Footprints Without Feet

Chapter – 1 A Triumph Of Surgery

Theme :-
This story is about a dog named Tricki. The theme of the story is about the
blind love for the one whom we love the most. Mrs. Pumphrey had no idea
that her blind and extreme love for her dog Tricki took him to trouble.
Excessive love made Tricki sick and became a reason for his illness. It can be
concluded after reading the story that excessive love can take the form of
extreme consequences.

Tone :-

Mrs. Pumphrey :- Mrs. Pumphrey, a middle-aged woman, was quite rich

and resourceful with many servants and maids. She treats all her visitors with
warmth and generosity. She had a strong emotional bond with her little pet dog,
Tricki. She was very concerned about Tricki’s miserable condition. She pampered
the dog by giving him chocolates, cakes, juice, eggs and wine. Mrs. Pumphrey
overindulged to the point of disregarding Dr. Herriot’s advice to give him
exercise. When Tricki’s health deteriorated and was taken to the hospital for
treatment, she was very upset. She was silly but tender-hearted. She was happy
when her pet dog became alright. She was grateful to Dr. Herriot for making
Tricki healthy.

Tricki :- Tricki is a lovable and mischievous Pekingese dog who is the dog with
long hair and a squashed face. He has a fluffy and soft coat of fur, which requires
constant grooming. He is a little overweight, which makes it difficult for him to
move around. He loves to be pampered and taken care of by Mrs. Pumphrey.
He has a playful and mischievous nature, which often gets him into trouble. He
is very demanding and likes to have things his way, but he is also very sensitive
and gets upset easily. He is extremely loyal to his owner and loves to be around
people.
Dr. Herriot :- Dr. Herriot is a committed veterinarian who has compassion
and dedication for his profession. He is dedicated to his work and always willing
to make an extra effort for his patients. He is a very competent and
knowledgeable veterinarian with a deep understanding of animal behaviour,
and he can handle even the difficult cases. He sincerely cares about animals’
wellbeing and goes out of way to make sure they get the best treatment. James
Herriot has a terrific sense of humour and a contagious personality in addition
to his professional skills. He has a way of making people feel at ease, and he is
always willing to listen to his customers.

Chapter – 2 The Thief’s Story

Theme :-
Ruskin Bond’s ‘The Thief’s Story’ is more than a thief’s story. The story deals with
basic human values and relationships. It is easier for a thief to rob a greedy man.
It is difficult even for a thief to rob a careless and honest person. Hari Singh did
steal Anil’s money but he could not run away with it. He had no friends because
he regarded them to be trouble than help. The only person he really knew was
the man he had robbed. Moreover, Anil was ready to educate Hari Singh. The
thief’s conscience pricked him. He came back to Anil and crept to his bed. He
slipped the money under the mattress from where he had stolen it a few hours
ago.

Tone :-

Anil :- Anil is a kind, simple and easy-going young man. He is tall and lean
stature and has interest in sports like wrestling. He is not very rich and cannot
offer to employ Had as a cook. He has the patience and goodness to not only
teach Had to cook but also to read, write and add numbers. Though he knows
about Hari’s stealing of little bits of money from the groceries, he ignores this
fact.
Anil is a writer who writes for magazines and makes money in fits and starts.
He is a very trusting person. Even when he earns a large amount of money, he
keeps the money under his mattress and not in a safe box.
Hari Singh :- Hari Singh is a small-time thief. His real name is not Hari
Singh, he keeps on changing names to escape from police. His Modus operandi
is that he earns the trust of people and then robs them and flees. When he
sees Anil, he thinks of robbing him and hence approaches him and asks for
work. Anil, being a simple person lets his work and even starts teaching him
how to cook. Had Singh is delighted when Anil starts teaching him to write as
he plans to rob on a larger scale. Had steals a little money daily when he goes
to buy the daily groceries, and one day when he gets a chance he steals money
from Anil and runs away. But at the station, he has a change of heart and
comes back. He is now happy and contented to live with Anil.

