The Thief's Story


1. 'Who does 'I' refer to in this story?

āĻ•াāĻšিāύীāϟোāϤ 'āĻŽāχ' āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻāϟোā§ąে āĻ•াāĻ• āϏূāϚাāχāĻ›ে?

Answer:- In this story 'I' refers to Hari Singh the narrator of the story.

    āĻ•াāĻšিāύীāϟোāϤ 'āĻŽāχ' āĻļāĻŦ্āĻĻāϟোā§ąে āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻ™āĻ• āϏূāϚাāχāĻ›ে, āϝি āĻāχ āĻ•াāĻšিāύীāϟোā§° āĻŦāĻ•্āϤা āĻšā§Ÿ।


2. What is he "a fairly successful hand" at?

    ( āϏি āĻ•ি āĻ•াāĻŽāϤ āĻĒাāĻ•ৈāϤ āφāĻ›িāϞ?

Answer: He is a fairly successful hand at stealing. He is an experienced thief.

    ( āϏি āϚুā§°ি āϕ⧰্āĻŽāϤ āĻĒাāĻ•ৈāϤ āφāĻ›িāϞ। āϏি āĻāϜāύ āĻ…āĻ­িāϜ্āĻž āϚুā§° āφāĻ›িāϞ।)


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

    ( āϏি āύিāϜ⧰ āϕ⧰্āĻŽā§° āĻŦিāύিāĻŽā§ŸāϤ āĻ…āύিāϞ⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻ•ি āĻĒাāχāĻ›িāϞ?)

Answer: He gets from Anil, food and a place to live in return for his work.

    ( āϏি āĻ–াāĻĻ্āϝ āφ⧰ু āĻĨাāĻ•িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻ াāχ āĻĒাāχāĻ›িāϞ āĻ…āύিāϞ⧰ āĻĒā§°া āύিāϜ⧰ āϕ⧰্āĻŽā§° āĻŦিāύিāĻŽā§ŸāϤ। )


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

    ( āϚুā§°āϟোā§ąে āĻ…āύিāϞে āϚুā§°ি āĻ•াā§°্āϝ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻ•েāύেāĻ•ৈ āφāϚ⧰āĻŖ āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āĻŦুāϞি āĻ­āĻŦিāĻ›িāϞ? )

Answer: Hari Singh, the theif think that Anil would be sad not because of the loss of money but because of the loss of trust he had in Hari.

    ( āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻ™, āύাāĻŽā§° āϚুā§°āϟোā§ąে āĻ­āĻŦিāĻ›িāϞ āϝে, āφāύিāϞে āĻĻূāĻ– āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āĻ­āĻ™াā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে, āϤেāĻ–েāϤে āĻĒāχāϚা āϚুā§° āĻšোā§ąাā§° āĻ•āĻĨাāϤ āĻŽāύ āĻŦে⧟া āϕ⧰া āύাāĻ›িāϞ। )


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

    ( āϏি āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āϚুā§°ি āĻšোā§ąাā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤ āĻ•েāύে āϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āĻ…āĻ­িāĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āĻĒ্ā§°āĻ•াāĻļ āϕ⧰ে āĻŦুāϞি āĻ•ৈāĻ›িāϞ? )

Answer: Haris experience at theft had made him aware of difference in reactions of people when they are robbed. According to him, a greedy man shows fear, the rich shows anger and a poor man shows acceptance.

    āĻšā§°ি⧟ে āϚুā§° āϕ⧰ি āϞাāĻ­ āϕ⧰া āĻ…āĻ­িāϜ্āĻžāϤাā§° āĻĒā§°া āĻŦিāĻļেāώ āĻ­াā§ąে āϏāϤ⧰্āĻ• āĻšৈ āĻĒā§°িāĻ›িāϞ āϝে āϏি āϚুā§° āϕ⧰াā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤ āĻ—ৃāĻšāϏ্āĻĨā§° āĻ…āĻ­িāĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āĻŦেāϞেāĻ— āϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āĻšā§Ÿ। āϤেāĻ“ঁ āĻŽāϤে, āϞুāĻ­ী⧟া āĻŽাāύে āϭ⧟ āĻ–াāχ, āϧāύী āĻŽাāύুāĻšā§° āĻ–āĻ™ āωāĻ ে āφ⧰ু āĻĻুāĻ–ী⧟া āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āĻ—্ā§°āĻšāĻŖ āϕ⧰ে।

 

6. Does Anle realise that he has been robbed? 

    ( āĻ…āύিāϞে āĻĄāĻ•াāχāϤি āĻšোā§ąাā§° āĻ•āĻĨা āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ āύে? )

Answer: Yes, Anil realises that he had been robbed, as he gave a fifty rupee note  to Hari which was damp due to the nights rain.

