The Cop and the Anthem This short story written by O. Henry and published in 1904 follows a man, named Soapy, through a day in his life near the beginning of winter. The goal, find a place to live for the winter. The man is homeless, knowing that shelter for the winter is a must or the harsh cold will likely kill him. A plan starts formulating that involves getting arrested so that winter can be spent locked in an island prison on Blackwell Island, NY. Allowing him to have a nice warm bed, three solid meals per day, and not be forced to shower or conform to the ways of the outside world. The story is set in lovely New York City where Soapy spends nine months of every year living on a park bench in Madison Square Park. Soapy wanders through the city coming to the well known and renowned intersection of 5th and Broadway. “Soapy left his seat and walked out of…show more content… 1904). The narrator leads Soapy and the reader to the fancy restaurants, lovely stores, and through the throngs of well dressed occupants. Along this trip Soapy enters a restaurant he knows is far above his pay grade, however; he surmises that he looks the part from the waist up so someone might let him in and from there he can start his plan to end up in jail for the winter. “But as Soapy put his foot inside the restaurant door, the head waiter saw his broken old shoes and the torn clothes that covered his legs. Strong and ready hands turned Soapy around and moved him quietly and quickly outside again” (Henry, O 1904). Throughout Soapy’s day he is thwarted at every attempt to land in jail. “Soapy picked up a big stone and threw it through the glass… A cop was the first among them. Soapy stood still, and he smiled when he saw the cop. Where’s the man that did that, said the cop? Don’t you think that I might have done it? Said Soapy” (Henry, O., 1904). The characters seen throughout the story shed some light