O. Henry (1862-1910)
O. Henry was a prolific American short-story writer, a master of surprise endings, who wrote about the life of ordinary people in New York City. A twist of plot, which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance, is typical of O. Henry's stories.
William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) was born in Greenboro, North Carolina. His father, Algernon Sidney Porter, was a physician. When William was three, his mother died, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother and aunt. William was an avid reader, but at the age of fifteen he left school, and then worked in a drug store and on a Texas ranch. He moved to Houston, where he had a number of jobs, including that of bank clerk. After moving to Austin, Texas, in 1882, he married.
In 1884 he started a humorous weekly The Rolling Stone. When the weekly failed, he joined the Houston Post as a reporter and columnist. In 1897 he was convicted of embezzling money, although there has been much debate over his actual guilt. In 1898 he entered a penitentiary at Columbus, Ohio.
While in prison O. Henry started to write short stories to earn money to support his daughter Margaret. His first work, "Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking" (1899), appeared in McClure's Magazine . After doing three years of the five years sentence, Porter emerged from the prison in 1901 and changed his name to O. Henry.
O. Henry moved to New York City in 1902 and from December 1903 to January 1906 he wrote a story a week for the New York World , also publishing in other magazines. Henry's first collection, Cabbages And Kings appeared in 1904. The second, The Four Million , was published two years later and included his well-known stories "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Furnished Room". The Trimmed Lamp (1907) included "The Last Leaf". Henry's best known work is perhaps the much anthologized "The Ransom of Red Chief", included in the collection Whirligigs (1910). The Heart Of The West (1907) presented tales of the Texas range. O. Henry published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime.
O. Henry's last years were shadowed by alcoholism, ill health, and financial problems. He married Sara Lindsay Coleman in 1907, but the marriage was not happy, and they separated a year later. O. Henry died of cirrhosis of the liver on June 5, 1910, in New York. Three more collections, Sixes And Sevens (1911), Rolling Stones (1912) and Waifs And Strays (1917), appeared posthumously.
TO BE IN PRISON IS GOOD FOR SOAPY
(Composed by Dang Xuan Thai Ngan DH02G-AV28)
Never in my mind have I believed that there are those who think of prison as a wonderful place and try to break the law many times in order to be arrested. Ironically, after I meet Soapy in “The Cop and the Anthem”, it turns out to me that being in prison is really a good choice.
Firstly, Soapy is a homeless dependent who may be frozen to death in the icy winter if he continues staying on the park bench. Having no house, no shelter, how can he survive the coming winter? So a prison is a safe shelter for him. Of course, he can ask workhouses or charity organizations for help, but the conditions are not easy at all. The registering procedures are complicated in which he must fill in the written form all his personal information including details proving that he is poor enough to receive welfare benefits. Whereas he must be patient and humble to get provisions from the charity organizations, there is a wonderful place which provides him with warm lodging and free food, offers him free access and asks for no requirements, that is the prison. More importantly, there are many ways for him to be arrested and thrown into prison where he no longer worries about his basic necessities.
Secondly, being in prison, he can live far away from a false humane society. On the surface, this society seems to emphasize humanity, make effort to eliminate poverty and does not let anyone to live in poor living standard but there are a lot of charity organizations which violate human right and take advantage of trust. Obviously, the nature and the appearance of this society are completely different. “There was an endless round of institutions, municipal and eleemosynary, on which he might set out and receive lodging and food accordant with the simple life” but in fact many philanthropists consider charity as a means to show up their “good” reputation or to acquire more fame and support. From the bottom of their heart, they really do not want to help the poor. Even worse, some social workers attempt to gain a little profit from the charity fund “If not in coin you must pay in humiliation of spirit for every benefit received at the hands of philanthropy.” It is unacceptable to force the poor to exchange their self – respect for charity benefit. Scorn, insult and requirement never accompany true humanity. Because Soapy realizes the truth, he likes being in prison where he can find lodging and food without being looked down on.
Thirdly, being in prison helps Soapy escape from a society where the gap between the rich and the poor is so vast. This society always speaks highly about equality whereas the discrimination between the rich and the poor is common everywhere. In the story, Soapy is not allowed to enter the restaurant just because of his frayed trousers and decadent shoes. Can we maintain equality in a society where people judge each other by their appearance?