    ( āĻšā§Ÿ, āĻ…āύিāϞে āϚুā§° āĻšোā§ąা āĻ•āĻĨা āĻ—'āĻŽ āĻĒাāχāĻ›িāϞ āĻ•ি⧟āύো āϏি ā§°াāϤিāĻĒুā§ąা āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻ™āĻ• āĻĒঁāϚিāĻļ āϟāĻ•া āĻĻিāĻ“āϤে ā§°াāϤি āĻŦā§°āώুāĻŖāϤ āĻ­িāϜি āĻĒāχāϚাāϟো āϤিāϤি āφāĻ›িāϞ। )


7. What are Hari Sing's reactions at the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change overtime? 

    ( āĻļিāĻ•্āώা āϞাāĻ­ā§° āϏুāϝোāĻ— āĻĒোā§ąাā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤ āĻšā§°ি āϏিāϙ⧰ āĻ…āĻ­িāĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āĻ•েāύেāϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āφāĻ›িāϞ? āϏāĻŽā§Ÿā§° āϞāĻ—āϤ āϞেāĻ‡ā§Ÿা āĻĒā§°িā§ąā§°্āϤāύ āĻšৈāĻ›িāϞ āύেāĻ•ি?

Answer: Hari was very happy and grateful when he learned to write his name. He was very excited when Anil promised to teach him to write whole sentences as well. He knows that an education man will add to his abilities and he could achive anything. But when he left Anil house, he realised that stealing was simply a crime to indulge himself but being educated was an entirely different thing. He know the respect, reputation and possibilities that would come to him once he was education. Thus his urge to receive education compelled him to return to Anil.

        āύিāϜ⧰ āύাāĻŽ āϞিāĻ–িāĻŦāϞৈ āĻļিāĻ•াā§° āϏুāϝোāĻ— āĻĒোā§ąাā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤ āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻ™ āϏুāĻ–ী āφ⧰ু āĻ•ৃāϤāϜ্āĻž āĻšৈ āĻĒā§°িāĻ›িāϞ, āϝেāϤি⧟া āĻ…āύিāϞে āĻĒāĻĸ়াāĻŦ āĻŦুāϞি āϤাāĻ• āĻĒ্ā§°āϤিāĻļ্ā§°ুāϤি āĻĻিāĻ›িāϞ āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻ™ āφāύāύ্āĻĻāϤ āĻŽāϤāϞী⧟া āĻšৈ āĻĒā§°িāĻ›িāϞ। āϏি āϜāύিāĻ›িāϞ āϝে āĻļিāĻ•্āώাāχ āϤাā§° āĻ•্āώāĻŽāϤা āĻŦৃāĻĻ্āϧি āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āφ⧰ু āϤাāĻ• āφāĻ—ুā§ąাāχ āϞৈ āϝাāĻŦ, āĻ•িāύ্āϤু āϏি āĻ…āύিāϞ⧰ āϘ⧰ āϤ্āϝাāĻ— āϕ⧰াā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ āϝে āϚুā§° āϕ⧰াāϟো āĻāĻ• āĻ…āĻĒā§°াāϧ, āφ⧰ু āĻļিāĻ•্āώিāϤ āĻšোā§ąাāϟো āĻāĻ• āϏāĻŽ্āĻĒূā§°্āĻŖ āĻŦেāϞেāĻ— āĻŦিāώ⧟। āϏি āϜাāύিāĻ›িāϞ āϝে āϏāύ্āĻŽাāύ, āϏāĻŽ্āĻ­াā§ąāύা āĻāχ āϏāĻ•āϞোāĻŦোā§° āĻļিāĻ•্āώা āϞাāĻ­ā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤāĻšে āϏāĻŽ্āĻ­ā§ą। āϏে⧟েāĻšে āĻļিāĻ•্āώা āϞাāĻ­ā§° āĻšাāĻŦি⧟্āϝাāϏ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āϏি āĻ…āύিāϞ⧰ āĻ“āϚ⧰āϞৈ āĻĒুāύ⧰ āωāĻ­āϤি āĻ—ৈāĻ›িāϞ।


