English Language & Literature — CBSE Class 10 board question

In The Thief's Story, Anil's love, trust, and compassion act as a mirror that forces Hari Singh to confront his own conscience and ultimately choose an honest life.

Anil's Trust: Despite knowing Hari lies about cooking, Anil employs him, gives him a room, and even a key to the door. He also overlooks the daily rupee Hari makes on shopping. This unconditional trust makes the theft emotionally difficult: "It's difficult to rob a careless man — sometimes he doesn't even notice he's been robbed."

Anil's Compassion: Anil teaches Hari to cook, write his name, and promises to teach him whole sentences — expecting nothing in return. This kindness plants the seed of transformation.

Hari's Inner Conflict: After stealing ₹600, Hari misses the Lucknow Express because he hesitates. Sitting in the cold rain, he realises that stealing is easy but "to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else." Education offered by Anil promises a better future.

The Return: Hari returns the money silently. Anil's response — paying him a (still-wet) fifty-rupee note and saying "Today we'll start writing sentences" — shows he knew but chose forgiveness over punishment.

Anil's silent compassion transforms Hari from a calculating thief into someone capable of honesty and genuine gratitude.

Source: The Thief's Story, Ruskin Bond — Chapter 2, Footprints Without Feet

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• Examiners look for three elements — trust, compassion, and inner conflict — with textual evidence for each.
• Quote or closely paraphrase the text (e.g., the wet note, the missed train, "whole sentences") to earn full marks.
• End with a concluding line showing transformation — examiners reward clear cause-and-effect reasoning.
• Avoid padding; 5–6 tight points with evidence score better than vague general statements.