The story focuses on the adventures of a homeless New York man trying to get himself arrested so he can spend the winter in jail, so he can escape the cold of winter.
On a chilly winter day. Soapy, a homeless man is on a bench in Madison Square in New York where he sleeps rough. Soapy’s annual plan at this point in the year is to get himself arrested and thrown into a jail on ‘the Island’ (i.e., Blackwell’s Island, now known as Roosevelt Island.)
Image - Edward Hopper's painting of New York City's Roosevelt Island.
The story focuses on his various failed attempts to get arrested by a New York policeman. First he plans to dine at a restaurant but not to pay the bill. He believes that that can result in him being sent to jail. But he is simply thrown out. So his plan is foiled.
Next, he throws a stone through a shop window and waits for a policeman to arrive, but when one shows up, he fails to believe Soapy is the criminal on the basis that the real criminal would have run away afterwards. Soapy persists and does one more petty crime in his futile attempt to get some warm jail food.
Finally, Soapy comes to an old church and hears an organ playing religious music, a dreamy spiritual anthem. He remembers his childhood, untainted by any misdemeanours, his mother’s attempt to make his life better and how he turned to a path of crime. He is struck by an epiphany and resolves to turn his life around, starting by going into town the following day to find work.
And here is where O Henry brilliantly brings in his twist. Just as Soapy plans to embrace a resolved and clean life, a policeman appears and arrests him for loitering. The next morning, Soapy is sentenced to three months incarcerated ‘on the Island’.
Themes
Homelessness results in desperation
This is not a new theme at all in our world. The story poignantly shows how poverty is so much a part of our fellow human beings and encourages us to be more considerate of their situation.
Spirituality
The story shows how if we have a spiritual bend to our life, it can do wonders in our aims and direction to life.
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