What are some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text?
Some of the sings of approaching winter, as mentioned in the text, are birds flying south, people needing warm new coats and dead leaves falling off the trees.
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.
(iv) Soapy hated to answer questions of a personal nature.
(i) False; (ii) True; (iii) False; (iv) True
What was Soapy’s first plan? Why did it not work?
Soapy’s first plan was to go to a fine restaurant to have dinner and later refuse to pay since he had no money, which he thought would get him arrested. He would, then, be taken to the judge next day, who would sentence him three months in the prison on Blackwell’s Island.
This plan did not work because as soon as Soapy stepped inside a fine restaurant at Broadway, his shabby clothes attracted the head waiter’s attention and he was immediately thrown out.
“But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy.” What dis the cop not consider, and why?
The cop did not consider Soapy as the person who threw a stone through the glass window of the shop because he thought that a person who would have done that wouldn’t have stayed there to talk to the cops.
“We have orders to let them shout.” What is the policeman referring to?
In his yet another plan to get arrested, Soapy started shouting outside the theatre pretending to be a drunkard however, the policeman thought that he was one of the harmless college students doing a protest. He told the other man standing beside him that they had orders to let them shout.
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.
(i) True; (ii) False; (iii) True; (iv) True
“There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul.” What brought about the change in Soapy?
On his way back to Madison Square, Soapy stopped outside his old childhood home.
The place reminded him of his childhood days when he led a happy and honest life with his mother and friends. The soft light shining from his living room’s window and the sweet music brought about a sudden change in his soul and he realised at the moment that the life he was living was worthless and hopeless and that he should put in efforts to change his life.
Suppose no cop came at the end. What would Soapy’s life be like next winter?
If no cop came at the end, Soapy’s life would have changed completely. Soapy resolved to find work for himself and earn his living. So we can suppose that in the next winter, he would have been working tirelessly on any small job. He would have got a small house for himself. He would have decent clothes to wear and decent food to eat. He would become a happy and satisfied man.
Retell an episode in the story which is a good example of irony in a situation.
The most ironic incident in the story is the umbrella episode. After failing two times to get caught, Soapy walked into a store. There he saw a man’s umbrella standing beside the door. He picked up the umbrella and walked out. The man came upto him from behind to reclaim his umbrella. Soapy suggested that he should call a cop and get him arrested as he had stolen his umbrella. But to Soapy’s surprise, that man said that he himself had found that umbrella that morning in a restaurant. So once again, Soapy failed to get arrested.