Fourthly, it is good for Soapy to be in prison – to be isolated from a society which is proud of its false freedom, false peace and false civilization. If this society is really civilized and peaceful, there are not so many policemen on the street. More importantly, they not only neglect duty but also act like fools. They wander around the street like puppets and 7 times ignore Soapy when he does various evil things in order to be put into prison. The fact that they are not hesitant to capture Soapy because of his idleness proves that this society does not assure justice and freedom for each citizen.
Last but not least, it is very lucky for Soapy to be in prison. In prison he has no connection with the society where bad people who really want to get rid of the evil past and start their life all over again are not accepted. Deeply moved by the anthem, he is awaken and determined to start a new life. But poor him! The moment of being awaken does not last long when a policeman arrests him for being idleness and destroys all of his dreams and hopes. I think he would rather be in prison than be a citizen in such a society!
This story with an ironic plot and a surprising ending captures my attention, makes me laugh and feel relaxed. It also suggests the readers to think of many meaningful interpretations. To me, I immediately jump to the conclusion that: No matter how bad our situation is, don't be disappointed. You see, being in prison is not depressing at all!
AWAKENING OF MYSELF AND OF SOAPY
(Composed by Hoang Ngoc Trang - DH02G-AV28)
I believe that everyone used to be awakened in life. Being humans beings, none dare to say that they are always alert or go the right way. Soapy in “The Cop and the Anthem,” a tramp who slept on a bench and tried many crimes to be sent into prison was awakened by an anthem of a church. I myself used to have times when I felt unsafe, vague, disappointed, and totally hopeless in my life. Every time I got over was when I was awakened, sometimes by myself, sometimes by an event, and sometimes by a person I met. I want to share one of my experiences about that and it may help me to sympathize with Soapy's situation.
The beginning of last semester, the September, was one of the most difficult times in my life. Bad luck – a terrible thing which everyone hates but none can escape from, came to me one by one continually as if I had to suffer all of bad lucks of my life in one time. It began with the leaving of one of my closet friends. We used to go to school with each other. We ate with each other in our favorite places. We told each other secrets that we didn't share with other people. We encouraged each other when we have difficulties and I found myself the person who received more than gave in our relationship. I hoped that we would be together in the graduation day and I prayed our friendship would prolong. During that summer holiday, he went to my house more often, called me more often, and behaved in a thoughtful and caring way. I didn't know that his behaviors foreshadowed a long separation. One morning, he called me and said he would pick me up to school that afternoon and this was the last time we went together. He would move to the United State to study in three days. Everything was too sudden to tolerate. And I lost him. The morning he went is a rainy day even though it hadn't rain many days before and many days after. It was also the day I bore a terribly cold and intense atmosphere in my family. My motorbike was seized because I took two my close girlfriends with me to the bus station, who intended to returned home from his farewell party. I had always thought who did that deserved the punishment; now I was one of those people. I was very upset since the mixed feelings of guilt, regret, losing, missing spread over and bore down on my body. I went to school and found that I got only 6 marks for Ho Chi Minh's Ideology. I had prepared carefully for the exam. I did well in the exam. Now I got only 6 because of a stupid reason … It was a bad beginning for that semester. 6 marks meant I would have little chance to reach over 8.00 that semester. 6 marks meant I had to get many 9 in other subjects, which I knew it was impossible. All of my determination fell down, leaving in me a big disappointedment. In the evening, I went to Japanese class and was informed that it was broken because most of the students left the class. There was no class of the same level and I was effortless at that time to find another one at other centers. Worse, when I took my motorbike from the parking lot, my big toe was hurt and half of its nail was taken away. I hadn't known that losing nail caused too much pain and stinging, especially at night. I seemed to forget how to smile. I didn't say a word in classes. I didn't want to do anything requiring my effort because I knew it was useless. I appeared to be paralyzed, physically and mentally. I wished everything could stop since I really didn't want to go on any more. And finally, I was saved. One of my teacher said that he would not be surprised if a young person quit everything to live in a remote area or even on a wooded mountain. That person might find out that things he was chasing were meaningless and he wanted to seek for a simple life, a real life. He/she was very brave. Hearing his words, I stayed all night to think and decided to quit everything and to live with my grandparent in the countryside. I was very strong at that moment and I knew I dared to do what I thought. In the following morning, I drove to school with very light heart. I was now not afraid of anything, was not disappointed by anything and did crave nothing more. The most satisfying feeling was I no longer cared about marks and my performance at school. I though of my Lord – my great Father and I believed everything would be okay. Suddenly, I realized that I didn't have to go anywhere because my heart would be and was now very calm wherever I lived. I entered my class and spoke up my ideas, and I was very proud that I got a lot from the class. It was the first time in my life that I deeply understand the feeling of learning for knowledge and passion, not learning for marks. Since that day, I became a very active student in class and a confident girl in life. I changed a lot. I developed a lot. That semester I got not only 9s but also 10s. My nail has become normal and seems to be more beautiful. His departure helps me to realize the value and importance of friendship, so I care more about my friends and so do they. I now wonder if those bad things are not bad lucks but chances for me to improve myself. Thank that teacher's saying. Thank my God.
