Class 10 English Notes Chapter 2 (The Thief's Story) – Foot Prints Without Feet Supp. Reader Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 2 of your supplementary reader, 'The Thief's Story' by Ruskin Bond. This is a poignant tale about human values, trust, and the possibility of transformation, making it important not just for your board exams but also for understanding human nature, which can be relevant for various competitive exams.

Here are the detailed notes:

Chapter 2: The Thief's Story

Author: Ruskin Bond

Central Theme: The story explores themes of trust, kindness, guilt, the desire for respectability, and the transformative power of education and human connection. It shows how genuine care can lead even a hardened criminal towards redemption.

Characters:

1. Hari Singh:

   • The narrator of the story.
   • A 15-year-old boy who is an experienced and fairly successful thief.
   • Changes his name frequently to evade police and former employers.
   • Initially approaches Anil with the sole intention of robbing him.
   • Observant and good at judging people for his purpose (identifies Anil as easy-going, kind, and simple).
   • Lies about knowing how to cook.
   • Develops a hidden desire for education and respect when Anil starts teaching him.
   • Undergoes a significant internal conflict and transformation.

2. Anil:

   • A young man, about 25 years old.
   • A struggling writer who makes money "by fits and starts."
   • Kind, simple, easy-going, and trusting (perhaps overly so).
   • Lives in a room over the Jumna Sweet Shop.
   • Despite Hari's poor cooking, he doesn't dismiss him.
   • Takes an interest in Hari's well-being and education; teaches him to read, write, and add numbers.
   • His trusting nature and kindness are the catalysts for Hari's change.
   • Perceptive – likely understands Hari's petty thefts from shopping and knows about the main theft and return, but chooses forgiveness over confrontation.

Plot Summary:

1. The Meeting: Hari Singh encounters Anil during a wrestling match and uses flattery to initiate conversation, hoping to gain his confidence for a future theft.
2. Gaining Employment: Hari asks Anil for work. Anil is initially hesitant as he cannot afford to pay, but agrees to feed Hari if he can cook. Hari lies about his cooking skills.
3. Living with Anil: Hari's cooking is terrible, but Anil patiently teaches him to cook and, more importantly, starts teaching him to write his name, read words, and eventually whole sentences and numbers.
4. Hari's Routine & Petty Theft: Hari settles into a routine. He makes tea, buys daily supplies (making a profit of about a rupee a day, which Anil seems aware of but ignores), and enjoys the prospect of becoming educated.
5. The Opportunity: Anil receives a substantial sum of money (£600) from selling a book to a publisher. He celebrates and carelessly tucks the money under his mattress.
6. The Theft: Seeing the money, Hari decides it's time to execute his plan. He justifies it by thinking Anil would waste the money anyway. Late at night, he carefully steals the notes while Anil sleeps.
7. The Escape & Hesitation: Hari rushes to the railway station to catch the 10:30 pm Lucknow Express. He reaches the platform as the train is leaving but finds himself unable to board it. He hesitates.
8. The Realization: Standing alone on the deserted platform, Hari reflects. He has the money but nowhere to go and no friends. He realizes the value of what he's losing: Anil's trust and the chance for education, which could lead to a respectable life. He thinks about the "sadness" Anil would feel – not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust.
9. The Return: Driven by guilt and the desire for a different future, Hari decides to return. He walks back through the rain (which makes the notes damp) and quietly slips the money back under Anil's mattress.
10. The Morning After: Hari wakes up late. Anil has already made tea. Anil holds out a ₹50 note towards Hari, explaining he got paid and will now pay him regularly. The note is still damp from the rain.
11. Silent Forgiveness: Anil knows what happened (indicated by the damp note and his knowing smile), but he doesn't expose Hari. Instead, he promises to continue teaching him sentences. Hari understands he has been forgiven and feels genuine relief and hope.

Key Themes & Messages:

• Trust is Powerful: Anil's unwavering trust, even when perhaps undeserved initially, ultimately prevents Hari from ruining his life.
• Kindness Breeds Goodness: Anil's kindness and non-judgmental attitude provide Hari with the emotional security he likely never had, facilitating his change.
• Education as Liberation: For Hari, learning to read and write represents more than just skills; it symbolizes a path to respectability, self-worth, and a life beyond crime.
• Inner Conflict & Redemption: The story beautifully portrays Hari's internal struggle between his ingrained habits as a thief and his emerging conscience and desire for a better life. His return marks his redemption.
• Human Relationships: The unconventional bond between Anil and Hari highlights how meaningful connections can influence individuals profoundly.

Important Points for Exams:

• Hari Singh's age (15) and Anil's age (approx. 25).
• Hari's initial motive vs. his final decision.
• Anil's profession (writer) and irregular income.
• The amount stolen (£600).
• The significance of Anil teaching Hari.
• The reason for Hari's hesitation at the station (loss of trust, desire for education).
• The symbolism of the damp note (proof of theft and return, Anil's silent acknowledgment and forgiveness).
• The transformation in Hari Singh.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. What was Hari Singh's primary intention when he first approached Anil?
   a) To find genuine employment
   b) To learn how to wrestle
   c) To rob him
   d) To ask for food

2. What profession did Anil follow?
   a) Wrestling
   b) Cooking
   c) Shopkeeping
   d) Writing

3. Why did Anil initially hesitate to employ Hari Singh?
   a) He thought Hari looked dishonest.
   b) He couldn't afford to pay him.
   c) He didn't need any help.
   d) He didn't like Hari's flattery.

4. Apart from food and shelter, what significant thing did Anil start teaching Hari?
   a) Wrestling techniques
   b) How to manage finances
   c) Reading and writing
   d) Driving a car

5. How much money did Hari Singh steal from under Anil's mattress?
   a) ₹100
   b) ₹500
   c) ₹600
   d) ₹1000

6. Why did Hari Singh hesitate and miss the train to Lucknow?
   a) He was afraid of being caught on the train.
   b) He realized he had forgotten something important.
   c) He felt guilty and valued Anil's trust and the chance for education.
   d) The train was too crowded.

7. What made Hari Singh decide to return to Anil?
   a) Fear of the police
   b) The thought of learning to write whole sentences
   c) Having nowhere else to go in the rain
   d) Both b and c, combined with guilt and valuing trust

8. What physical evidence suggested to Hari that Anil knew about the theft?
   a) Anil looked angry.
   b) Anil directly accused him.
   c) The ₹50 note Anil gave him was damp from the rain.
   d) Anil refused to talk to him.

9. What does Anil's reaction in the morning reveal about his character?
   a) He is foolish and unobservant.
   b) He is forgiving and believes in giving second chances.
   c) He is planning to punish Hari later.
   d) He is scared of confronting Hari.

10. What is the central message conveyed in 'The Thief's Story'?
    a) Crime always pays in the end.
    b) One should never trust strangers.
    c) Kindness, trust, and education can transform a person.
    d) Writing is not a profitable profession.

Answer Key:

1. c) To rob him
2. d) Writing
3. b) He couldn't afford to pay him.
4. c) Reading and writing
5. c) ₹600
6. c) He felt guilty and valued Anil's trust and the chance for education.
7. d) Both b and c, combined with guilt and valuing trust (His desire for education and realization of having no shelter/friends, driven by guilt about breaking trust).
8. c) The ₹50 note Anil gave him was damp from the rain.
9. b) He is forgiving and believes in giving second chances.
10. c) Kindness, trust, and education can transform a person.

Study these notes carefully. Understand the characters' motivations and the sequence of events, especially Hari's internal conflict and transformation. Good luck with your preparation!