Chapter – 3 The Midnight Visitor

Theme :-
The story, The Midnight Visitor, is based on the theme that wisdom is more
powerful than other weapons. The central idea is Ausable’s intelligence helped
him create the story about a nonexistent balcony and the police. This allowed
him to get rid of his rival, who put him at gunpoint. His rival jumped off the
window and passed away.

Tone :-

Ausable :- Ausable is a different kind of secret agent. He is a complex

character who is difficult to understand. He is secretive and does not reveal
much about his past or his intentions. He has a reputation in the town for being
a recluse, which adds to his air of mystery. Physically, he may be fat but mentally
he is very agile and quick-witted. He knows all the tricks of his trade. He is very
quick to react and can cook up stories that may fit in all kinds of situations. He
had a very important paper and when Max had come to him to pinch that paper.
He fabricated a story about the balcony and the police to befool Max. The story
was so convincing that Max jumped down the window. In this way, he gets rid
of his rival and enemy Max.
Max :- Max is a secret agent and Ausable’s opponent. He is thin and not very
tall. He looks cunning, and crafty and has sharp features similar to those of a fox.
He was not a dangerous man but he had a pistol. He had come stealthily into
Ausable’s room and wanted the report on the missiles. Due to his foolishness,
he fails miserably in his mission and meets his end. Max was also slightly gullible;
he easily fell into the trap set by Ausable. He just blindly believed Ausable and
failed miserably in his mission.

Fowler :- Fowler is a very young writer who writes books related to the
romantic aspect of life. Shifting from this genre, he wants to write a book on
detectives. Fowler forms a very romantic and grand picture of a secret agent in
his mind – mysterious figures in the night, the crack of pistols, drugs in wine.
According to his imagination, the detective would be young with attractive
personality who gets messages slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties. He
assumed a detective to be surrounded by equipment related to the field. He
experienced his first authentic thrill of the day when he saw an unknown man in
Ausable’s room pointing a small automatic pistol towards them.

Chapter – 4 A Question Of Trust

Theme :-
‘The central idea is that cheats also expect honesty in their profession. On the
same mission to rob a home safe, two experienced thieves and burglars come
face to face. They both went to great lengths to ensure that the theft would go
off without a hitch.

Tone :-

Horace Danby :- Horace Danby was about fifty years old and unmarried.
Everyone thought him a good and honest citizen. He was otherwise very well
and happy except for attacks of hay fever in summer. He made locks and was
successful at his business. Horace Danby was good and respectable but not
completely honest. He used to rob a safe every year. He used to do so because
he needed money to buy books. He had a passion for buying rare and costly
books. He would rob only the rich person. He never hurt anyone and carried no
weapon with him. He was not very aggressive and did not want to go to prison.

A Lady In Red :- The lady in red is gifted with a rare personality. She is full
of confidence. She acts like a perfect actress presenting herself as the lady of the
house. Even the dog was rubbing against her in a friendly manner. In a very
subtle way, she told Horace that she wanted to wear the jewels in the safe to a
party that night. She made him open the safe without gloves. Horace willingly
hands over the jewels and she decamps with them.

Chapter – 5 Footprints Without Feet

Theme :-

The story “Footprints without Feet” has as its central theme the caution
against misusing science and its tremendous discoveries, as doing so can
transform even the most brilliant scientist into a dangerous outlaw. Griffin, a
scientist in the tale, misuses his important discovery and endangers society.

Tone :-

Griffin :- Griffin was an extraordinary and brilliant scientist. He discovered

that the human body could become invisible and transparent as a sheet of
glass. It was the result of his long and constant experimentation. However, he
misused his discovery only for his personal gains, committing theft and
burglaries and beating and robbing innocent persons. He could have earned
fame and respect had he utilized his great discovery for the welfare of
humanity. But his activities made him a lawless and an anarchist.

His invisibility was possible only when he didn’t wear any clothes. If dressed
up, he could lose his invisibility. He had to remain without clothes even in the
chilly weather, of midwinter to remain invisible. He had to make illegal entries
and burglaries in a clergyman s house, a big sate store in London and a shop in
Drury Lane. This brought him to disrepute and dishonor instead of fame and
respect.

