The Cop and the Anthem by O. Henry
"The Cop and the Anthem" is a short story by O. Henry that explores themes of freedom, irony, and societal roles through the character of Soapy, a homeless man in New York City. As winter approaches, Soapy realizes that he cannot endure the harsh conditions outside and devises a plan to get arrested, believing that a warm cell would provide him with the comfort he yearns for. The narrative reveals the irony of his situation: while he seeks the freedom that comes with imprisonment, his attempts to commit minor crimes are thwarted by a series of unfortunate events and encounters with more seasoned criminals. This highlights the complexities of his character; despite his pride and refusal to accept charity, he is unable to achieve his goal. The story culminates in a twist where Soapy ends up arrested for an act of inaction rather than the criminal behavior he attempted to engage in. Through its satirical tone, O. Henry presents a poignant commentary on the nature of freedom and the paradoxes faced by those living on society's margins, underscoring the struggles of individuals caught between societal expectations and their personal realities.
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The Cop and the Anthem by O. Henry
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1905 (collected in The Four Million, 1906)
Type of work: Short story
The Work
The first thing one notices about “The Cop and the Anthem” is the storyteller’s use of elevated language typical of the central character, Soapy. Indeed, the character of Soapy is as important to this story as its ironic structure, in which every action that he takes creates a reaction opposite to the one he wishes. The basic irony of the story is that as long as Soapy is “free,” that is, loose in the city, he is not free at all, because of the coming winter. If he were in prison, however, he would indeed be “free” to enjoy life without fear. Soapy is a proud man; he does not want something for nothing and is willing to “pay” for his room and board by going to some effort to commit an act that will get him in jail. He rejects charity, for he knows that he will have to pay for philanthropy by being preached at and lectured to.
The additional problem is that although Soapy breaks the law, he does not act like a criminal. Moreover, although he tries to be a “crook,” he keeps running into real criminals who thwart him, such as the umbrella thief, from whom he cannot steal what is already stolen, and the streetwalker, whom he cannot offend because she considers him a potential customer. Thus, Soapy seems “doomed to liberty.” A story with an ironic, mocking tone such as this one, in which a bum who talks like a gentleman tries to get himself thrown into jail but continually fails, can only end one way. The ultimate irony is that Soapy, who does not want something for nothing and who goes to a great deal to get thrown into jail, finally does get thrown into jail for doing precisely nothing.
Bibliography
Current-Garcia, Eugene. O. Henry. New York: Twayne, 1965.
Èjxenbaum, B. M. O. Henry and the Theory of the Short Story. Translated by I. R. Titunik. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1968.
Langford, Gerald. Alias, O. Henry: A Biography of William Sidney Porter. New York: Macmillan, 1957.
O’Connor, Richard. O. Henry: The Legendary Life of William S. Porter. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1970.
Pattee, Fred Lewis. The Development of the American Short Story: An Historical Survey. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1923.
Voss, Arthur. The American Short Story: A Critical Survey. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1973.