The Beggar Important Questions Class 9 Moments English
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. What was the beggar’s real identity?
Answer
He had been part of the Russian choir but had lost his place there due to drunkenness.
Question 2. How did Sergei respond to the beggar’s request for money?
Answer
He looked closely at him and recognised him as the same person he had seen on Sadovya Street a few days back when he had introduced himself as a student who had been expelled.
Question 3. Why couldn't Lushkoff go to Kaluga?
Answer
Lushkoff could not go to Kaluga because he had no money for the journey. He was ashamed of asking but due to adverse circumstances, he was forced to do so.
Question 4. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Answer
Lushkoff has become a beggar not by choice but by circumstance. He was a singer in a Russian choir but was sent away for his drunkenness. Alcoholism had made him weak and he could not toil, so he took to begging for survival.
Question 5. Describe how the beggar appeared when Sergei met him.
Answer
When Sergei met the beggar he was in rags and had dull, sunken cheeks and red spots on either cheek. He had worn one high shoe and one low shoe.
Question 6. How does the beggar react to Sergei’s offer to chop wood for him in return for money?
Answer
The beggar accepts the offer readily and follows Sergei home. He says that he can’t refuse because in those days even skilled woodcutters found themselves sitting without food and work.
Question 7. How did Sergei come to remember that he had met the beggar before?
Answer
The beggar's face looked familiar to Sergei. When he saw the beggar's overshoes, one of which was high and the other low, he suddenly remembered seeing him the day before yesterday at Sadovya Street.
Question 8. Why has the beggar been described as a scarecrow?
Answer
He has been described as a scarecrow because he is as thin as a scarecrow and shabbily dressed in ill-fitting, mismatched clothes.
Question 9. Why did Sergei call Lushkoff his 'godson'?
Answer
Sergei helped Lushkoff in mending his ways. Now Lushkoff was no more a beggar and was earning a handsome salary. Sergei felt proud of himself for making Lushkoff a respectable person. So, he called him his godson.
Question 10. Why was Sergei disgusted with the beggar?
Answer
He was disgusted at his dishonesty because he had seen him on another street pretending that he was an expelled student in need of money, and now he claimed to be a village schoolmaster who had lost his job due to intrigues at the school. His lies disgusted Sergei.
Question 11. How did Lushkoff look like when he met Sergei for the first time?
Answer
Lushkoff looked ragged and had worn a fawn colour when he met Sergei for the first time. He had dull and drunken eyes. He had a red spot on either cheek and was poor and hungry.
Question 12. Why did the beggar appear at Sergei’s house a month later?
Answer
He reappeared on the first of the next month because the narrator had told him he could come back and cut wood for him in return for half a rouble.
Question 13. What reminded Sergei that he had met the man before? What did the beggar lie to Sergei when the latter had caught his first lie?
Answer
The man's overshoes reminded Sergei that he had met him before. The man said that he sang in a Russian choir and was sent away for drunkenness.
Question 14. How do we know that the beggar had no previous experience of cutting wood?
Answer
We know this from the manner in which he pulled a billet of wood towards him and tapped it feebly with his axe. At first, the billet fell and then the beggar tapped it with the axe again cautiously, as if afraid of hurting himself with the axe.
Question 15. The beggar was a liar. What two lies did he tell Sergei?
Answer
When the beggar met Sergei for the first time, he told him that he was a student and had been expelled from the college. When he met Sergei, for the second time, he told him that he had been offered a position in Kaluga, but he had no money for the fare to get there.
Question 16. What reason does Lushkoff give to Sergei for his telling lies?
Answer
Lushkoff told that he was lying and that neither was he a student nor a school teacher, rather he used to sing in Russian choir where he was expelled because of his habit of drinking and as such he received no alms if he told the truth.
