The Thief’s Story-CBQA

 

The Thief’s Story

Competency based Questions & Answers

 1. Why did the narrator follow Anil ‘casually’? How does this become an important aspect of his occupation?

The narrator followed Anil “casually” because he did not want to appear desperate or suspicious. As a seasoned thief, he knew how to study a potential target without drawing attention to himself. When he first saw Anil, the narrator immediately recognized him as “a kind, easy-going young man” who could easily be influenced. However, approaching him directly might have scared him off. By following Anil in a relaxed, effortless manner, he hoped to create an impression of coincidence rather than intention.

 The word “casually” also reveals the narrator’s practiced skill. He had followed people many times before, looking for opportunities to befriend them, win their confidence, and eventually rob them. Moreover, he wanted to evaluate Anil’s nature—his habits, his pace, and whether he might respond kindly to a stranger’s company. When Anil finally turned to him with a smile, the narrator felt confident that his strategy had worked. He understood that Anil’s trusting nature made him a perfect target. Thus, his casual following was both calculated and instinctive, a blend of his professional experience and his ability to read people quickly.

 2. What was the thought of Hari Singh behind using appealing smiles frequently on Anil? What does this suggest about his character traits?

The narrator deliberately used “the most appealing smile” on Anil because he understood that Anil responded warmly to friendliness and innocence. Anil was a simple, compassionate man, and the narrator sensed this immediately. A smile, especially one that seemed genuine, had the power to lower Anil’s guard and create a sense of trust. By appearing harmless and cheerful, the narrator hoped to be accepted easily into Anil’s life.

 His smile was also a tool of manipulation. As a thief, he was accustomed to charming people and winning their confidence before taking advantage of them. He admits that he knew “somehow he made a good impression,” and smiling was a part of that strategy. He wanted Anil to feel comfortable, even fond of him, so that he could later exploit that trust.

 At a deeper level, however, the frequent smiling might also reveal the narrator’s boyish desire for approval. Beneath his criminal instincts, he was a young boy longing for care and acceptance. The smile was not only a mask but also a silent request for belonging. Thus, the appealing smile served both as a thief’s tactic and as a child’s attempt to find a place in someone’s life.

 3. How do you think the narrator made a profit of about a rupee a day? How does this symbolize not only his thievery but also his reluctant respect for Anil’s generosity?

The narrator cleverly made “a profit of about a rupee a day” by buying the day’s supplies for Anil at a slightly inflated price and keeping the difference. Anil gave him money to purchase food and groceries, and because Anil never checked the accounts or questioned the cost, the narrator quietly pocketed the extra amount. This small but regular dishonesty became his daily income.

 He admits that Anil trusted him completely and never bothered to verify what he purchased or how much he spent. The narrator exploited this trust for his own survival. However, he also notes that he cooked “terribly” at first, burning the food, which resulted in Anil giving him additional opportunities to handle money and improve his cooking skills.

 The profit he made was small, but he preferred it this way. Drawing too much attention would make Anil suspicious. His years as a thief had taught him that consistent, unnoticed theft was safer than bold stealing. Over time, this routine created a strange balance: he stole from Anil, yet stayed with him, learned from him, and slowly became emotionally attached. This daily rupee symbolizes not only his thievery but also his reluctant respect for Anil’s generosity.

 4. Why do you think the young thief had quite a few scars on his face? What can you assume about his life, upbringing or the challenges he faced in the course of his survival.

The narrator likely had “quite a few scars” on his face because of the rough, unstable life he had lived since childhood. As a boy who had grown up on the streets, shifting from one employer or accomplice to another, he would have been exposed to physical fights, harsh living conditions, and frequent confrontations. Thieving, especially petty street theft, often involves danger—running through narrow lanes, being caught by angry victims, escaping through crowded areas, or fighting other thieves for survival.

 His scars reflect the life of a young boy who had learned to fend for himself with no family, no security, and no guidance. They symbolize not just physical injuries but also emotional wounds—rejection, mistrust, and loneliness. The narrator himself hints at having lived a life full of betrayal when he says, “I had made a study of men’s faces,” indicating that he had spent years analysing people to protect himself. The scars also explain why he found it easy to steal—life had hardened him. They serve as silent evidence of his past struggles and the difficult world he came from, a world where a child learned early that survival often came at the cost of innocence.

 5. Did the thief need to justify the theft to himself, or did it come naturally? Analyse his mood before the theft.

Before stealing Anil’s money, the young thief goes through a deep internal conflict. Stealing generally came “naturally” to him—he admits he was an experienced thief who had robbed even kind-hearted people before. However, this time, the decision was not so effortless. Anil’s simplicity and trust weighed heavily on his conscience. He had never before stolen from someone who treated him with such affection—teaching him to read, helping him write whole sentences, and promising a better future.

