Question 1

Do you think Raju is a good thief?

Yes. Although Raju is a pickpocket, he feels guilty after stealing the purse from the Green
Blazer. He cannot bear to imagine the child’s disappointment. Therefore, he decides to put
back the purse with the balloon into the pocket. It shows that Raju has a conscience even
though he is a pickpocket, which may also surprise some readers that a thief could have a
conscience.

Question 2
Give a critical analysis of the following short story elements:

(a) Theme

Guilty/Conscience
 The story tells us that each of us has an underlying conscience regardless of whether we
are good or bad. Raju feels guilty after stealing the purse despite his occupation as a
pickpocket.

Appearance
 People usually judge others based on their appearance. Raju devotes all his time to the
man wearing the green blazer as he perceives the man is rich and worthy of being
robbed.

Identity
 We don't truly know the people who sleep in our beds, who raised us, whose shoulders
we've cried on, who we love. Raju’s wife does not know that he is a pickpocket. Raju’s
wife doesn’t really know who her husband is. She never asks him about how he receives
his money.

Characterization

Protagonist: Raju
 Sympathy - Flashbacks the motherless child might be left disappointed when did not get
the balloon from the Green Blazer

 Compassion - Raju shows compassion for others when he said "There was a blind fellow
yelling his life out at the entrance to the fair and nobody seemed to care. People seemed
to have lost all sense of sympathy these days."

 Caring - "He bought sweets, books... for his children and occasionally a jacket-piece for
his wife too."

Antagonist: The Green Blazer

 Stingy person - likes to bargain the prices with the market seller.

 Credence person.- delivers his promise to buy the balloon for those motherless children
(c) Setting
 Crowded marketplace in Malgudi, India
 Hot, sunny, noisy and crowded marketplace

(d) Plot
Exposition
 When the exposition shows the villagers wearing style, lifestyle and also the city
situation.

Rising action
 When Raju decides to follow the Green Blazer and get what he wants.

Climax
 When he decides to put back the purse to the Green Blazer

Falling action
 When Raju is caught after making an attempt to put back the purse unsuccessfully

Resolution
 When Raju swears that he will never ever return anything he has stolen

(e) Conflict
Human Versus Human
 The Green Blazer wears the prominent outfit, which makes Raju targeted him as the next
victim for stealing the purse

 Raju was caught red-handed when trying to put back the empty purse to the Green
Blazer’s pocket.

 The conflict between Raju and the Green Blazer eventually led to Raju’s jailing for 18
months in the prison.

Human Versus Self

 Raju struggles about whether to put back the purse to the Green Blazer’s pocket after
stealing the purse successfully.