CBSE Class 10 English The Thiefs Story Assignment Set 02

Short Answer Type Questions
 

Question. Why does Anil not hand over Hari Singh to the police?
Answer: Anil didn’t hand over Hari to the police because if Anil had done it, Hari would have never reformed. He would have gone back to his old ways of cheating and stealing from people, which Anil didn’t want. Thus, by doing so, he gave Hari another chance to reform.

Question. The narrator followed Anil ‘casually’. Why?
Answer: The narrator who was a thief by profession wanted to win Anil’s trust to rob him later. That’s why he followed him casually so that Anil does not doubt him.

Question. What was the thought behind using appealing smiles frequently on Anil?
Answer: One can attract others through the right gestures and facial expressions. The narrator wanted to appear honest and trustable in front of Anil, hence, he used appealing smiles frequently on him to win over his trust.

Question. How do you think the narrator made a profit of about a rupee a day?
Answer: He might have charged Anil a higher price of vegetables and groceries than he actually paid. This way he managed to save some money himself.

Question. Why do you think the young thief had quite a few scars on his face?
Answer: He was involved in the profession of robbery for quite a long time. He would have got the scars from stealing or snatching valuable things from people.

Question. It’s not easy to be mean to people who are very nice to you. Do you think that the young thief had to work on giving himself valid reasons to be able to commit the theft? did the thieving come as naturally to him this time, too? Write a brief analysis of his mood before the theft.
Answer: This time thrilling did not come to him naturally. Anil had full trust in the boy it was not easy for the thief to dupe him. That’s why it was not easy for him to rob his new employee Anil. His conscience objected to stealing Anil but he reminded himself that he could not cook for him any longer. Moreover, Anil did not pay him regularly for the work. He convinced himself by saying that he could not wait to learn the whole sentences to bring a turning point in his life.

Question. Why do you think the narrator used to feel that ‘friends were more trouble than help’? What could have led him to believe this?
Answer: He was a robber and a conman and did not want to share his secrets and whereabouts with anyone. In his profession, even minor dishonesty might take him behind the bars. Moreover, he used to take a new name every month to hide from the police and his previous employers.

Question. At the end of the story, we realise that Anil knew about the incident of the previous night, yet he chose to overlook such a breach of trust. Explain.
Answer: Anil chose to overlook such a breach of trust because he wanted Hari Singh to get an education and live a respectable life. He knew that handing him over to the police would only spoil him. His coming back proved that he had realised his mistake. That’s why Anil had given him a chance to improve his lifestyle.

Question. Hari Singh says- “He knew it but neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.” Anil successfully addressed the situation by not addressing it at all. Elaborate based on your reading of The Thief’s Story.
Answer: 1. Despite knowing that the money had been taken (dampness of notes) Anil chose to remain quiet about the matter
2. Pretended that all was normal – realised that Hari Singh’s honesty had prevailed over his temptation
3. Wanted to reward him/encourage him
4. Discussing the theft would have been counterproductive.

Question. Why did Hari Singh think that Anil’s job was queer?
Answer: Hari Singh thought Anil’s job was queer because he did not have a fixed source of income. At times he had to borrow; and at times he would lend. He often waited for his cheque. It appeared he wrote for a magazine. As soon as the cheque arrived, he would celebrate by spending it lavishly.

Question. In which queer way did Anil make a living?
Answer: The queer way in which Anil made a living was by writing for magazines. Also, his money management skills were really odd. One week he would be borrowing money and the next week he would be lending money to others. He thus made money by fits and starts.

Question. Why did Hari Singh tell a lie about cooking?
Answer: Hari Singh knew that Anil would hire him only if he could cook. However, Hari did not know how to cook. Still, as he wanted to somehow rob Anil, he told the lie to gain entry into Anil’s house.

Question. Why was it difficult for Hari Singh to rob Anil ? Or Why was it not easy for the thief to rob Anil?
Answer: It was difficult to rob Anil because he was the most trusting person Hari Singh had ever met. According to Hari Singh, it’s easy to rob a greedy man because he can afford to be robbed but it’s difficult to rob a careless man because he doesn’t even notice that he’s been robbed and that takes all the pleasure out of the work.

Question. How did Hari Singh realize that Anil knew that his money had been stolen?
Answer: The next morning Anil gave him fifty rupees and the note was still damp. He informed that now he would be paid regularly. Hari Singh understood that Anil had known about the theft. Anil told him that he would teach him writing sentences. It means he had been forgiven for his mistake.
 

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. 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.
Answer: Today has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. Meeting Mr. Anil changed my life. He didn’t see me as just another street kid; he saw potential in me and taught me the importance of trust, kindness, and honesty. He gave me a chance to learn to read and write, opening up a whole new world for me.
But tonight, I made a huge mistake. I stole money from Mr. Anil, thinking only of the immediate gain. However, sitting here in the cold, I realize how wrong I was. Money isn’t everything. It’s the human connections and trust that truly matter.
I’ve decided to go back to Mr. Anil tomorrow, return the money, and apologize. I’m scared, but I hope he can forgive me and give me another chance. I’ve learned a valuable lesson about the true value of relationships and honesty. This diary entry is a promise to myself to be a better person, to value what matters, and to make Mr. Anil proud. Tomorrow is a new beginning, and I’m ready to face it with everything I’ve learned.

