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NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 31 The Beggar
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The Beggar
Chapter: 31
SUPPLEMENTARY READER – MOMENTS
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Q. 1. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Ans: Truly speaking Lushkoff took to begging by choice. Olga rightly scolded him for ruining his life with excessive drinking. His addiction to alcohol made him weak and sick. He was unfit for physical labour. Begging appeared to him an easy way to earn enough for his bottle and for food.
Q. 2. What reasons does he give to Sergai for his telling lies?
Ans: Lushkoff accepted before Sergai that he was telling lies. He told that he was neither a school teacher nor a student. Formerly he used to sing in a Russian Choir. He was sent away for drunkenness. He had no alternate but to tell lies. He told that the would not get anything if he had spoken the truth. So he had to tell lies to earn his living.
Q. 3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Ans: No, he is a shirker, an idler, an easy going drunkard. Sergei offers him a job at his own house. The beggar agrees to chop wood not gladly or willingly. He had been trapped by his own words. And even then he sits idle while the cook chops wood for him.
Q. 4. Sergei says, ‘I am happy that my words have taken effect.’ Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Ans: Sergei hires Lushkoff to help in the packing and hauling of the furniture when he shifted to another house. He finds the beggar sober and silent and sad looking. He misunderstands him and pays him a rouble for his pains. The fact is that the beggar did not even touch the furniture.
Q. 5. Lushkoff is earning thirty-five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
Ans: Lushkoff starts earning 35 roubles a month as a notary. Sergei takes credit for the remarkable change in the one-time alcoholic beggar. He is delighted and he thanks Heaven. Lushkoff expresses gratitude to Sergei for the protection and a break in life. He thanks Sergei for pulling him out of a pit.
Q. 6. During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?
Ans: Lushkoff revealed that he would never forget Olga, the noble cook. She was very sorry for him. She scolded him for his sloth and drunkenness. Like a real mother. The shed tears because he had gone astray. He was ruining his life and destined to go hell. In spite of her being harsh, she helped him. She would split the wood for him and gave him the money. Her kindness and noble words had a magical effect on him. Her soberness changed him completely. Thus it was Olga who saved the begger Lushkoff.
Q. 7. How can we help beggars / abolish begging?
Ans: The word ‘begging’ means to spread ones’ hand in the most pitiable way with the keen intention of expecting others to give something from his pocket. There are many needy and troubled people in the world who spread their hands and shed tears in order to win their sympathy. Some resort to begging as a means of earning their livelihood and thereby earn the hard income of others in the most contempted and heinous way. So the ot people consider it as the most hellish kind of thing and hate the beggars.
Begging has become a sin on this earth. We can help abolishing begging in case we use strictness in our thinking not to take pity on any one of the beggars. Side by side those who beg should be engaged in doing different kinds of useful productive work. Those who are crippled or otherwise unable to work and resort to begging should be provided with other arrangements of employment, education and settlements. Instead of adopting harsh measures we should lend them helping hands in their proper adjustment in the society.
The laws are only the tools to setting right. Help of media and other agencies can be sought in this regard. In the real sense we have to change their mental philosophy about begging. If we get success in doing this, begging will automatically go away from this universe. Let us give them sympathy and a way to live a fruitful life not through begging but by providing them requisite help otherwise as well it will uproot the menace of begging.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Answer the questions in about 30-40 words each:
Q. 1. What did the beggar tell Sergei? Why did Sergei threaten to call the police?
Ans: The beggar (Lushkoff) told Sergei when he met him that he was a hungry man. He had nothing to eat. He had been a village school teacher for 8 years. He requested him to have pity on him. Sergei had seen him earlier. Then he had told him that he was an expelled student. So he got angry with him and threatened to call the police.
Q. 2. Why does Sergei want to know whether Lushkoff knows how to write?
Ans: Sergei wanted to know whether Lushkoff knew how to write because the former wanted to send Lushkoff to his friend who could give him some copying work to do. He wanted to help the poor beggar.
Q. 3. How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
Ans: Olga treated Lushkoff in the beginning very badly. She called him drunkard, a sot etc. She, in a way, rebuked him for his expressions. She would look into his face and weep. Then she would chop the wood for him. She did this all to set Lushkoff on a right path.
Q. 4. Why was Sergei a bit ashamed of treating Lushkoff harshly?
Ans: Sergei felt a little sorry and ashamed of himself because he had given the job of a labourer to a drunken sick man in bitter cold. He realized that he had done injustice to him.
