Written by Huynh Sam Nghi - av30 QL1

Through the story, O. Henry shows us some unfairness in the society in which the police took all chances away from Soapy even though his last wish to be a normal person in the world. Could you please state your opinion toward this issue?

O. Henry has been known as a famous American short story writer. Most of his stories were written with the exceedingly interesting plots, and the endings were very surprising. He liked to write about the lives of ordinary people in everyday circumstances in New York City, as well as other places. And “The Cop and the Anthem” is not an exception. “The Cop and the Anthem” deeply reveal the dark aspect of the society in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Through the story, O. Henry shows us some unfairness in the society in which the police took all chances away from Soapy even though his last wish to be a normal person in the world.

Firstly, the police took the chances to live in a warm place, Blackwells Island, away from Soapy. The winter was coming. Poor Soapy, a homeless man, living “on his bench in Madison Square”, wanted to be arrested so he could spend three months on Blackwells Island. In order to have a warm winter, Soapy tried to commit a crime. He tried to dine luxuriously at an expensive restaurant without paying the bill, break the window, eat at a for-anyone restaurant without paying money, wooed beautiful young woman, acted drunk on the sidewalk, and stole a man’s umbrella. Soapy did all these bad things just because he wanted to live in a wealthy condition, the gaol, where he could eat some good food and had a bed. If the police had seized him, he would have had chance to live better in winter. However, the police representing for the law did not execute the law. The police refused to arrest Soapy because “men who smash windows do not remain to parley with the law’s minions”. When Soapy wooed the young woman, the cop stood nearby, but he still did not arrest Soapy. The cop also allowed Soapy yell on the street. To refuse to arrest Soapy was synonymous to refuse to give him a chance to live wealthily. In other word, the police took the chance to live wealthier and warmer in winter away from Soapy.

Moreover, the cop took Soapy’s last wish to be a normal person in the world away. When hearing the anthem from the old church, Soapy thought about his past life contained “such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars”. He wanted to make a man of himself again. Right at the time he thought he would go to find work tomorrow, the police came and grabbed his hand. The cop again deprived the little wish to be a normal man in the world of this poor tramp. This detail shows that poor people in the old society had no right to wish a better life. They have to accept their fate and can not change it.

Other unfairness in the society exposed is the law system. From the act of the police, I myself find that the law in old society is so unfair and ridiculous. Soapy did many bad things. He was not arrested. However, he had to be in the prison for three months just because he stood at the dark corner and did nothing. The law seems to be upset. Criminals can be free and good people have to be arrested. Society becomes chaotic and complicated. The loose law system makes the society unjust. Unfairness exists everywhere even in the law system.

In brief, with a surprising ending, O. Henry shows us the unfairness in the society. It was unfair when the cop again and again deprived Soapy chance to live warmer in winter and even the last wish to be a normal in the world. The unfairness in the law also made the society become more chaotic and complicated.