Mrs. Hall :- The landlord’s wife at the local inn in Iping. She was more than
happy to receive a guest in the lean season. Mrs. Hall was convinced that her
strange guest was an eccentric scientist. She excused his strange habits and
irritable behaviour because he had paid her in advance. When she noticed the
strange behaviour of her furniture in her guest room. She was convinced that
the room was haunted by spirits. She dared to question even the eccentric
scientist, Griffin. She also asked how he entered a locked room.

Jaffers :- He is the village constable. He is a very determined person. He is

called to the inn when the stranger unveils himself and creates chaos. He was
quite surprised to find that he had to arrest a man without a head. But Jaffers
could not be easily prevented from doing his duty. The constable tried to catch
hold of a person whom he could not see at all. In the end, Jaffers made the last
attempt to hold on to the unseen scientist, Griffin. Jaffers was knocked down
unconscious.

Chapter – 6 The Making Of a Scientist

Theme :-

You are motivated to pursue your dreams by this chapter. Ebright had a strong
sense of curiosity as a child, which ultimately inspired him to pursue a career in
science. The path Ebright took to become a renowned scientist leaves a lasting
impression on us.

Tone :-

Richard Ebright :- Richard Ebright had a multifaceted, versatile

personality. He was a man of science, but he also had a knack for sports and
other extracurricular activities. Ebright showed a keen interest in science from
a young age, especially in the area of molecular biology. In grade eight, he
conducted an experiment to identify the virus that caused the deaths of
monarch butterflies. Ebright persisted in wanting to become a scientist despite
encountering many obstacles and disappointments. He put in a lot of effort to
overcome challenges, whether it was finding financing for his study or
surviving the competitive educational environment. He was a dedicated
researcher who used molecular biology to shed light on the secrets of the
natural world. He developed his theory of living cells while he was just twenty-
four years old.

Richard Ebright’s Mother :- Richard Ebright’s Mother was a dedicated,

encouraging, and supporting person. She is a single mother who raised Richard
by herself after losing her husband when he was just nine years old. Despite
the difficulties of being a single parent, she always placed a high priority on his
intellectual and educational advancement. She recognized his love for science
and went out of her way to provide him with the resources and opportunities
to pursue his interests. She frequently accompanied him to the library and
even bought for him equipment including a telescope, a microscope, cameras,
mounting materials, etc. that would be helpful in many ways. She encouraged
Richard to set high standards for himself and instilled in him the value of hard
work and perseverance. She had a significant role in making Richard what he
was.

Dr. Urquhart :- Dr. Urquhart is a brilliant scientist with a sharp mind and a
passion for his work. He has a strict teaching method and demands the best
performance from his students. He is also known for being a strict and
demanding teacher who does not put up with any kind of disinterest or lack of
effort on the part of his students. He is a great mentor as well, offering advice
and assistance to his students inside and outside of the classroom. Despite his
frightening exterior, Dr. Urquhart is genuinely devoted to his students’ success
and is willing to go to great measures to support them. Early on, he recognizes
Richard’s potential and adopts him, encouraging him to follow his passion for
science.
Mr. Weiherer :- It is said that Mr. Weiherer is a passionate and committed
educator who genuinely cares about his students’ success. His passion for
science inspires his students to passionately explore their scientific interests.
He is an unconventional educator who disapproves of repetition and rote
learning. To make learning interesting and enjoyable, he frequently
incorporates experiments and real-world examples into the classroom. Instead,
he places a strong emphasis on comprehending the underlying concepts and
ideas. His approachable nature and friendly demeanor make it simple for
students to come to him with questions and concerns. He had a significant
influence on Richard Ebright. He appreciates Richard’s extraordinary ability and
gives him the tools and resources he needs to succeed.

James :- James R. Wong was Ebright’s college room-mate. Being a

companion to him, he helped him in drawing pictures, making models,
constructing plastic models of molecules and devices. He worked day and night
and has been very helpful to Ebright throughout his research career.

