XII 1.3 The Cop and The Anthem
PROSE 1.3. The Cop and The Anthem by O.Henry Prepared by Mrs. Premjit Sunil Gatigante
Shriniwas Bagarka Junior College, Andheri East, Mumbai 400 059
The title of the text:
The title does not give any clear idea of the content. The word ‘Cop’ stands for a policeman and ‘Anthem’ for a religious song or a prayer mostly sung in a church. We can just imagine that the text is related to the police and the religious song. If we go through the text, we will get the clear idea about the text.
The title does not give any clear idea of the content. The word ‘Cop’ stands for a policeman and ‘Anthem’ for a religious song or a prayer mostly sung in a church. We can just imagine that the text is related to the police and the religious song. If we go through the text, we will get the clear idea about the text.
About the story:-
Soapy wanted to go in jail to live idle life. He tried to break law but his several attempts were failed. He was not caught by the Cop but when he came near the church yard. He heard a musical note of an anthem. Hearing it he remembered his past wonderful days. It brought a sudden and worth change in his soul. He decided to fight and change his life. He also decided to find work. While Soapy was daydreaming, a policeman taped him on the shoulder and asked what he was doing. He was arrested for loitering and the following day sentenced to three months in Blackwell's Island (jail). An empathetic look at the state of mind of a member of the lower class, and an ironic ending.
New words and meanings:
Soapy wanted to go in jail to live idle life. He tried to break law but his several attempts were failed. He was not caught by the Cop but when he came near the church yard. He heard a musical note of an anthem. Hearing it he remembered his past wonderful days. It brought a sudden and worth change in his soul. He decided to fight and change his life. He also decided to find work. While Soapy was daydreaming, a policeman taped him on the shoulder and asked what he was doing. He was arrested for loitering and the following day sentenced to three months in Blackwell's Island (jail). An empathetic look at the state of mind of a member of the lower class, and an ironic ending.
New words and meanings:
Asphalt – gravel, grit, small granules of stone used in road development.
Vest – sleeveless shirt, coat, jacket, banyan
Shaven – trimmed the beard, done shaving
Trim – neat, tidy, orderly
Bow – a knot used for to a tie (tie-knot)
Thanksgiving Day – the fourth Thursday of November which is marked by religious observance and dinner
Roasted – baked, cooked, heated
Mallard duck – a duck mostly used as food in western part of the world
Revenge – avenge, retaliation
Filled – satisfied, fulfilled, content
Winter Island – Here it means jail
Tattered – torn, rags, rugged, worn-out
Decadent – degraded, gone bad
Avert – stop, turn away, ward-off
Ignoble – dishonorable, shameful, disgraceful, insulting
Menaced – forbidden, threatened
Coveted – highly desirable
Coveted island – here, the jail
Limbo – dividing line, midpoint here, boarder between heaven and hell
Devise – set up, plan, formulate
Cunningly – artfully, craftily
Brass buttons – a policeman, a cop
Vest – sleeveless shirt, coat, jacket, banyan
Shaven – trimmed the beard, done shaving
Trim – neat, tidy, orderly
Bow – a knot used for to a tie (tie-knot)
Thanksgiving Day – the fourth Thursday of November which is marked by religious observance and dinner
Roasted – baked, cooked, heated
Mallard duck – a duck mostly used as food in western part of the world
Revenge – avenge, retaliation
Filled – satisfied, fulfilled, content
Winter Island – Here it means jail
Tattered – torn, rags, rugged, worn-out
Decadent – degraded, gone bad
Avert – stop, turn away, ward-off
Ignoble – dishonorable, shameful, disgraceful, insulting
Menaced – forbidden, threatened
Coveted – highly desirable
Coveted island – here, the jail
Limbo – dividing line, midpoint here, boarder between heaven and hell
Devise – set up, plan, formulate
Cunningly – artfully, craftily
Brass buttons – a policeman, a cop
Textbook solved activities
ICE BREAKERS
(ii) Give reasons and complete the following:
(a) Soapy had confidence in himself because - The portion of him that would show above the table was neat. He was shaven and his coat was trimmed. His appearance would raise no doubt in the waiter’s mind.