I find that Soapy and I have lots of things in common. He used to have “the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.” But later he lost everything: family, love, goals, friendship, and he lost his purposes of life also. He slept on a bench, wore frayed cloths, and cared about nothing. To survive from the severe winter, this tramp chose to go to the Island and committed many crimes to fulfill his desire, from eating without paying, throwing stone into a shop, stealing an umbrella, persecuting a young woman to yelling in the street. He lived cheaply and humbly. The determination and vitality disappeared, only disappointedment, thoughtlessness, and abandonment stayed in the life of this tramp without house and home. He suffered too much bad luck and lost much more than I did. I feel that the Fate was making a joke on him and always against his will, even thought it was just the will of being on the Island. Many of my friends wonder why he didn't find a job to earn money, and then hire a room to escape from the terrible winter. Some also think that it was because there was no job for him in his society. However, “a fur importer had once offered him a place as driver.” Obviously, he could have job if he wished. So what was the reason? A person with “degraded days, unworthy desires, dead hopes, wrecked faculties and base motives” as Soapy would find no impetus to live a life, let alone to find a job. A person wanted to get a job, it meant he had a hope or he had somebody to look after. But Soapy, a loser, a humble man who lost everything, didn't find a job because he didn't have any hope. His life was like the dead leaf which fell in his lap and he was the wild geese honking high of nights. Then the anthem played by “sweet organ notes had set up a revolution in him” and “moved him to battle with his desperate fate.” It was just the time he was awakened. If I was awakened by a saying of my teacher, Soapy was awakened by a sweet and peaceful anthem. However, I believe that we share the shame wonderful feeling. Actually, he did realize his present situation, he did get back his determination and vitality, and he did decide to lead a new better life.
I use this diagram (not shown here) to illustrate Soapy's development. He fell down when he lost family, love, ambition, and friends. His life become degraded when the severe winter came and he did a lot of bad things. Then he was raised up after being awakened by a church anthem. I use the arrow for the forward direction and the broken line for backward direction to show my strong hope that he would be better in his life as I get better in my life.
I think that awakening is vital in everyone's life. It wakes us up after a long nightmare. It raises us up from the pit into we tumble. It makes us realize our true way. I am very happy that I got over that difficult time and Soapy overcame his meaningless life. Awakening is valuable but it is more important as well as more difficult to keep the spirit we get from awakening long to develop ourselves. I really hope that Soapy would do what the light of awakening directed him to do. I do hope that he would live better days after three months on the Island. I really hope so!To be or not to be imprisoned
is good for Soapy?
(Composed by Tran Thi Kim Chau - DH02G-AV28)
The story “The Cop and the Anthem” happened with many funny details about Soapy. When he deserved being caught by the police for what he had done, he escaped from the arrest unexpectedly. Yet, when he did nothing and had just had good resolutions, he was suddenly under arrest. The ironic point here is the time when he wanted to better himself is also the moment his freedom was taken away and he could not carry out a resolution. From my point of view, despite the fact he finally wanted to resolve, it is good for him to be imprisoned for the two following reasons.
