapy had been to prison several times.                                                                                 __________
(iii) It was not possible for Soapy to survive in the city through the winter.                          __________
(iv) Soapy hated to answer questions of a personal nature.                                                      __________
Answer:
(i) False (ii) True (iii)  True (iv) True

Question 3:

What was Soapy’s first plan? Why did it not work?
Answer:
He would go to eat at restaurant and would then tell them he had no money. They would immediately call a cop who would arrest him. But as soon as he put his foot inside the restaurant, the waiters blocked his entry. Thus his first plan did not work.

Question 4:
“But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy”. What did the cop not consider, and why?
Answer:
The policeman did not believe that Soapy had broken the window glass. The reason was that no such criminal would stop and talk to a policeman.

Question 5:

“We have orders to let them shout.” What is the policeman referring to?
Answer:
The policeman means to say that he had got orders not to arrest the unruly and shouting college students.

Question 6:
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.
(i) Soapy stole a man’s umbrella. _________
(ii) The owner of the umbrella offered to give it to Soapy. _________
(iii) The man had stolen the umbrella that was now Soapy’s. _________
(iv) Soapy threw away the umbrella.   _________
Answer:
(i) True (ii) True (iii) True {iv) True.

Question 7:

“There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul”. What brought about the change on Soapy?
Answer:
The sight of the home where Soapy had spent his childhood 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.