 As he watched Anil slip the “crisp notes” under the mattress, the thief tried to justify the theft by reminding himself that he was a thief by profession and that Anil wouldn’t notice the loss. Yet, despite these excuses, he hesitated. His mood was conflicted—he felt excitement at the thought of having so much money but also guilt, fear, and a strange sadness.

 His mind swung between greed and gratitude. He tells us that he felt “as though I had already lost the money” even before he took it, showing his emotional turmoil. Thus, the theft did not come naturally this time. He had to convince himself, battle his conscience, and suppress the affection he had developed for Anil.

 6. Why did the narrator feel that ‘friends were more trouble than help’?

The narrator believed that “friends were more trouble than help” because his experiences in life had taught him that relationships often led to complications. As a runaway child who shifted from one employer to another, he had learned to rely only on himself. People would either exploit him, abandon him, or treat him with suspicion. In such an environment, trust became dangerous.

 He explains that when you have no friends, “you don’t have to tell lies,” nor do you have to deal with emotional entanglements or betrayals. For a thief, forming bonds made the job more difficult—emotionally and practically. His past probably included friendships that brought disappointment or punishment. This trained him to keep an emotional distance from others.

 Moreover, friendship creates responsibility, and he did not want to feel answerable to anyone. He believed that affection weakens one’s resolve, something he experiences with Anil. As he grows fond of Anil, he begins to hesitate in following his old ways. This reinforces his earlier belief that friends complicate life by bringing emotions into decisions that should be simple for a thief. Thus, his belief stemmed from a painful childhood and a survival instinct: trusting no one meant being safe.

 7. At the end of the story, Anil offered Hari Singh money. There was a clear indication that he was aware of what happened the previous night.Why did Anil choose to overlook the theft even though he knew about it?

Anil’s decision to overlook the theft shows his deep understanding of human nature and his compassion for the young boy. When the narrator returned the stolen notes, Anil immediately noticed that they were damp—proof that they had been exposed to rain. Instead of confronting him, Anil chose to silently acknowledge the boy’s return and trust.

 Anil realized that the thief had struggled with his conscience and ultimately chosen honesty over greed. By not mentioning the incident, he offered the boy dignity and a chance to change. Anil understood that rebuking or humiliating him would push him back into a life of crime. Instead, he rewarded him the next morning by giving him fifty rupees and, more importantly, by beginning to teach him full-length sentences. Anil knew that education was the key to transforming the boy’s future. His silence was an act of forgiveness—a gentle way of guiding the boy towards a better life. It showed that Anil valued the boy’s potential more than the stolen money. He believed in reform rather than punishment and sensed that the boy’s return itself was the beginning of change.

 8. Hari Singh attempted to steal money from Anil just the way he did it in the case of his previous employers but this time it was his introspection and moral awakening that prevented him from being what he is. Write a diary entry, as the narrator, on what you experienced and the possible reason for it.

 I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages, but I hesitated — for some reason I can’t explain — and I lost the chance to get away.

 24th August,

10:00 p.m.

 Dear Diary,

Tonight has been the strangest night of my life. I should have escaped easily—I was already on the platform with Anil’s money in my pocket. The train moved slowly enough for me to jump aboard. And yet, when the carriage passed right in front of me, I hesitated. For reasons I cannot explain, my feet simply refused to move. I stood frozen, as though something inside me held me back.

 As the train disappeared, a wave of regret washed over me—not regret for losing the chance to escape with the money, but regret for betraying someone who had shown me genuine kindness. Anil trusted me. He taught me to cook, to read, and even promised to teach me to write whole sentences. I realized that the money in my pocket was nothing compared to what I was losing—a chance at a new life.

 Tonight I understood that trust is rare and precious. I think I returned because, for the first time, I wanted to be worthy of it.

 – Hari Singh

 9. Education can bring a greater reformation in one’s attitude and personality. Evaluate how education impacted the young thief.

Education had a profound impact on the young thief, transforming not just his skills but his outlook towards life. When Anil began teaching him to read and write, the narrator felt a new sense of possibility. He was thrilled by the idea that one day he could become “a clever, respected man.” Learning whole sentences opened his mind to a future beyond thievery. The narrator understood that education could give him “more than a few hundred rupees”—it could give him identity, dignity, and a means of earning an honest livelihood.

This realization created the internal conflict that ultimately stopped him from running away with the stolen money. His hesitation on the platform stemmed from the understanding that education offered him a longer, more meaningful future than stolen wealth ever could. Moreover, education gave him a sense of self-worth. No one had ever invested in him the way Anil did. This emotional connection made him want to change. In the end, the power of learning and the promise of a better life pulled him back to Anil. Thus, education was the turning point in the thief’s journey from crime towards redemption.