Q. 5. Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What advice did he give him?
Ans: Sergei sent Lushkoff to his friend for doing writing job. He patted on his shoulders and gave him a letter for his friend. He gave him a piece of advice also. “Work hard, don’t drink and remember what I have said to you.”
Q. 6. How did Olga save Lushkoff?
Ans: Olga knew that Lushkoff won’t work. So she felt pity for his sad expression. She sat down opposite him and grew sad. She would rebuke him. Then she would chop the wood for him. At last, Lushkoff’s heart changed. He stopped drinking and became a nice man.
Q. 7. Who was Lushkoff? What did he pretend to be?
Ans: Lushkoff was a middle aged poor man. He belonged to the Russian choir but was sacked from his job due to his drinking habits. To get some money, he pretended to be a school teacher who had lost his job due to conspiracy. He also pretended to be a student expelled from the school for no guilt of his.
Q. 8. Explain why Sergei is extremely delighted to see Lushkoff at the theatre.
Ans: Sergei felt happy as he believed that it was his motivation and his words that had taken effect and Lushkoff had moved towards a better life. However, he was not right in saying so.
Q. 9. What makes Sergei feel remorseful and ashamed of himself?
Ans: When Sergei sent Lushkoff with Olga to chop wood for his house, he noticed that the beggar was trying hard to chop the wood by once setting the billet of wood between his feet and tapped it feebly with the axe. Seeing this, Sergei’s anger had vanished and he felt sorry and ashamed of himself for hay-ing set a spoiled, drunken and perhaps a sick to work in the cold.
Q. 10. What does Lushkoff tell the writer when he met him in Sadovaya street?
Ans: Lushkoff told the writer that he is a stu-dent who has been expelled from the school when he has met the beggar two days ago.
Q. 11. What does Sergei suggest to Lushkoff after he had finished chopping the wood?
Ans: Sergei suggested Lushkoff after he had finished chopping the wood that if he wanted to come back and cut wood on the first day of each month and earn half a rouble everytime. They could always find work for him. He tried to help the poor beggar so that he can earn some money.
THOUGHT PROVOKING MODULE
Study the following Questions:
Q. 1. ‘Problems can be convinced with opportunities.’ Comment on the light of the lesson “The Beggar’.
Ans: Sir Sergei meets the beggar twice and each time a new story is told. Lushkoff is a weak character who gets support from Olga and Sergei. Olga is very kind and helpful. She even chops wood for Lushkoff. On her help Lushkoff gives up drinking. Olga keeps on cursing Lushkoff and makes Lushkoff change. Lushkoff takes up the job of a notary. Thus the problem of his life turn into opportunity. So the whole credit of bringing Lushkoff back to reality goes to Olga.
Q. 2. ‘Love and concern can be shown in different ways.’ Elucidate on the basis of the lesson The Beggar’.
Ans: Lushkoff was a middle aged poor man. He belonged to the Russian choir but was sacked from his job due to his drinking habit. To get some money he pretended that he was a school teacher who had lost his job.
But love and concern of Sergei helped Lushkoff improve. Sergei gave him support. He helped him even after knowing the truth. Sergei gave him work and paid him for the task. Lushkoff sees father figure in Sergei. Even Olga really helps Lushkoff. Lushkoff gets a feeling of belongingness. Olga also helps to revive trust in himself.
Q. 3. “There is no short cut to success’. Hard work never goes waste / destiny is not looted, it is plotted by our hard work and consistency. Sergei is an authentic example of this moment. Comment.
Ans: Lushkoff is a wanderer who used to beg for a living. He did not like to do any work. He was unstable and inconsistent. Once he accidentally met Sergei. Sergei recognised the beggar and told him that he had met him in Sadovaya street. Sergei warned that he would inform the police. Sergei then handed over Lushkoff to his cook Olga. It’s Olga’s patience, goodness and noble attitude which changes him. Olga even chops woods for him and gives him unconditional love. Thus Olga’s sincerity and Sergei’s reference letter puts a person like Lushkoff at desk job.
LONG ANSWERS TYPE QUESTIONS
Answer the questions in about 100-150 words each:
Q. 1. “Yes by flying to your protection I dragged myself out of a pit.” With reference to the above statement which values in Lushkoff’s character are reflected?