Question. Hari Singh says “He knew it but neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.” Anil successfully addressed the situation by not addressing it all. Elaborate based on your reading of ‘The Thief a Story.
Answer: Yes, it is absolutely true that anil addressed the situation but he behaved like he had not addressed anything. It was not only because of his kind heart. There were many things that made him to do that. Anil had a great trust on Hari Singh. He made Hari his selfless friend. Hari Singh took the money but after that he didn’t escaped. This is because he felt anil’s trust, love and compassion towards him. He didn’t wanted to break the trust, so he returned. As he understood his mistake so anil showed the similar behaviour . Anil also felt that if he would address him as a thief and send him to jail then there could be a greater possibility that the small thief would be converted into a criminal after coming out. so not to destroy Hari Singh future was one of the thought that made anil to the act in a simple manner. Hari Singh also required studies. Anil always taught Hari due to which his education level was also increasing. so Anil believed that if he would continue his teaching then there could be the possibility that Hari Singh would change his mood and passion.

Question. Examine how Anil’s identity as a writer could have contributed to his understanding of Hari Singh.
Answer: Anil’s identity as a writer plays a significant role in the narrative and contributes to his understanding of Hari Singh in several ways. Firstly, being a writer allows Anil to possess a heightened sense of observation and empathy. Writers often possess a keen understanding of human behaviour, enabling them to read between the lines and determine shades in people’s actions and expressions. This skill becomes crucial in Anil’s interaction with Hari Singh, as he could perceive more than what meets the eye. Additionally, Anil’s profession as a writer might have made him more open-minded and receptive to diverse experiences and personalities. Writers often explore a wide range of characters in their work, fostering a broader understanding of human nature. This openness could have enabled Anil to approach Hari Singh with empathy and without immediate judgment. Lastly, Anil’s familiarity with constructing narratives may have enabled him to appreciate the complexity of Hari Singh’s life story, recognizing the underlying factors influencing his actions.

Question. 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.
Answer: The thief’s character arc in the story shows a transformation from a career criminal to a person who learns to trust and work hard for a living.
At the beginning of the story, Hari Singh is portrayed as an experienced criminal who is focused on staying ahead of the law. He is initially attracted to Anil because he believes he can exploit the young man’s trusting nature. As the story progresses, he begins to develop a friendship with Anil, who teaches him how to cook, write, and read. This transformation of the thief’s character reaches a climax when he is presented with an opportunity to steal money from Anil but instead chooses to resist the temptation and considers the consequences of his actions. This is a significant change from the beginning of the story, when the thief was only interested in self-gain.

Question. Based on the given context, write a diary entry, as the narrator, on what you experienced and the possible reason for it. I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages, but I hesitated - for some reason, I can’t explain - and I lost the chance to get away.
Answer: Diary Entry
8.00 pm, 7 August 2020
Dear Diary,
I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages but I hesitated for some reason I can’t explain and I lost the chance to get away. Earlier I was so quick to run away in similar situations. But this time I could not get it because Anil’s trust and simplicity shackled my legs and brain. I could not breach his trust. He had entrusted the keys of his home to me to come and go whenever I wished. I imagined that he would feel bad in the morning not for the loss of money but for the loss of trust. If I had run away that evening I would have not forgiven myself for my whole life. These considerations turned me back to Anil with the money. I hope I took the right decision.

Question. Education means different things to different people. Evaluate how it impacted the young thief in the story.
Answer: Education means different things to different people. The young boy had come after Anil with the sole purpose to cheat and dupe him. When Anil taught him to add numbers he realised that education could make a big difference in his life. Now, he had understood that to become a big, clever and respectable man, he must be educated. He felt that he could achieve anything if he learned to read and write whole sentences. Later when he was thinking to flee with the stolen money, his mind was struck again with the importance of education. Besides, the nice behaviour and trust of his employer had transformed a thief’s heart and he returned and put the money back. This way it can be said that education had a makeover effect on the thief, Hari Singh.

Question. What impression do you form of Hari Singh after reading the lesson ?
Answer: Hari Singh was a thief and though he was only fifteen years old, he was fairly experienced and successful in his job. He was very eager to learn to read and write because he knew that once he could write, there would be no limit to what he could achieve. He was very grateful to Anil and quite liked working for him. He found it difficult to rob him since Anil was also the most trusting person he had ever met. The thief could not bring himself to cheat him. Even though the thief finally managed to rob Anil, his conscience did not allow him to run away with the money. He understood that Anil’s face would show only a touch of sadness when he discovered the theft- not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust. So, he hurried back to Anil and was now a reformed and better person.