As I read the story, I think Soapy is a simple man. It is the first reason why I believe that to be imprisoned is good for Soapy. He is simple in his way of thinking. He thought that being imprisoned would bring him a comfortable life with food to eat and a bed to sleep right after having a meal. Additionally, the way he did in order for the police to catch him can point out how simple his thinking is. Although readers could see that Soapy is crafty with his action, he just did that way to satisfy his crave for the prison. Funnily, life and things are not as simple as people often expect. That's why to be imprisoned has been out of his reach for several times.
Second, when being imprisoned, Soapy will have time, exactly three months, to rethink about all the bad things in the past. He has done many things bad but he did not pay any thing for that until then. Fairly speaking, time in prison makes him pay the cost. Besides, Soapy used to have a want to be imprisoned. As the story went on, he tried in vain to be arrested but he still could not be caught. Therefore, when being under arrest, he can spend his life on the Island as he used to crave for. After experiencing all, I think he can be more aware of his own living and the value of freedom so that he is able to treasure and cherish his life much more.
Another reason why it is good for Soapy to be imprisoned is that he will have time to assure his awakening that benefits his long resolution. He has led a bad life for a long time while he has been awoken just in a short moment. No one can be sure of his awakening. He can be enlightened in one moment with the anthem's melody. Conversely, he may turn to be bad again in other moment without the anthem resounding his spirit. From this point, I think time in prison will help him be more resolved to a revolution in him.
In conclusion, to me, it is good for Soapy to be imprisoned for he is a simple man, he will have time to think about his life in the past and to assure his awakening. Having a thought of being back to a helpful person is good; however, from thinking to acting, there is a considerable distance. Everything depends on a person himself. If he has critical thinking, he can overcome all challenges to make his aspiration come true.
Do you think Soapy is a simple man?
(Composed by Vu Yen - DH02G-AV28)
William Sydney Porter, known as O. Henry, is a famous American writer in the late of the nineteenth century. He has a number of jobs including bank clerk, reporter, and columnist. Most of his writings are short stories that are popular around the world. In 1897, Porter was convicted of embezzling money at the First National Bank in Austine. While in prison, Porter started to write short stories to earn money to support for his daughter. Later on these volumes of his short stories gained him the reputation among the readers and eventually succeeded. One of his most famous stories is “The Cop and The Anthem” in which the main character, Soapy, appears to be a complex person both in behavior and his emotional feeling.
In “The Cop and The Anthem”, a wanderer Soapy, tries to commit a crime to be imprisoned where he will have food and settlement for the forth-coming winter. Therefore, He eats the expensive dishes in a luxurious restaurant and announces his insolvency, then breaks the glass of the window, flirts a beautiful woman, and even savagely robs an umbrella of a stranger. His tragedy is that while attempting to be arrested, Soapy is not arrested by the police. After his “awakening”, immediately Soapy is arrested three months for such an “in the middle of no where” reason.
The first complexity of Soapy is the contradiction in his behavior. “On his Bench in Madison Square”, and “Soapy moves uneasily on his bench in the park”, the repetition of the words “His bench” obviously shows that Soapy is homeless and his settlement is on the park-bench. Sort of people like Soapy contribute nothing to the society but only a burden. Moreover, Soapy wants to be in jail to “receive lodging and food accordant with simple life”, but he is also conscious to consider that “To one of Soap's proud spirit the gifts of charity are encumbered” The contradiction in Soapy's behavior turns into the critical conception toward the role of the government. The government is so caring for these irresponsible people like Soapy that only spoils them.
The second fact is that Soapy is a symbolism for the author's complicated emotional feeling. As mentioned above, “The Cop and The Anthem” was written when Porter was in The Federal penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio although his actual guilty had not jet been clarified. Like Soapy, He commits many crimes and is not arrested, but just only is awakened by the Anthem and plans to turn over a new leaf to be a better man, immediately is he arrested. In the author's point of view, he critics the government for its illogicality and neglecting toward the poor and ordinary people. The facts show that the government do not give a way-out to Soapy and maybe makes his life worse.
In conclusion, O. Henry is really a gifted writer who contributed a great sympathy toward the poor and ordinary people. He had characterized Soapy in “The Cop and The Anthem” as a behavioral and emotional complex person. Through the complexity inside Soapy, the Author accused the Government for its unnecessary in over caring for the irresponsible and its illogicality in controlling people and eventually the neglecting toward the humanity desire in each individual.