(b) The head waiter of the luxurious cafe did not allow Soapy to
enter because – when Soapy set foot inside the restaurant door, the
head-waiter’s eye fell upon his tattered trousers and decadent shoes.He
would not have money to pay for a meal.
(c)The cop did not arrest Soapy for breaking the glass window
because – according the cop men who smash windows do not remain to chat
with the police. They run away from the place.
(d) The cop did not arrest Soapy for shouting and dancing because –
he considered Soapy as the young person (Yale lad) coming from a party
at the Hartford College. The police had the instructions to neglect
these young persons.
(iii) Pick out the lines from the text which show that:
(a) Soapy wants to enter the cafe for two reasons.
Lines:- i) A roasted mallard duck , thought Soapy, would be about the thing with a bottle of wine, and then some cheese, a cup of coffee and a cigar
ii) Yet the meat would leave him filled and happy for the journey to his winter island.
(b) Soapy was afraid that he won't be able to enter the prison.
Lines :i)It seemed that his route to the coveted island was not to be an easy one. Some other way to entering the Limbo must be devised.
ii) Soapy was seized with a sudden fear that some dreadful enchantment had rendered him immune to arrest.
(iii) Pick out the lines from the text which show that:
(a) Soapy wants to enter the cafe for two reasons.
Lines:- i) A roasted mallard duck , thought Soapy, would be about the thing with a bottle of wine, and then some cheese, a cup of coffee and a cigar
ii) Yet the meat would leave him filled and happy for the journey to his winter island.
(b) Soapy was afraid that he won't be able to enter the prison.
Lines :i)It seemed that his route to the coveted island was not to be an easy one. Some other way to entering the Limbo must be devised.
ii) Soapy was seized with a sudden fear that some dreadful enchantment had rendered him immune to arrest.
(c) Soapy was not caught by the cop for throwing stones at the glass.
Line : The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.
Line : The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.
(d) Soapy actually did not want the umbrella.
Line: He hurled the umbrella angrily into an excavation.
(e) Listening to the anthem, Soapy remembered his good old days.
Line: And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.
Line: He hurled the umbrella angrily into an excavation.
(e) Listening to the anthem, Soapy remembered his good old days.
Line: And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.
(iv) ‘He would make a man of himself again’ – The word ‘man’ in the sentence means
Line: A working person living worthy and respectable life.
(A3) Vocabulary
(i) O’Henry has used different words to indicate prison where Soapy wants to reach. Make a list of those words.
Answer:
1) Winter island
2) Coveted island
3) Limbo
4) Unattainable Arcadia
5) The Island
(ii) Find out the words used for the 'degraded state of Soapy'.
Answer:
1)The pit into which he had tumble
2)Unworthy desires
3)Dead hopes
4)Wrecked faculties
5)Degraded days
6)Base motives that made up his existence
(iii) The specific meaning of word 'anthem' in the content of the story is.......
Answer:
1) A religious instrumental song or a prayer played by the organist in a church for the celebration of coming Sabbath.
2) An influential musical note (prayer) played by the organist to inspire an idle person to become a worthy person.
(A4) Language Study
(i) Convert the following sentences into negative without changing their meanings.
(a) The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.
Ans. The policeman didn't accept Soapy even as a clue.
Line: A working person living worthy and respectable life.
(A3) Vocabulary
(i) O’Henry has used different words to indicate prison where Soapy wants to reach. Make a list of those words.
Answer:
1) Winter island
2) Coveted island
3) Limbo
4) Unattainable Arcadia
5) The Island
(ii) Find out the words used for the 'degraded state of Soapy'.
Answer:
1)The pit into which he had tumble
2)Unworthy desires
3)Dead hopes
4)Wrecked faculties
5)Degraded days
6)Base motives that made up his existence
(iii) The specific meaning of word 'anthem' in the content of the story is.......