Question. Hari Singh didn’t confess that he robbed Anil. Did he lack courage to do so or he really wanted to maintain his relationship with Anil at any cost ? Explain the values Hari needed to imbibe in about 100-120 words.
Answer: Hari Singh was a teenager, of 15. He was good at stealing. He chose Anil to be his next target as he was a struggling author and a simple person. Hari Singh started living with Anil who in truth, started teaching him how to read and write. Hari Singh, one day got the opportunity to steal Anils’ money. He left out with the money to go away forever but his inner voice stopped him. He returned back and kept the money in place. Next morning he started with his routine work and didn’t tell anything about the incident to Anil. He was a teenager and lacked courage to face Anil with his truth. He did not want to lose Anil’s trust. He wanted to maintain the relationship with Anil, wanted to get education and become a respected man. So he hid the incident from Anil.

Question. Anil plays a major role in the transformation of Hari Singh. Comment on the statement by highlighting the values possessed by Anil which touched Hari’s heart and made him return to his honest ways fearings his livelihood. Write in about 100-120 words.
Answer: Anil was a struggling writer who befriended Hari Singh. Hari Singh was an experienced, 15 year old thief. He found Anil an easy target to steal. Anil offered him to stay with him and to teach how to read and write. Gradually, Anil develops trust in Hari Singh. But Hari Singh was waiting for the right opportunity to do what he was best at. After stealing money, he tried to go away forever but some inner voice stopped him from doing so. He returned to Anil because he wanted to live a life of respect. Anil did not show that he knew the incident and accepted Hari with open hands. Thus, a well intentioned person, Anil changed Hari Singh and brought him on right path. The story shows that trust and spirit to forgive someone can bring big changes in someone’s life.

Question. What does the thief say about the reactions of the people whom he had robbed? What did he think would be Anil’s reaction?
Answer: Standing at the platform the thief reflected upon his career. In his short career as a thief, he had robbed many types of people. He had made a study of their faces when they had lost their goods. He remembered their reactions. The greedy man showed fear; the rich man showed anger; the poor man showed acceptance. He had never seen a man so trusting as Anil. He knew that Anil’s face, when he discovered the theft, would show only a touch of sadness. Not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust.

Question. State the events that took place on the night of the theft.
Answer: The night of robbery was quite eventful for Hari Singh. After stealing Anil’s money and leaving Anil’s house, Hari went to the railway station but didn’t board the train to Lucknow. He walked slowly through the bazaar as he did not know anyone who would provide him shelter except Anil, for he didn’t have any friends. He was forced to take shelter under the clock tower later when it started raining heavily. That is where he realised the importance of education and decided to go back to Anil.
 

Extract Based Questions

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
I went back to the bazaar and sat down in the shelter of the clock tower. The clock showed midnight. I felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain.
Anil’s Money. In the morning he would probably have given me two or three rupees to go to the cinema, but now I had it all.
I couldn’t cook his meals, run to the bazaar, or learn to write whole sentences any more.
I had forgotten about them in the excitement of the theft. Whole sentences, I knew, could 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.

Question. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Hari Singh thinks he would not be able to write whole sentences ?
(a) Anil would not be there to teach him.
(b) He had robbed Anil and left.
(c) He would not go back to Anil to learn.
(d) He had no money to take admission in school.
Answer: (d) He had no money to take admission in school.

Question. Why is it fair to say that Hari Singh’s tone, when he says “I couldn’t cook his meals, run to the bazaar or learn to write whole sentences any more,” is filled with remorse and regret ? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: Anil had complete remit in Hari Singh arid even taught him how to cook. When Hari Singh stole money from Anil, his conscience troubled him, realizing he had betrayed Anil’s trust.

Question. What do you infer about Hari Singh from this statement ? ‘Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees.”
Answer: Hari Singh was confident that by learning to read and write, he could potentially earn more money and cease working as a servant

Question. State True or False with reference to the given extract. The reason Hari Singh was filled with a feeling of guilt was because Anil trusted him
(a) True
(b) False
Answer: (a) True

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
I found myself in the maidan and sat down on a bench. The night was chilly-it was early November and a light drizzle added to my discomfort. Soon it was raining quite heavily. My shirt and pyjamas stuck to my skin, and a cold wind blew the rain across my face. I went back to the bazaar and sat down in the shelter of the clock tower. The clock showed midnight. I felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain. Anil’s money. In the morning he would probably have given me two or three rupees to go to the cinema, but now I had it all.

Question. State TRUE or FALSE. None of the terms (a)-(d) below, can be applied to the sentence - Hari came to the maidan from the railway station.
(a) A hypothesis - a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption - something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true without proof
(c) A premise - a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
(d) A theory - a well-substantiated explanation for a natural phenomenon
(a) True
(b) False
Answer: (a) True

Question. How is Hari feeling in the given extract?
Answer: Hari is feeling very doubtful for his action of stealing from Anil.

Question. State any one point for the following question : What was Hari Singh thinking while sitting in the shelter of clock tower?
Answer: I should go back to Anil for the sake of learning to read and write.

Question. What study was done by Hari Singh? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: Hari Singh had made a study of men’s faces when they had lost their goods. As per his observation, the greedy man showed fear; the rich man showed anger; and the poor man showed acceptance.