READ AND FIND
OUT PAGE
8
• Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
Answer:
In this story, ‘I’ refers to Harin Singh, the thief.
• What is he “a fairly successful hand”
at?
Answer:
He is “a fairly successful hand” at stealing. He is an expert in his work. He
robs people without being caught.
• What does he get from Anil in return
for his work?
Answer:
He gets food and a place to live in from Anil for his work. Also, he learns how
to cook, how to write his name and when he goes to buy daily stuff he makes a
profit of one rupee a day.
READ AND FIND
OUT PAGE
10
• How does the thief think Anil will
react to the theft?
Answer:
Hari, the thief thinks that Anil will be sad not because of the loss of the
money but of the loss of the trust he has in Hari.
• What does he say about the different
reactions of people when they are robbed?
Answer:
Based on his short experience as a thief he says that when greedy people are
robbed they show fear, when the rich are robbed they show anger, and when the
poor are robbed they show acceptance.
• Does Anil realise that he has been
robbed?
Answer:
Yes, Anil realizes that he has been robbed as all the notes are wet due to the
night’s rain. However, he doesn’t say anything to Hari. He behaves normally
with Hari and gives him a fifty rupee note as well.
THINK ABOUT
IT PAGE
13
1. 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, 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. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something
else.”) What makes him return to Anil?
Answer:
Yes, Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education change
over time. When he starts living with Anil, he learns how to write his name. He
wants to be literate and become a skillful thief. But when he leaves Anil’s
house, he realizes that stealing is simply a crime. Now he wants to earn
respect in his life. He is influenced by the calm in Anil’s life. He knows what
education can/will bring into his life. So his urge to receive education makes
him return to Anil.
2. 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:
Anil doesn’t hand over Hari to the police because he has put the money back which
shows that he realized his mistake and must have felt guilty. So he forgives
him and gives him another chance. Most people would not have done so in today’s
world. This kind act of Anil makes him different from such employers. It tells
us how much understanding he has. He can also see the change in Hari’s life.
TALK ABOUT IT PAGE
13
1. Do you think people like Anil and Hari
Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?
Answer:
I think, people like them are only found in fiction. They are rarely found in
real life. In today’s life, if someone catches a thief stealing, people would
beat him first and then hand him over to the police. We forget that we are
humans and bound to make mistakes. We must give a chance to correct ourselves
and bring us to the right path.
2. Do you think it a significant detail
in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this explain his behaviour
in any way?
Answer:
Yes, Anil is a struggling writer as per the details given in the story. The
thief has mentioned in the story that Anil has irregular income. He can’t even
pay Hari for his work. One day, he sells his book to a publisher because of
money which explains his behaviour as well. He lives his life according to the
flow of money he gets. When he gets money he enjoys with his friend and when he
has less money, his lifestyle is simple.
3. Have you met anyone like Hari Singh?
Can you think and imagine the circumstances that can turn a fifteen-year-old
boy into a thief?
Answer:
No, I’ve not met anyone like Hari Singh but yes such people do exist. A
circumstance can definitely turn a 15-year-old boy into a thief. There could be
different reasons behind it such as he has to feed his stomach, he has to
fulfill his needs, he has to satisfy his addiction (if any) or he wants to live
a luxurious life, etc.
4. Where is the story set? (You can get
clues from the names of the persons and places mentioned in it.) Which language
or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the
story spoke to each other in English?
Answer:
The story is set somewhere near Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh as the story says that
Hari Singh had to catch the 10:30 express to Lucknow. Pople near Lucknow in UP
generally speak Hindi. Hence, the characters in the story don’t speak to each
other in English.
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