Chapter – 7 Necklace

Theme :-

Greed: This short story has the theme of not being greedy in life as Mathilde
has been. Mathilde's greed for a better life leads her husband to get a ticket
for an even where Mathilde purchases a dress they cannot afford and borrows
a necklace she believes to be worth thousands.

Tone :- pessimistic, ironic, tense

Matilda :- Matilda is a pretty, young lady. She wanted to lead a rich and
luxurious life. But she was born into a humble family and had to marry an
ordinary man. She felt sad about her petty economic and social status. When
Matilda got an invitation to a ball, she wanted to pretend as a rich woman. She
gave in to vanity. She disregarded the advice of her good husband. She is a
woman who sought the praise and admiration of others. She feels very happy
when men appreciated her beauty and grace at the dance ball. Matilda is a
woman lacking wisdom and prudence. Just to show off a day at the ball, she
loses her borrowed necklace. This leads to enormous suffering for her and her
husband for several years. She does not understand the importance of living
within one’s means.

Mr. Loisel :- Mr. Loisel is a simple man working as a clerk. He loves his wife
and does everything to make her happy. He gets an invitation to a ball with his
wife. When his wife wants a costly necklace, he suggests she should borrow a
necklace from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. When Matilda loses her
necklace, he uses his hard-earned savings to buy a new necklace. He starts
working very hard to repay the debt they had incurred. Mr. Loisel is ready to
make an enormous sacrifice to maintain his family. He is a man who believes in
living a life within one’s means. Unfortunately, because he is lenient towards
his wife, he must undergo much suffering.

Madame Forestier :- Mathilde’s wealthy friend. Madame Forestier treats

Mathilde kindly, but Mathilde is bitterly jealous of Madame Forestier’s wealth,
and the kindness pains her. Madame Forestier lends Mathilde the necklace for
the party and does not inspect it when Mathilde returns it. She is horrified to
realize that Mathilde has wasted her life trying to pay for a replacement
necklace, when the original necklace had been worth nothing.

Chapter – 8 The Hack Driver

Theme :-

The plot centers on an innocent attorney and a crafty manipulator who also
happens to be a crucial witness. Its central message is that one should not rely
solely on appearances because they are frequently deceptive.
Oliver Lutkins was served with a summons at New Mullion by a junior law firm
clerk. At the train station, he ran into a hack driver by the name of Bill, who
offered to assist him in his search for Lutkins. He persuaded the attorney to hire
him. In addition, he takes the attorney to Fritz, Gustaf’s, and other places. Even
Oliver’s mother, who had threatened to hit them, is brought along. He came
back disheartened. Later, the attorney learned that Bill was actually Lutkins and
felt humiliated.

Tone :-

Oliver Lutkins :- Oliver Lutkins is a crook who lives in the country town of
New Mullion. Though he lives in a small town, he easily cheats the lawyer who
comes to serve a summons on him. He pretends to be Bill Magnuson, the hack
driver and manages to cheat the narrator of his money. He manages to convey
the lawyer that it is very difficult to trace Lutkins. He takes the lawyer to many
shops but does not allow the lawyer to directly talk with the people. Over a few
hours, Bill takes the narrator all over the town where they keep missing Lutkins
by small periods of time. He is also a friendly person. When the lawyer comes
to New Multi on a second time, Lutkins invites the lawyer for a cup of coffee in
his friend’s house. Bill painted Lutkins as a dishonest person. He owed money
to a lot of people. He had a talent for dishonesty. Though he lived in a rural
town, he managed to trick and mislead a lawyer belonging to the city.

Oliver Lutkins’s Mother :- The hack driver told the narrator that
Lutkins’ mother was a terror. He told him that she was about nine feet tall and
four feet thick. He told him that once he had taken a trunk for her at her
farmhouse. She almost had taken his skin off because he had not treated the
trunk like a box of eggs. He said to him that she was as quick as a cat. If she had
heard from anywhere that someone had been looking for her son, she would
have been more dangerous. He made the narrator more frightened to tell that
facing such a dangerous lady would be very risky.

