Advertisements
Advertisements
प्रश्न
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.
उत्तर
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 story's beginning, the thief is portrayed as an experienced criminal 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, the thief develops 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. Instead, he chooses to resist the temptation and considers the consequences of his actions.
- This is a significant change from the story's beginning when the thief was only interested in self-gain.
- Although the thief has not completely abandoned his criminal ways, the fact that he hesitated to jump on the train to escape with the stolen money shows that he has developed a moral conscience.
The story implies that the thief has realized that a life of crime is not fulfilling and is now open to exploring new opportunities for a better life.
Notes
- Content - 3
- Expression - 2
- Accuracy - 1
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?
How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
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?
Read the following passage and do the activities:
A1. Choose the correct alternatives from the given options and rewrite the sentences :
(appealing, casually, flattery, well-oiled) (2)
(1) I followed ….........
(2) Anil talked about the ….........wrestlers.
(3) I gave him my most ….........smile.
(4) A little …......... helps in making friends.
I was still a thief when 1 met Anil. And though only 15, was an experienced and fairly successful hand.
Anil was watching a wrestling match when I approached him. He was about 25 — a tall, lean fellow — and he looked easy-going, kind and simple enough for my purpose. I hadn’t had much luck of late and thought I might be able to get into the young man’s confidence.
“You look a bit of a wrestler yourself,” I said. A little flattery helps in making friends.
“So do you,” he replied, which put me off for a moment because at that time I was rather thin.
“Well, I said modestly, “I do wrestle a bit.”
“What's your name ?”
“Hari Singh,” I lied. I took a new name every month. That kept me ahead of the police and my former employers.
After this introduction, Anil talked about the well-oiled wrestlers who were grunting, lifting and throwing each other about. I didn't have much to say. Anil walked away. I followed casually.
“Hello again,” he said.
I gave him my most appealing smile. “I want to work for you”. I said.
“But I can't pay you.”
I thought that over for a minute. Perhaps I had misjudged my man. I asked, “Can you feed me ?”
“Can you cook ?”
“I can cook,” I lied again.
“If you can cook, then may be I can feed you.”
He took me 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.
A2. Complete the following web-chart: (2)
A3. Find the similar meaning words from the passage for the following : (2)
(1) endearing
(2) miscalculated
(3) humbly
(4) awful
A4.
(1) “I want to work for you,” I said. (1)
(Change it into indirect speech)
(2) I can’t pay you. (1)
(Rewrite making it affirmative)
A5. “We should learn from our own mistakes.” Explain. (2)
Answer the following question in 30-40 words.
What made Hari Singh come back to Anil?
Complete the web diagram.
Complete the given sentence.
Hari was grateful ____________
Think and write in your own words, in your notebook.
Why did Anil employ Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him?
Think and write in your own words, in your notebook.
What did Hari learn from Anil in the beginning?
Think and write in your own words, in your notebook.
Do you feel Anil’s way of handling a thief like Hari was effective? Justify your answer.
Think and write in your own words, in your notebook.
What tact had Anil used to change Hari’s dishonest ways?
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.
|
I was still a thief when I met Anil. And though only 15, I was an experienced and fairly successful hand. Anil was watching a wrestling match when I approached him. He was about 25- a tall, lean fellow - and he looked easy-going, kind and simple enough for my purpose. I hadn't had much luck of late and thought I might be able to get into the young man's confidence. "You look a bit of a wrestler yourself," I said. A little flattery helps in making friends. "So do you," he replied, which put me off for a moment because at that time I was rather thin. "Well," I said modestly, "I do wrestle a bit." "What's your name ?" "Harl Singh," I lied. I took a new name every month. That kept me ahead of the police and my former employers. After this introduction, Anil talked about the well-oiled wrestlers who were grunting, lifting and throwing each other about. I didn't have much to say. Anil walked away. I followed casually. "Hello again," he said. I gave him my most appealing smile. "I want to work for you." I said. "But I can't pay you." I thought that over for a minute. Perhaps I had misjudged my man. I asked, "Can you feed me ?" "Can you cook?" "I can cook," I lied again. "If you can cook, then may be I can feed you." |
A1. Complete the given boxes with who said to whom: (2)
| Statement | Who | To whom | |
| (i) | You look a bit of a wrestler yourself. | ||
| (ii) | If you can cook, then may be I can feed you. |
A2. Complete the cluster diagram mentioning the characteristics of the main character of the passage: (2)
A3. Choose the correct meanings of the following words from the given options: (2)
- Flattery -
- insincere praise
- appreciation
- creating false impression
- unfaithful behaviour
- Appealing -
- good conduct
- attractive
- charming
- beautiful
A4. Do as directed: (2)
- I took a new name every month.
[Frame 'Wh' question to get the underlined part as an answer.] - I was an experienced hand.
[Underline the determiners from the given sentence.]
A5. Why do you think Hari Singh gave his most appealing smile? (2)
Why did Hari Singh smile in his most appealing way towards the end of the story?
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'.
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.