Answer:
1) A religious instrumental song or a prayer played by the organist in a church for the celebration of coming Sabbath.
2) An influential musical note (prayer) played by the organist to inspire an idle person to become a worthy person.
(A4) Language Study
(i) Convert the following sentences into negative without changing their meanings.
(a) The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.
Ans. The policeman didn't accept Soapy even as a clue.
(b) Soapy drifted along twice unsuccessful.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice with no success.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice but wasn't successful.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice but he didn’t succeed.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice with no success.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice but wasn't successful.
Ans. Soapy drifted along twice but he didn’t succeed.
(c) Soapy stopped his unavailing racket.
Ans. Soapy didn't continue his unavailing racket.
(d) The island seemed very far away.
Ans. The island did not seem close by.
Ans. The island didn't seem very close.
(e) The island seemed an unattainable Arcadia.
Ans. The island seemed an Arcadia which could not be attained.
Ans. The island did not seem attainable Arcadia.
(ii) Convert the following sentences into affirmative without changing their meanings.
(a) Men who smash windows do not remain to chat with the police.
Ans. i)Men who smash windows hardly remain to chat with the police.
ii) Men who smash windows avoid to chat with the police.
iii)Men who smash windows fail to remain to chat with the police.
iv)Men who smash windows run away instead of chatting with the police.
(b) Why don’t you call a cop?
Ans. Why do you hesitate to call a cop?
Ans. You should call a cop.
(c) On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant of no great pretensions.
Ans. On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant without any great pretensions.
Ans. On the opposite side of the street was restaurant with a very low pretentions.
(d) Noisy; but no harm.
Ans. Noisy; but harmless.
(e) They seemed to regard him as a King who could do no wrong.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a king who could hardly do any wrong.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a King who could do only right.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a king who was unable to do any wrong.
Ans. Soapy didn't continue his unavailing racket.
(d) The island seemed very far away.
Ans. The island did not seem close by.
Ans. The island didn't seem very close.
(e) The island seemed an unattainable Arcadia.
Ans. The island seemed an Arcadia which could not be attained.
Ans. The island did not seem attainable Arcadia.
(ii) Convert the following sentences into affirmative without changing their meanings.
(a) Men who smash windows do not remain to chat with the police.
Ans. i)Men who smash windows hardly remain to chat with the police.
ii) Men who smash windows avoid to chat with the police.
iii)Men who smash windows fail to remain to chat with the police.
iv)Men who smash windows run away instead of chatting with the police.
(b) Why don’t you call a cop?
Ans. Why do you hesitate to call a cop?
Ans. You should call a cop.
(c) On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant of no great pretensions.
Ans. On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant without any great pretensions.
Ans. On the opposite side of the street was restaurant with a very low pretentions.
(d) Noisy; but no harm.
Ans. Noisy; but harmless.
(e) They seemed to regard him as a King who could do no wrong.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a king who could hardly do any wrong.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a King who could do only right.
Ans. They seemed to regard him as a king who was unable to do any wrong.
A5 (I) Forgiveness is often better than punishment . Write two paragraphs – one for and another against this notion
Answer:-
To err is human,to forgive is divine
We all make mistakes . Nobody is perfect . That is why we are human . However, mistakes should be forgiven if there is sufficient repentance . Forrgiveness will make the guilty person feel ashamed of his conduct and he will not repeat it . It is easy to punish but very difficult to forgive someone. It needs a big heart and lot of kindness.If you punish the guilty person we will only make him more defiant. If punishing someone could have solved the problem criminals would have been jailed would never have repeated the crime again. But this is not found to be so just as God Forgives us our mistakes , we should also forgive others for their mistakes too .