Narrator :- The narrator is a lawyer who hates city life. He thinks of pursuing
a career in a small town. He goes to New Mullion to serve a summons on Oliver
Lutkins. We find him gullible, and he is easily misled by Lutkins himself, who
poses as the hack driver, Bill. Bill takes money from the lawyer and gives
misleading information about Lutkins. He visits several places in New Mullion
with Bill but is not able to meet Lutkins. Since he visited new Mullion for an
important matter, he failed to be careful in carrying out his job. The narrator
appears to be a novice and not a seasoned legal mind. He had a romantic view
of country (rural) life but was easily conned by crooks in New Mullion.
 Chapter – 9 Bholi

Theme :-

The effect of family on children is the main theme of the story Bholi. Bholi is a
little child who lacks self-confidence as a result of her parents’ treatment of
her. The narrative makes hints as to why emotional stability and family support
are crucial for a child’s healthy development. Children with disabilities must
also receive the same encouragement, love, and education.

Tone :-

Bholi :- Bholi (Sulekha) was the fourth and the youngest child of Ramlal. She
was given the name Bholi since everyone thought she was a simpleton. She
was an introverted, under confident, and neglected little girl. She also
cherished Lakshmi, her beloved cow. She suffered from small pox as a child,
which left marks on her face, and she had a head injury that caused her to
respond slowly than a typical kid of her age. She took a very long time to learn
how to talk, and even once she could, she stumbled. She was mocked and
imitated by other kids. She continued to be illiterate and was despised by her
family and the other locals. She was reluctant to attend school because of her
condition. But after receiving education and support from her teacher, she
developed into a self-assured, articulate, and charitable young woman. When
Bholi found out that her father had given the groom a hefty dowry on the day
of her wedding, she openly refused to wed him and stood up for herself.

Ramlal :- Ramlal is a man of middle age. He was the village numberdar. He

has seven children – three sons and four daughters, Bholi being the youngest of
them. He was a stern, narrow-minded, diligent worker, and well-respected
member of his community. Ramlal observed gender inequality by sending only
boys to the city for higher education excluding the girls. He thought they
should get married. He was very worried about Bholi because of her ugly looks
lack of intelligence. The only reason he sent Bholi to school was due to
pressure from the tehsildar.

Bholi’s Mother :- Bholi’s mother was an orthodox village woman. She

never cared for Bholi, neither when she was a child nor when she was young.
She thought as most people do when they say that girls shouldn’t go to school.
She objected to enrolling her daughters in school. She believes that their
marriage prospects will be negatively impacted by their education. Neither
when she was a youngster nor when she was young, she didn’t worry about
Bholi. She believed Bholi to be a simpleton and she had no chance of getting
married. She was unconcerned about whether Bholi’s husband was fit for her.
She pays no attention to whether Bholi’s groom is a greedy or an aged person.

Bishamber Nath :- Bishamber was a middle age man. He was almost

Bholi’s father’s age. He walked with a limp. He had adult children from his first
marriage. He had a big house, a shop, and lots of money in the bank. When
Bishamber Nath discovered that the bride had pock marks on her face, he
revealed his actual self. He shamelessly asked 5,000 rupees as dowry to wed
Bholi. Ramlal, the father of Bholi, pleaded with him and even laid his turban at
his feet, but Bishamber insisted on his position. Ramlal finally entered and
exited with 5000 and deposited the cash at Bishamber’s feet. Bholi, however,
declined to wed such a cruel and avaricious man.

Bholi’s Teacher :- Bholi’s teacher is a kind-hearted and encouraging

teacher. She gave Bholi a lot of support and helped her get over her restrictions
and communication impairment. She taught her how to communicate without
pausing and encouraged her to believe in herself. She showed her that if she
could get above her imperfections, people would stop making fun of her.
Bholi’s teacher motivated and inspired her, instilling in her the virtues of
courage, boldness, and self-assurance. She had a kind, caring, and
compassionate instructor who had a significant impact on her life. Bholi’s
teacher’s efforts raised her student’s morale and sense of self-worth.

