story: The Cop and the Anthem

Question And Answer

Q: What signs indicate that winter is coming?

A: Birds flying south and women being kind to their husbands for warm coats.

Q: What did Soapy want for the winter?

A: He wanted to spend three months in prison on Blackwell's Island.

Q: Why did Soapy prefer prison over other places that offered food and shelter?

A: In prison, he could maintain his own life and avoid certain obligations imposed by other places.

Q: What was Soapy's plan to get arrested?

A: He planned to go to a restaurant, have dinner, claim he couldn't pay, and wait for a cop to be called.

Q: What happened when Soapy entered the first restaurant?

A: The head waiter saw his shabby appearance and promptly escorted him out.

Q: How did Soapy's second attempt to get arrested fail?

A: He threw a stone through a shop window, but another man was wrongly accused and chased by the
cop.

Q: What was Soapy's third attempt to get arrested?

A: He approached a young woman and intended to speak to her, hoping she would ask the cop for help.

Q: What was the outcome of Soapy's third attempt?

A: The young woman mistook Soapy for someone named Mike, and they walked past the cop together.
Q: How did Soapy's plan to shout and act drunk in front of a cop turn out?

A: The cop ignored him, assuming he was just a college student causing no harm.

Q: How did Soapy end up with an umbrella?

A: He took it from a shop and was confronted by the owner, but the situation was defused without
involving the cop.

Q: What caused a change in Soapy's mindset near the old church?

A: He heard a beautiful anthem and felt a deep longing for the clean and meaningful life he had lost.

Q: What decision did Soapy make after experiencing a change in his soul?

A: He decided to change his life, find work, and make something of himself.

Q: What happened to Soapy after the cop approached him near the church?

A: The cop arrested him and the judge sentenced him to three months on Blackwell's Island.

Summary

"Cop and Anthem" is a short story written by American author O. Henry, first published in 1904. The
story follows the life of a homeless man named Soapy, who decides that he wants to spend the winter
months in a warm jail cell.

Soapy tries several schemes to get himself arrested, including breaking windows and trying to steal a
man's umbrella, but none of them work. As the days go by and winter approaches, Soapy becomes more
desperate.

One day, Soapy sees a well-dressed man drop a wallet on the street. Soapy decides to pick up the wallet
and return it to the man, hoping that the man will give him a reward and that he can use the money to
get arrested.
However, the man is grateful but doesn't give Soapy any money. Soapy is disappointed and walks away,
feeling hopeless. As he walks, he hears the national anthem being played and is moved by it. He decides
that he doesn't want to be a criminal anymore and that he wants to change his ways and live a better
life.

The story ends with Soapy looking for a job, determined to turn his life around.

The story is a commentary on the difficulties faced by the homeless and the desperation that can drive
people to commit crimes. It also explores the themes of redemption and the power of music
to inspire change.

Story: On Destroying Books

Question and Answer

Q: What were some of the odd things that people were sending to the troops as part of book
donations?

A: Some of the odd things that people were sending included magazines twenty years old, guides to the
Lake District, Bradshaws, and back numbers of Whitaker's Almanack.

Q: Why do some people send books they don't want to the troops?

A: Some people may send books they don't want as part of their donations to the troops, either
accidentally or intentionally, to get rid of books they no longer desire.

Q: According to the author, why is it absurd to keep worthless or ephemeral books?

A: The author argues that keeping worthless or ephemeral books merely because they are printed is not
only absurd but also a public duty to destroy them. Destroying such books creates more space for new
books, saves one's heirs from the burden of sorting them, and prevents posterity from making a fool of
itself.

Q: How did the author attempt to get rid of his books of inferior minor verse?

A: The author attempted to get rid of his books by tying them up in a sack and consigning them to the
river. He carried the sack over his shoulder and went to the Embankment where he contemplated
throwing them into the water.
Q: What made the author hesitant to throw the books into the river?

A: The author hesitated to throw the books into the river when he realized that the splash caused by the
impact might attract attention and lead to suspicion or intervention from passersby. He feared that
someone might think it was a baby and rush to his aid or apprehend him.

Q: Did the author eventually dispose of the books in the river?

A: Yes, eventually, with the courage of despair, the author took a heave and threw the sack of books into
the river. He heard a vast splash, but no one came to investigate.

Q: How did the author feel after disposing of the books?

A: The author felt a little sadly for the books that had been thrown into the river. He imagined them lying
at the bottom covered in mud, in a state of forlorn and forgotten existence.

Q: What does the author express regret about in relation to the books?

A: The author expresses regret for being harsh with the books and apologizes for the action of disposing
of them. The author admits that even if they had been kept, they would not have been sent to the
soldiers.

Summary

"On Destroying Books" by Sir John Collings Squire, the author reflects on the practice of donating books
to troops and the need to get rid of unwanted books. While many books donated are suitable, some
people send odd and irrelevant items like outdated magazines and guidebooks. The author argues that it
is not only absurd but a public duty to destroy worthless books rather than hoarding them. The author
shares a personal anecdote about attempting to dispose of a collection of inferior poetry books. He faces
challenges in finding a way to destroy them effectively but eventually decides to throw them into a river.
However, he hesitates due to the fear of suspicion and intervention. Despite his concerns, he musters
the courage to discard the books. The author reflects on his action with a tinge of regret, imagining the
books lying forgotten at the bottom of the river.