Punishment is the only answer
Forgiveness may work in certain cases but there are hardened and criminals who will not respond to forforgiveness.They will only be stopped by punishment . If a person has murdered another in cold blood , will he improve by forgiveness ? Never. He has to be punished sincerely so that he does not repeat it and society feels safe . People only fear punpunishment. It can be easily seen in at traffic signals - if there is no policeman to punish you , most people will break the signal then . There will be chaos. If there is no punishment and no prisons, people will do whatever they want rob, kill steal etc and go off freely.No , in a society where it is not possible to expect everyone to have high values, punishment for misdeeds is the only solution.
(ii) You are the class representative and you have been asked by the principal to conduct an interview of a cop. Frame 8 to 10 questions with the help of the help of following points , give introduction and conclusion
a. REASONS for joining the DEPARTMENT
b. SPECIAL TRAININGS
c. developing the skill to identify AND LOCATE CRIMINALS
d. DEALING with CRIMINALS
e. ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
Answer :-
Good morning Mr.Kadam. Congratulation on your excellent work in finding the bank robbers. May I ask you a few questions about your life ? Thank you
Answer:-
To err is human,to forgive is divine
We all make mistakes . Nobody is perfect . That is why we are human . However, mistakes should be forgiven if there is sufficient repentance . Forrgiveness will make the guilty person feel ashamed of his conduct and he will not repeat it . It is easy to punish but very difficult to forgive someone. It needs a big heart and lot of kindness.If you punish the guilty person we will only make him more defiant. If punishing someone could have solved the problem criminals would have been jailed would never have repeated the crime again. But this is not found to be so just as God Forgives us our mistakes , we should also forgive others for their mistakes too .
Punishment is the only answer
Forgiveness may work in certain cases but there are hardened and criminals who will not respond to forforgiveness.They will only be stopped by punishment . If a person has murdered another in cold blood , will he improve by forgiveness ? Never. He has to be punished sincerely so that he does not repeat it and society feels safe . People only fear punpunishment. It can be easily seen in at traffic signals - if there is no policeman to punish you , most people will break the signal then . There will be chaos. If there is no punishment and no prisons, people will do whatever they want rob, kill steal etc and go off freely.No , in a society where it is not possible to expect everyone to have high values, punishment for misdeeds is the only solution.
(ii) You are the class representative and you have been asked by the principal to conduct an interview of a cop. Frame 8 to 10 questions with the help of the help of following points , give introduction and conclusion
a. REASONS for joining the DEPARTMENT
b. SPECIAL TRAININGS
c. developing the skill to identify AND LOCATE CRIMINALS
d. DEALING with CRIMINALS
e. ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
Answer :-
Good morning Mr.Kadam. Congratulation on your excellent work in finding the bank robbers. May I ask you a few questions about your life ? Thank you
1. When did you join the police department?
2. Which examination we should clear for the post ?
3. What were your reason for joining the department?
4. Did you have to go through any special training sessions ?
5. What type of criminals do you come across most in this area thieves, killers, molesters etc?
6. How do you identify or locate criminals?
7. Once you catch the culprits say a thief how do you deal with him ?
8. Can you tell me something about your achievements and awards ?
9. How can you motivate others to join the force ?
10. Who is your motivational ?
11. How do you manage your professional and personal life?
12. What message would you like to give to the college students ?
2. Which examination we should clear for the post ?
3. What were your reason for joining the department?
4. Did you have to go through any special training sessions ?
5. What type of criminals do you come across most in this area thieves, killers, molesters etc?
6. How do you identify or locate criminals?
7. Once you catch the culprits say a thief how do you deal with him ?
8. Can you tell me something about your achievements and awards ?
9. How can you motivate others to join the force ?
10. Who is your motivational ?
11. How do you manage your professional and personal life?
12. What message would you like to give to the college students ?
Thank you sir for spending the time for this interview will be published in our school magazine . Good day
Online Test
Test Set by: Prof. Mrs. Premjit Sunil Gatigante,
Shriniwas Bagarka Junior College, Andheri East, Mumbai
Click on the link and solve the online test based on ‘ The Cop and The Anthem’
https://testmoz.com/4350544
Rajbharsejal@gmail.com
ReplyDelete