8. Why does Anil not 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?

    ( āĻ…āύিāϞে āϚুā§°āϟোāĻ• āĻ•ি⧟ āĻĒুāϞিāϚ⧰ āĻšাāϤāϤ āĻ—āϤাāχ āĻĻি⧟া āύাāĻ›িāϞ? āϤুāĻŽি āĻ•ি āĻ­াāĻŦা āĻŦāĻšু āĻŽাāύুāĻšে āĻāύে āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āĻŦুāϞি āĻ­াāĻŦাāύে? āφāύ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāϤāĻ•ৈ āĻāχ āĻ•্āώেāϤ্ā§°āϤ āĻ…āύিāϞ āĻ•িāĻĻā§°ে āĻĒাā§°্āĻĨāĻ•্āϝ? )

Answer: Unlike others, Anil does not handover Hari to the police on theft charges. Hari knew about the theft but did not thrash him nor even mentioned it in from of Hari. He was glad that Hari had realised his mistakes and the importance of education in life. Anil wanted Hari to become a literate man and lead a respectful life. He is different from other such employes because he is very understanding. Hari's return gave him the hope of a change in him.

    ( āφāύ āĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤিā§° āĻĻā§°ে āĻ…āύিāϞে āĻšā§°িāĻ• āϚুā§°ি āĻ•াā§°্āϝ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻĒুāϞিāϚ⧰ āĻšাāϤāϤ āĻ—āϤাāχ āĻĻি⧟া āύাāĻ›িāϞ। āϏি āϚুā§° āĻšোā§ąা āĻ•āĻĨাāϟো āϜাāύিāĻ›িāϞ āϝāĻĻিāĻ“ āϤাāĻ• āĻ•োāύো āϧ⧰āĻŖā§° āĻ—াāϞি āĻļāĻĒāύি āĻĒā§°া āύাāĻ›িāϞ। āĻšā§°ি⧟ে āύিāϜ⧰ āĻ­ূāϞ āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāϞে āφ⧰ু āĻļিāĻ•্āώাā§° āĻĒ্⧰⧟োāϜāύী⧟āϤা āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰িāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°িāϞে āĻŦাāĻŦে āϤাā§° āĻŽāύāϟো āĻ­াāϞ āϞাāĻ—িāĻ›িāϞ। āĻ…āύিāϞে āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻ™ে āĻļিāĻ•্āώিāϤ āĻšৈ āϏāύ্āĻŽাāύ āĻĒূā§°্āĻŦāĻ• āϜীā§ąāύ āϝাāĻĒāύ āϕ⧰āϟো āĻŦিāϚাā§°িāĻ›িāϞ। āϏি āĻŦাāĻ•ীāĻŦোā§° āĻŽাāϞিāĻ•āϤāĻ•ৈ āĻŦেāϞেāĻ— āφāĻ›িāϞ āĻ•ি⧟āύো āϏি āĻ•āĻĨাāĻŦোā§° āĻŦুāϜি āĻĒাāχāĻ›িāϞ। āĻšā§°ি⧟ে āϘূā§°ি āĻ…āĻšা āĻŦাāĻŦে āϤাā§° āĻŽāύāϤ āĻāϟা āφāĻļা āϜাāĻ—িāϞে āϝে āϏি āϏāϞāύি āĻš'āĻŦ āĻŦুāϞি। )


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

    ( āϤুāĻŽি āĻ­াāĻŦাāύে āϝে āĻ…āύিāϞ āφ⧰ু āĻšā§°ি āϏিāϙ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āĻŽাāύুāĻš āĻ•েā§ąāϞ āĻ—āϞ্āĻĒāϤ āĻĒোā§ąা āϝা⧟, āύে āĻŦাāϏ্āĻ¤ā§ą ā§°ূāĻĒāϤো āϤেāύে āĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āĻĨাāĻ•ে। )

Answer:- People like Anil and Hari Sing are found only in fiction. Though exceptions might be there, these people are rorely found. Anil was kind and considerate person who was concerned, about Hari's education and future. And Hari was a thief Whose heart changes after realising the importance of education for his future. People like these are imaginary in today's world.

