NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 2 The Thief Story (Footprint without Feet)

Read And Find Out

1. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?

Ans: In the story ‘I’ refers to Hari Singh, the thief.

2. What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?

Ans: He was skilled at robbing people.

3. What does he get from Anil in return for his work?

Ans: Hari set Anil as his next target since he looked calm and innocent enough to be fooled. He offered to work for him, but Anil told him that he did not have enough to pay him, instead he would feed him and take care of him. While living with him he also taught him how to cook, write his name, basic mathematics etc. Since Anil did not pay him, he made a profit of a rupee when he went out to buy supplies for Anil.

4. How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?

Ans: The thief over the period of stay with Anil grew closer. He knew that Anil trusted him and when he would discover that he was robbed he would be sad, not because he lost money but because he got betrayed by someone he trusted.

5. What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?

Ans: The speaker was only fifteen when he met Anil, but he had done a fair share of robberies by then. He observed everyone’s reaction after they were robbed. The rich were angry, greedy showed fear while the poor accepted the loss as fate.

6. Does Anil realize that he has been robbed?

Ans: Yes, Anil did realize that he was robbed by Hari. Since it was a rainy day, the money he kept under was wet. He felt that Hari would have probably run away with the money but out of guilt kept it back. He was happy that he realized his mistake and did not say anything to him.

Think About It

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?

Ans: Hari’s view on education and the proposal to receive one did change over time. Initially, he wanted to learn because he felt that being educated would make him more cunning and it would be easier to rob and cheat. But over time his views did change. He was keener to learn so that he could earn better, in a legal way. He will not have to run repeatedly just to protect himself. It was Anil’s calm and considerate nature that influenced him and made him change for good. Hari returned to Anil because he was struck by guilt that he cheated the person who trusted him genuinely. He could steal from anyone without feeling guilty but cheating him struck his conscience.

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?

Ans: Anil realized that it was Hari who stole money from him. But he did not hand him over to the police because he trusted and genuinely cared for him. He kept the money back at the place he kept out of sheer guilt and Anil appreciated that fact about him. I do not think in today’s world anyone would have done that. People would have handed him over to the police since he was a thief and trusting him would be useless and he could possibly steal from the home again.

Talk About It

1. Do you think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?

Ans: No, I do not think such characters are only a part of fiction. There are young children who resort to theft for their survival since they are supported by none. People struggle with money and not having a regular source of income for emerging writers is a common scene. Though it is not a frequent chance that one might encounter someone as kind as Anil who will not hand over the child he recently met and tried to steal the only amount he had for his survival. He was a caring and considerate person and acted maturely. His kind nature changed Hari for good.

2. Do you think it is a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this explain his behaviour in any way?

Ans: Anil was about 25 when the speaker approached him. He looked kind, simple and an easy-going individual. During the speaker's friendship with him, he got to know that he was a struggling writer and had an irregular income. He was a man who went with the flow and enjoyed life. He ate out with friends and was an honest individual too. When the speaker offered to work, he told him beforehand that he would not be able to pay him. He sometimes received enough to survive while the rest of the time he stayed concerned about the next payment.

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?

Ans: No, I have not come across someone like Hari Singh. With the increase in capitalism and the poor not being able to survive by just daily wages people resort to theft for their survival. Though it is illegal to rob someone, poor kids like Hari, who do not have anyone to depend upon for survival, find stealing the easiest way to live and fill their stomachs. They do not do it out of sheer desire or interest but as a compulsion of the conditions, they are in. They should not be encouraged to resort to this for their entire life and provided work so that they could feed themselves.

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?

Ans: It appears that the story is set in Uttar Pradesh since there is mention of stalls and sweet shop bazaars. Hari also mentions boarding a train from the nearby railway station and then getting down at Lucknow station. These all things indicate that it might be a small town in Uttar Pradesh. No, I do not think the characters spoke in English. Hindi is the language spoken by masses in Uttar Pradesh and hence I think they would have conversed in Hindi rather than English.

Benefits of NCERT Solutions Class 10 Chapter 2 Question Answer PDF

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Conclusion

The NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 2, "The Thief's Story" from "Footprints without Feet," provide detailed explanations to help students understand the narrative. This chapter by Ruskin Bond focuses on Hari Singh, a young thief, and his transformative encounter with Anil, who teaches him the value of trust and honesty.

Vedantu’s solutions thoroughly cover character development and key themes, aiding students in grasping the moral lessons of the story. These solutions enhance comprehension, analytical skills, and exam preparation, making them an invaluable resource for mastering the chapter.

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