Ans: Lushkoff has become a beggar because of circumstances. He was a singer in the Russian choir and drunkenness drove him to begging. This was told by Lushkoff to Sergei who meets after two years in a theatre and comes to know that he has now become a notary and earns thirty-five roubles per month. Sergei claims credit for putting the beggar on the right track but Lushkoff then reveals a secret to him that it was Sergei’s housekeeper, Olga who reforms him. He also admits that he never chopped any wood for Sergei but Olga did all the work for him. She helped him take the money without doing any work. She would also cry for him and lament his bad luck and hard times. Her sympathetic attitude and genuine concern along with helping and caring nature awakened the essential goodness in the heart of the beggar. The kindness of Olga touched his heart and he strived to be a better person in his life. Lushkoff gives due credit to Olga who helped him change his wrong ways and become a gentleman in life. Sergei was just a medium who helped him meet Olga but the magical change in his attitude and lifestyle he owes to none other than Olga-the housekeeper.
Q. 2. Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What advice did Sergei give him?
Ans: Sergei helped Lushkoff with kind words. At a time when no body gave him money Sergei gave him support. He listened to him. He helped him after even knowing the truth. He helped him to build his lost virtue and self respect. His help was very great for Lushkoff. Sergei gave him work and paid him for his pains-Sergei was much pleased. He send him to his friend for copying work. Sergi hold him that he should work hard and not drink. Sergei was happy at putting the man on the right path. Lushkoff became a notary man and started earning thirty five roubles a month.
Q. 3. Sergein called Lushkoff his ‘Godson’. Why does he call him so?
Ans: Sergei, the advocate, was a lonely man. He came across Lushkoff when the latter was begging on the streets. He found Lushkoff’s face and looks to be somewhat familiar as if he had encountered him somewhere earlier as well. Then he remembered him begging saying he was a student-who had been expelled. He found him lying and threatened to hand him over to the police. Lushkoffbriefed him about his previous job and his inability to find a new one. Sergei offered him the job of chopping wood with the advice to “work”. Lushkoff though disinclined to accept the offer and went with him. It was Sergei’s cook who chopped the wood as she found Lushkoff weak. Sergei did not know this, still he had faith in Lushkoff’s ability and he called him again for packing and hauling furniture while he shifted house. This time again Lushkoff did not work, though Sergei believed him. He somehow, had a great faith in Lushkoff and so, recommended him for a copying job. These positive incidents in his Ifie uplifted Lushkoff’s spirit and he established himself in a good job. Sergei’s trust in Lushkoff made him call Lushkoff his ‘Godson’.
Q. 4. Olga, Sergei’s cook in the story, “The Beggar’ is a woman who is very tough on the outside but very soft inside. Justify this statement with respect to the values she possessed in Olga’s handling of Lushkoff. (The Beggar)
Ans: Olga, the cook of Sergei had been a great force behind transforming Lushkoff. While a singer in the Russian choir, Lushkoffused to be a drunkard and so was sent away. If he told this truth, he would not get a job. So, he told lies and started begging. Sergei offered him the work of chopping wood. Being physically weak, Lushkoff could not work laboriously. He was also not inclined to work still he accepted the job simply due to pride and shame. But Olga, the cook pitied his condition. Outwardly, she kept abusing and cursing him for being a miserable creature who would be ruined. At the same time, she shed tears for his sake and cut wood for him. Her concern for him moved Lushkoff. A change took place in his heart. Thus, Olga transformed him. She was a kind and benevolent lady due to whose efforts Lushkoff changed for the better. She was sympathetic, hard-working and generous.
Q. 5. Draw a character sketch of Lushkoff?
Ans: Lushkoff was a beggar. He used to utter kind sir, have pity, turn your attention to apoor, hungry man. For three days I have nothing to eat. I have not five copecks for a lodging, I swear it before God. He was dressed in rags. He was a drunkard. “He had dull eyes and red cheeks. He told lies that he had been a teacher or a student. In fact he used to sing in a Russian Choir and was sent away because he was a drunkard.
He had ruined his health. He had neither strength nor intention to work. He agreed to chop wood because he was trapped in his own words. But when he actually came to chopping wood he wavered. Olga rebuked him. Olga treated him like a wayward son. She had a genuine motherly concern for him. He was awed by her presence. He gave up drinking. He called her a mother in the real sense. He changed himself into a good citizen.
