NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 4 - The Cop And The Anthem

1. What are some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text?

Ans: Birds begin to migrate south, people crave new warm jackets, and dead leaves begin to fall as winter approaches.

2. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.

(i) Soapy did not want to go to prison.

(ii) Soapy had been to prison several times.

(iii) It was not possible for Soapy to survive in the city through the winter.

(iv) Soapy hated to answer questions of a personal nature.

Ans : (i) False

(ii) True

(iii) False

(iv) True

3. What was Soapy’s first plan? Why did it not work?

Ans: Soapy's initial idea was to have supper at a nice restaurant and then claim he didn't have any money, causing a cop to arrest him and a judge to sentence him to three months in Blackwell's Island prison. Because the head waiter observed his broken old shoes and ragged garments that covered his legs, this strategy failed. Soapy was turned around and escorted discreetly and quickly outside the restaurant by the restaurant administration.

4. “But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy”. What did the cop not consider, and why?

Ans: Because the males who shatter windows do not stop to chat to cops, the cop's thoughts did not contemplate Soapy. They flee as quickly as they can. The cops observed a man fleeing down the street and chased him down.

5. “We have orders to let them shout”. What is the policeman referring to?

Ans: The officer was alluding to the directives allowing college students to shout as long as they did not cause harm. When Soapy shouted as if he was inebriated, assuming Soapy was a college boy, he said this to a man standing close to him.

6. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.

(i) Soapy stole a man’s umbrella.

(ii) The owner of the umbrella offered to give it to Soapy.

(iii) The man had stolen the umbrella that was now Soapy’s.

(iv) Soapy threw away the umbrella

Ans : (i) True

(ii) False

(iii) True

(iv) True

7. “There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul”. What brought about the change in Soapy?

Ans: Soapy remembered his old days and his childhood life when he approached close to his old home. He saw his wasted days, his erroneous desires, his dead hopes, and his mind's lost power. His soul had a dramatic and marvelous transformation as a result of these events. His heart responded to the shift in his soul.

He would battle to change his life, to dig himself out of the dirt, and reclaim his manhood.

8. Suppose no cop came at the end. What would Soapy’s life be like through the winter?

Ans: There would have been huge and positive changes in his life if the cop hadn't arrived at the end. He would have sought out the man who had offered him a job and who was capable of leading a decent life in society. His whole life would have been affected by the changes in his soul, and he might have given up his bad habits if he had been resolute. Soapy was transformed into a respectful man at the end of the story, which was a nice ending.

9. Retell an episode in the story which is a good example of irony in a situation.

Ans: The story's most ironic scene occurs when Soapy returns to his former house. Its recollection changed his thoughts and transformed him into a strong, willing individual ready to make positive changes in his life.

“This was his childhood home,” said the narrator. He could see a lovely light shining through one of the windows. That had been his living room, and it was there that he had spent many happy and calm moments. Soapy's ears were filled with sweet music that seemed to keep him there. Above me, the moon shone brightly and peacefully. Only a few folks were walking by. Birds could be heard high above him. And the music in the room kept Soapy there, for he recognized it from a long time ago. He had a loving mother and beautiful scenery in his life at the time, as well as high hopes, friends, clean ideas, and clean clothes. His soul underwent a miraculous transformation. With a sickening feeling, he realized he had chosen the wrong path in life. He saw his wasted days, his erroneous desires, his dead hopes, and his mind's lost power. In a flash, his heart responded to this shift in his soul. He would fight to make a difference in his life. He'd get out of the muck by pulling himself up. He'd re-establish himself as a man.”

NCERT Class 7 An Alien Hand Chapter 4 - The Cop and the Anthem

O. Henry’s creation, "The Cop and the Anthem", begins with the arrival of winter in New York City. Soapy thought of getting himself arrested so that he can leave for Blackwell's Island and enjoy the warmth of the place.

He initially tried getting himself arrested for insolvency by feasting at an expensive restaurant and not pay the bill due to low balance but unfortunately, he gets thrown away from the premises after being spotted by a waiter in his dirty trousers. He then smashes a window of a store with the hope of getting arrested but the storekeeper refuses to recognize him as the culprit.

Throughout the story, he kept on trying hard to get arrested but people were simply failing to identify him as the culprit. He even stepped into another restaurant. Alas! Yet again he was dragged out of the restaurant by two waiters. He then even tried to harass a woman on the streets doing some window-shopping but got shocked when the lady accepted his offer and confessed to being a prostitute. After repeated failed attempts of getting arrested, he finally insulted a police officer publicly who thought Soapy to be a drunk student of Yale and didn't charge him for anything. Mischievous Soapy then stole an umbrella from a man near a store who himself had stolen it from someone else.

Disheartened Soapy sits outside a church and hears an amazing anthem and decides to once again dedicate his life for the betterment of the society but then, a police officer arrested him and booked him for the Blackwell's Island jail for loitering outside the church.

Hence, the moral of the story is, Soapy hated his lifestyle as a pauper and to save himself during the winters as he did not have any warm clothes, wanted to shift to the Blackwell's Island and enjoy the warmth but soon he realized the worth of his freedom and wanted to serve the society for the rest of his life.

How Does the Story of NCERT Class 7 An Alien Hand Chapter 4 - Cop and Anthem, End?

Irony. As we said, twist endings are usually always ironic. In "The Cop and the Anthem” the irony is: just when Soapy realizes he wants a better life, he's arrested and sentenced to exactly what he wished for in the beginning— a three-month stay in jail.

Why Should You Refer to the NCERT Solutions on Vedantu?

The subject-experts at Vedantu work very hard to provide the most accurate and effective solutions to all the questions covered in the syllabus. Our main goal is to make education fun and making the students love the subjects by teaching them uniquely.

We have a team of the best faculties who provide the solutions in the most simplest and easily understandable manner. Students can have an access to the solutions by downloading it in PDF format. The uniqueness of Vedantu is that it has one live interactive session between the teacher and the students. In these tough times of the pandemic, Vedantu has made the method of online learning very easy and effective so that students do not miss their studies. This pandemic has shown how important online learning is and we are working hard every single day to make this learning experience unique as well as advantageous.

Conclusion 

Vedantu's NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 4 - "The Cop and the Anthem" offer a valuable resource for students exploring the world of literature. These solutions are meticulously designed to align with the NCERT curriculum, providing comprehensive insights into the story's themes, characters, and narrative style. They offer clear explanations and in-depth analyses to enhance students' understanding of this classic short story.

Vedantu's commitment to providing quality education is evident in these solutions, making them an essential tool for Class 7 students. By utilising these NCERT Solutions, students can enhance their literary comprehension, critical thinking abilities, and overall academic performance, fostering a greater appreciation for the power of storytelling and its impact on our lives.