Chapter – 10 The Book That Saved The Earth

Theme :-

The play ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’ is based on the theme that half-fed
knowledge is always dangerous. It also tells how an old book of rhymes
‘Mother Goose’ saved the world from Martian invasion. The play is set in the
25th century. But Historian turns on the hysteroscope and brings us back to
the twentieth century, five centuries back. The play begins with great and
mighty Think-Tank with the people of Marks Central Control.
Tone :-

Historian :- He wears a protracted gown embellished with stars and

circles. He considers himself to be the foremost powerful and intelligent
creature within the whole universe. He likes to be praised owing to his
intelligence and authority. As he's from Mars, he considers books as
communication sandwiches

Think Tank :- Think-Tank was the ruler of Mars. He was believed to be the
most powerful and intelligent creature in the play. In fact, he was considered
the wisest creature in the universe. He was the commander in chief of Mars
space control.

Think Tank is a living human being from mars whose head is huge and egg
shaped. He is of the opinion that he is the most powerful and intelligent
creature in the whole universe. So far as his robes are concerned he wears a
long robe decorated with stars and circles. He thinks himself to be the ruler of
Mars and commands the Mars space control. He owns a crew that has Omega
as the captain of the crew lieutenant Iota and sergeant Oops and Apprentice
Noodle. He considers books as communication sandwiches because he is from
Mars. He is superior in his intelligence and authority so he wants to be
appreciated. He boasts of his intelligence and power but decides to evacuate
his planet and escape as soon as he gets to know that people from Earth had
planned to take control of Mars. He smacks his mirror as it delays in praising
him. Thus, he is an interesting character in the story.

Noodle :- Noodle was one of Think-Tank’s brilliant servants. He was quite

intelligent and knew how to manage Think-Tank. He tried not to offend Think-
Tank.
Noodles is the apprentice of Think-Tank. Though he is the one to make the
right decisions, he makes sure that his boss gets all the praise. This shows his
modesty and humility. He is good at handling tasks by himself. He is wise and
uses logical reasoning, which is evident in the way he recognizes that the books
are some means of communication.
He has an act to tackle and flatter his boss. Whenever he had to correct him,
he would present his thought as being of no particular importance. He rectifies
his mistakes in a humble manner. He a polite member of Think-Tank’s crew
and cooperates with the other members and effectively carries out the order
of the commander. He is a practical man in real.

Omega :- Captain Omega thinks of himself as the ruler of Mars and

commands the Mars area. Also, he is leader of a crew that has Captain Omega,
Lieutenant lota, Sergeant Oops and Apprentice Noodle. He likes to be praised
owing to his intelligence and authority. As he is from Mars, he considers books
as communication sandwiches.

Lieutenant lota :- Lieutenant Iota is a member of the Zogonian army who

is sent to Earth along with Oop to retrieve the book that contains information
to save their planet. He is a tall, muscular alien with a stern expression.
Lieutenant Iota is a no-nonsense and serious character. He is completely
focused on the mission and sees the human characters as obstacles to
overcome rather than potential allies. He has a short temper and is quick to
resort to violence when provoked. Despite his intimidating demeanor,
Lieutenant Iota is shown to be a skilled fighter and strategist. He leads the
attack on the human base where the book is being kept, and his military
training and tactics help him to overcome the humans’ defenses.

Oop :- Sergeant Oop is a small, green alien from the planet Mars who is sent
to Earth to retrieve a book that contains information to save his planet from
destruction. He has a long, pointed nose and large, bulbous eyes that protrude
out of his head. He is a dedicated and determined character who takes his
mission seriously. He is the one who brings the book to Zog that contains the
information needed to save their planet from destruction. He is shown to be
intelligent and resourceful, using his knowledge of Earth’s customs and
language to communicate with the human characters. He is polite and friendly
in his interactions with the humans, but also firm and willing to use force to
achieve his goal. Sergeant Oops is willing to go to great lengths to save his
planet and his people.