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Question
Answer the following in about 100-120 words:
Trust and compassion can reform a person. Justify this statement in the light of the lesson 'The Thief's Story'.
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Solution
In "The Thief's Story," a small-time thief discovers the value of kindness and trust. The reader also gains knowledge about how moral behaviour can be countered and a person can be changed for the better. Anil is portrayed as being irresponsible with money, but what distinguishes him from the wealthy and the greedy is how he chooses to view the development that people are capable of demonstrating. Even though he is aware that the thief tried to steal his money, he still has faith in the effectiveness of his compassion and support. The thief was completely transformed by Anil's kindness, support, and care; as a result, he no longer practices theft and has developed skills that will enable him to support himself in the future. The narrative exemplifies the transforming power of kindness and empathy, which can have a positive influence on a person's life and motivate them to make positive changes.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?
Does Anil realize that he has been robbed?
What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change over time? (Hint: compare, for example, the thought: “I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve” with these later thoughts: ‘Whole sentences, I knew, cloud one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal − and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.”) What makes him return to Anil?
Why does not Anil hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would have done so? In what ways is Anil different from such employers?
Answer the following question in 30-40 words:
What made Hari Singh come back to Anil?
Complete the web diagram.
Complete the web diagram.
Anil kept Hari as a cook because ______.
Hari was grateful ______.
Hari continued making money ______
Anil didn’t hand Hari over to the police ______
Why did Anil employ Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him?
Do you feel Anil’s way of handling a thief like Hari was effective? Justify your answer.
Write a character sketch of ‘Hari Singh’ with the help of the following points, using the paragraph format.
|
Hari Singh’s background His dishonesty His aspirations His courage to change himself |
Read the following passage and do the activities.
A1. Relate the following qualities with the two characters of the story:
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Narrator | Anil | |
| (1) | ||
| (2) |
| He took to his room over the Jumna Sweet shop and told me I could sleep on the balcony. But the meal I cooked that night must have been terrible because Anil gave it to a stray dog and told me to be off. But I just hung around, smiling in my most appealing way, and he couldn't help laughing. Later, he patted me on the head and said never mind, he'd teach me to cook. He also taught me to write my name and said he would soon teach me to write whole sentences and add numbers. I was grateful. I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve. It was quite pleasant working for Anil. I made the tea in the morning and then would take my time buying the day's supplies, usually making a profit of about a rupee a day. I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind. Anil made money by fits and starts. He would borrow one week, and lend the next. He kept worrying about his next cheque, but as soon as it arrived he would go out and celebrate. It seems he wrote for magazines a queer way to make a living! One evening he came home with a small bundle of notes, saying he had just sold a book to a publisher. At night, I saw him tuck the money under the mattress. |
A2. State whether true or false:
- Anil liked what the narrator cooked.
- Anil taught the narrator to write his name.
- Anil was a wealthy person.
- Anil made money by fits and starts.
A3. Match the words to their meanings.
| (1) Pleasant | Strange |
| (2) Fits and starts | Satisfactory |
| (3) Queer | Give |
| (4) Lend | Irregular bursts of activities |
A4. Do as directed:
Frame 'Wh' questions with reference to the phrases underlined below. (Change the first person pronouns to second person)
- He taught me to write my name.
- I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind.
A5. Give a brief description of Anil and the narrator's characters.
Fiction writers prefer creating grey characters rather than black and white. Analyse this in detail, with reference to both the characters of The Thief’s Story.
A character arc is the transformation or development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of their experiences, challenges, and interactions with other characters.
In the light of the above information, trace the character arc of the thief in Ruskin Bond’s The Thief’s Story, in about 120 words.
Imagine that Hari Singh from ‘The Thief’s Story’ by Ruskin Bond, writes a diary entry, exploring the theme of human values and relations that are essential in life and can transform a person in the context of his own experience. Write this diary entry as Hari Singh.