    ( āĻ…āύিāϞ āφ⧰ু āĻšā§°ি āϏিāϙ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āĻŽাāύুāĻš āĻŦাāϏ্āĻ¤ā§ąিāĻ•āϤে āĻĒোā§ąা āĻ•āĻ িāύ। āĻ…āύিāϞ āĻāϜāύ āĻŦā§° āĻĻ⧟াāϞু āφ⧰ু āĻŽā§°āĻŽী⧟াāϞ āĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āϝি⧟ে āĻšā§°ি āϏিāϙ⧰ āĻļিāĻ•্āώাā§° āφ⧰ু āĻ­ā§ąিāώ্āϝāϤāĻ• āϞৈ āϚিāύ্āϤা āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ। āĻ‡ā§Ÿাā§° āĻĒā§°িā§ąā§°্āϤে āĻšā§°ি āϏিāĻš āĻāϜāύ āϚুā§° āφāĻ›িāϞ, āϝাā§° āĻŽāύ āĻ¸ā§ąāύি āĻšৈāĻ›িāϞ āύিāϜ āĻ­ā§ąিāώ্āϝāϤ⧰ āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻ—ুā§°ুāϤ্āĻŦāϤা āĻ…āύুāĻ­ā§ą āϕ⧰াā§° āĻĒাāĻ›āϤ। āĻāύেāĻŦোā§° āĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āĻ•াāϞ্āĻĒāύিāĻ• āϚ⧰িāϤ্ā§° āĻŽাāĻĨো। )


10. Do you think it is a significant detail in story that Anil is a struggling writer? This explain his behavior in any way.

    ( āϤোāĻŽাā§° āĻŽāϤে āĻ•াāĻšাāύীāϤো āĻŦā§°্āĻŖāύা āϕ⧰া āĻ•āĻĨাāχ āĻ…āύিāϞে āϝে āĻāϜāύ āĻĒā§°িāĻļ্ā§°āĻŽী āϞিāĻ–āĻ• āϏেāχ āĻ•āĻĨা āĻĒ্ā§°āĻŽাāĻŖ āϕ⧰ে āύে? āĻāĻ‡ā§Ÿাāχ āϤাā§° āϚ⧰িāϤ্ā§° āϤāĻĨা āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āĻĻā§°্āĻļাāχ। )

Answer: Yes, it is a significant detail that Anil is a struggling writer. His lifestyle was simple and he used to spend his money according to his in limit. Sometimes his struggle gave him a lot of income while at times he used to worry about the next payment. Haris observation about the discontinuation in his work justifies his behave regarding money.

    ( āĻšā§Ÿ āĻ…āύিāϞ āĻāϜāύ āĻĒā§°িāĻļ্ā§°āĻŽী āϞিāĻ–āĻ• āφāĻ›িāϞ। āϤাā§° āϜীā§ąāύ āĻļৈāϞী āĻŦā§° āϏাāϧাā§°āĻŖ āφāĻ›িāϞ āφ⧰ু āĻŦā§° āĻ­াāĻŦি āϚিāύ্āϤি āϏি āĻĒāχāϚা āĻ–ā§°āĻ› āϕ⧰িāĻ›িāϞ। āĻ•েāϤি⧟াāĻŦা āύিāϜ⧰ āĻĒā§°িāĻļ্ā§°āĻŽā§° āĻŦিāύিāĻŽā§ŸāϤ āϏি āĻ…āϧিāĻ• āĻĒāχāϚা āĻĒাāχāĻ›িāϞ āφ⧰ু āφāύ āĻ•েāϤি⧟াāĻŦা āφāĻ•ৌ āĻĒā§°ā§ąā§°্āϤী āĻŽাāύāύিā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āϚিāύ্āϤাāϤ āĻĒā§°িāĻŦ āϞāĻ—ী⧟া āĻšৈāĻ›িāϞ। āĻšā§°ি⧟ে āĻĒā§°্āϝāĻŦেāĻ•্āώāĻŖ āϕ⧰িāϞে āĻĒāχāϚাā§° āĻ…āϏুāĻŦিāϧাā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āĻšā§ŸāϤু āϤাā§° āĻĒāχāϚাā§° āĻĒ্ā§°āϤি āĻŦ্āĻ¯ā§ąāĻšাā§° āϤেāύেāϧ⧰āĻŖā§°। )


11. 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?

    ( āϤুāĻŽি āĻšā§°ি āϏিāϙ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āĻŽাāύুāĻš āϞāĻ— āĻĒাāχāĻ›া āύে? āϤুāĻŽি āĻ•āϞ্āĻĒāύা āϕ⧰াāĻ›োāύ āĻ•েāύেāĻ•ুā§ąা āĻĒā§°িāϏ্āĻĨিāϤিāϤ āĻĒā§°ি āĻāϟা āĻĒোāύ্āϧ⧰ āĻŦāϛ⧰ী⧟া āϞ'ā§°া āϚুā§°ি āĻ•াā§°্āϝāϤ āϞিāĻĒ্āϤ āĻš'āĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে? )

Answer: No, I have not met anyone like Hari Singh but the existence of such people is certain. A fifteen year old boy can be forced by circumstances to became a thief. It may be the need to feed the stomach to satisfy illegal addiction etc.

