The Thief’s Story
by Ruskin Bond
·
The story ‘The Thief’s Story’ is written
by Ruskin Bond, the first Indo Anglian novelist and poet. He is well known writer of children's stories.
· The story depicts how education casts strong
impact upon a thief and brought transformation in him who decides to live as an
educated, respectful and trustworthy person.
The story is about a boy of 15 years who became a thief due to some circumstances, bringing out a strong message that if a person is spoiled by the society, he can be transformed by the responsible people like Anil of the same society.
The lesson employs the life like characters such as Anil and Hari Singh in a very realistic and striking manner.
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Summary / Synopsis
·
Anil was a young writer of about 25
years, writing for magazines. He had a casual and irregular income. He was easy
going, kind and simple man.
·
Ani went to watch a wrestling match
where he met Hari, a 15 years old thief but it was not his real name. Hari
changed his name for every new target. Hari wanted work but Anil
said that he can’t pay but can feed him for his work.
·
Hari accepted the job of a cook though
he didn’t know how to cook. First day, he cooked terrible food which was given
to a stray dog.
·
Anil agreed to teach him how to read and
write his name, sentences and numbers. Hari thought he would grow into a
cleverer and smarter thief and would earn better. Anil taught him how to cook as
well.
·
Hari started making profit of one rupee
from buying the daily supplies. Anil could notice Hari’s stealings but ignored
and didn’t seem to mind.
·
One day Anil sold his book to a publisher
and brought home a bundle of 600 Rs. in fifties and kept it under the mattress.
·
Anil had given Hari the key to main door
and he could come and go whenever he pleased. Anil was the most trusting person
he had ever met.
·
Once, Anil was asleep, Hari stole the
money and decided to escape catching the Lucknow Express at 10:30 p.m. as with
that money he could live like a rich Arab for a week or two.
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·
Hari reached the station. The Lucknow
express came and went but Hari Singh didn’t dare to take the train as he couldn’t
break Anil’s trust. He didn’t have any friend where he could go. He sat on a bench
in a ‘maidan’ and it started raining. The notes became damp.
·
The education that he received from Anil
brought a big transformation as now he wanted to live as an educated,
respectful and trustworthy person like Anil.
·
Hari came back in time and kept money at
its place, and without uttering a word about the night resumed his work.
·
Next morning Anil giving a fifty rupee
note to Hari said that every month he would get his salary and he would teach
him sentences.
·
Touching the damp note Hari Singh
thought that Anil might have suspected his theft but his gestures and lips didn’t
reveal any sort of suspicion.
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Message
Ruskin Bond through ‘The Thief’s Story’ very beautifully brought out the age old saying ‘Education is that which liberates’. The prospect of getting education changed a thief’s mind and he decided to change his ways. It became impossible for him to cheat a simple, kind and trusting person like Anil.
Ruskin Bond through ‘The Thief’s Story’ very beautifully brought out the age old saying ‘Education is that which liberates’. The prospect of getting education changed a thief’s mind and he decided to change his ways. It became impossible for him to cheat a simple, kind and trusting person like Anil.
Important
Question - Answers
Q1. What are
Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving education? Do they change
over time? What makes him return to Anil?
Ans. Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of
receiving an education changed over time. Initially, he wanted to be literate
so that he would become a cleverer and smarter thief. Later, during his stay
with Anil he developed a wish to earn respect and be a part of civilized
society in life like his employer who has influenced to the very core. Now, he
wanted to be an educated, happy, respectful and trustworthy person like Anil.
Q2. 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?
Ans. Anil could have suspected Hari’s attempt of
robbery to feel the dampness of notes. However, Anil may have been pleased to
realise that Hari didn’t break his trust and returned all the notes. Possibly,
Anil wanted to give Hari one more chance to change the course of his life
and
that’s why he did not hand over Hari to police. Probably, due to this, now he
seemed more interested in providing education to Hari Singh. This large
heartedness and trusting attitude of Anil put him on a high pedestal and make
him different from other employers. People like Anil are hard to find. Most
employers would have predictably handed Hari over to police.
Video on The Thief's Story
https://youtu.be/Cmi-2vu61ao
Video on The Thief's Story
https://youtu.be/Cmi-2vu61ao
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