    ( āύাāχ āĻšā§°ি āϏিāϙ⧰ āĻĻā§°ে āĻ•োāύো āĻŽাāύুāĻš āĻŽāχ āϜীā§ąāύāϤ āϞāĻ— āĻĒোā§ąা āύাāχ। āĻ•িāύ্āϤু āĻāύে āĻŦ্āϝāĻ•্āϤি āĻŦাāϏ্āϤāύāϤ āĻĨাāĻ•ে। āĻāϟা āĻĒোāύ্āϧ⧰ āĻŦāϛ⧰ী⧟া āϞ'ā§°া āĻĒā§°িāϏ্āĻĨিāϤি āĻĒā§°ি āϚুā§°ি āĻ•াā§°্āϝāϤ āϞিāĻĒ্āϤ āĻšāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে। āĻ•োāύোā§ąে āĻšā§ŸāϤু āĻĒেāϟ⧰ āϤাāĻĄ়āύাāϤ, āύāϤুāĻŦা āĻ•োāύোā§ąে āĻĒেāϟ⧰ āϤাāĻĄ়āύাāϤ āĻ…āĻĨāĻŦা āύিāϚাāϜাāϤী⧟ āĻĻ্ā§°āĻŦ্āϝ āϏেā§ąāύ āφāĻĻিā§° āĻŦাāĻŦে āϚুā§°ি āĻ•াā§°্āϝāϤ āϞিāĻĒ্āϤ āĻšāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ে। )


12. When is the story set? Which language or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the story spoke to each other in English?

    āĻ•াāĻšিāύীāϟো āĻ•োāύ āĻ াāχ⧰ āĻ“āĻĒā§°āϤ āϏāϜা āĻšৈāĻ›ে? āϏেāχ āĻ াāχāĻ–িāύিāϤ āĻ•ি āĻ­াāώা āĻĒ্⧰⧟োāĻ— āĻšā§Ÿ? āϤুāĻŽি āĻ•ি āĻ­াāĻŦা āϏেāχ āĻ াāχāĻ–িāύিā§° āĻŽাāύুāĻš āχংā§°াāϜী āĻ­াāώাāϤ āĻ•āĻĨা āĻĒাāϤে āύে?

Answer: The story is set somewhere in Uttar Pradesh near Lucknow. We can say so because the story mentions that there is a railway station for Express train to Lucknow. The presence of sweet shops and bazaars also indicate it to be a decent-sized town. No the characters in the story do not speak to each other in English but probably in Idindi.

    ( āĻ•āĻšিāύীāϟো āϞāĻ•্āώ্āύৌā§° āϏāĻŽীāĻĒāϤ āωāϤ্āϤ⧰ āĻĒ্ā§°āĻĻেāĻļā§° āĻāĻ–āύ āĻ াāχ⧰ āĻ“āĻĒā§°āϤ āϏāϜা āĻšৈāĻ›ে। āĻĒাāĻ āϟিāϤ āωāϞ্āϞেāĻ– āĻĨāĻ•া āϞāĻ•্āώ্āύৌāϞৈ āĻĨāĻ•া āϟ্ā§°েāχāύāĻ–āύ⧰ āĻĒā§°া āĻāχ āĻ•āĻĨা āϜাāύিāĻŦ āĻĒাā§°ি। āĻŽিāĻ াāχ⧰ āĻĻোāĻ•াāύ, āĻŦāϜাā§° āφāĻĻিā§° āωāĻĒāϏ্āϤিāϤি⧟ে āĻāĻ–āύ āϏ⧰ু āϏুāύ্āĻĻā§° āϚāĻšā§°ā§° āĻĒā§°িāϚ⧟ āĻĻাāĻ™ি āϧ⧰ে। āύাāχ āϏেāχ āĻ াāχ⧰ āĻŽাāύুāĻšāĻŦোā§°ে āĻšিāύ্āĻĻী āĻ­াāώাāϤāĻšে āĻ•āĻĨা āĻĒাāϤে āχংā§°াāϜীāϤ āύāĻšā§Ÿ।)


Angamita Dutta

MA in English (G.U.)0.