Question 17. How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
Answer
In the beginning, Olga treated Lushkoff callously. She called him a drunkard. She rebuked him. Then she would sit before him and grow sad. She looked into his face and wept. Then she chopped wood for him. She did so because she felt pity for him. Secondly, she wanted to put him on the right path.
Question 18. How did Sergei help Lushkoff to live respectfully?
Answer
He did not believe his stories, threatened to hand him over to the police, and offered him work chopping wood. He also employed Luskoff while shifting his belongings to a new house, and then sent him to a friend for copying work, which made him believe in goodness and honest means of livelihood. Sergei showed faith in Lushkoff supported and raised his self-respect.
Question 19. What plea does Lushkoff make to Sergei when he appears at his yard?
Answer
Lushkoff pleads to Sergei to have pity on him. He says that he has not eaten anything for three days and does not have five copecks for lodging. He further tells Sergei that he had been a village school teacher for eight years and had lost his job due to scheming and lies.
Question 20. What lies did Lushkoff tell to beg alms from people?
Answer
Lushkoff told lies to beg alms from people. Sometimes he used to say that he was a school teacher for eight years and lost his place because of foul planning and sometimes he told that he was a student and was expelled.
Question 21. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Answer
Luskhoff is not a willing worker since alcohol has made him very weak, both physically and emotionally. Still, he agrees to do the menial job of chopping wood because of his pride and shame. Earlier he had expressed his willingness to do any work provided he was offered one and now he could not go back on his words.
Question 22. What did Sergei expect the beggar to do when he called him while moving to another house? Did he behave as expected?
Answer
When he was moving to another house, Sergei called the beggar and asked him to help with the packing and hauling of the furniture. However, the beggar did not do anything except hang around, sober, yet gloomy and silent.
Question 23. `Sergei looked satisfied with the performance of the beggar, he was happy that his words had a positive effect on him.' Were his words really effective? Explain.
Answer
No, his words did not have a positive effect on the beggar as he did not develop the habit of working hard. He was still lazy and an idle fellow, and was no less than a shirker.
Question 24. Why did Sergei hurry into the dining-room? What did he see from there?
Answer
Sergei hurried into the dining-room because he wanted to check the beggar’s behaviour while chopping wood. He saw both Olga and Lushkoff walking towards the shed. He also saw Olga’s expression of wrath towards the beggar and the manner in which he struggled to chop wood in the acute cold.
Question 25. What surprised Sergei about Lushkoff when he met him at the theatre?
Answer
He was surprised to see how much Lushkoff had changed. He was wearing decent clothes and had got a job as a notary, earning thirty-five roubles.
Question 26. Was Sergei a kind man? What tells you so?
Answer
Yes, Sergei was a kind man because his anger vanished and he felt a little sorry and ashamed of himself for having set a spoiled, drunken and perhaps sick man to do menial labour in the cold.
Question 27. Who was the ‘pseudo-teacher’ and why did he sit on a log?
Answer
The ‘pseudo-teacher’ was the beggar Lushkoff. He sat on a log, lost in his thoughts as his frail health did not allow him to undertake the hard task of chopping wood but he could not get away from it either.
Question 28. How does Lushkoff pay credit to Sergei?
Answer
He says that he was indebted to Sergei for his push, because he would never have changed for the better, but would have continued to deceive people and beg. By following Sergei’s instruction, he dragged himself out of the pit he had created for himself.
Question 29. Lushkoff attributes the change of his heart to Olga. Do you agree with him? Or do you think that Sergei is responsible for it? Justify your answer.
Answer
Yes, I agree that Olga had stirred the change in Lushkoff because it was Olga with whom Lushkoff spent time doing various works. It was Olga who taught Lushkoff the various truths of life.
Question 30. What remuneration was paid to Lushkoff for chopping wood for the first time? What additional offer was made at this time?
Answer
Sergei paid a rouble as remuneration to the beggar for chopping wood and instructed Olga to tell him that if he wanted, he could come back and chop wood on the first day of each month.
Question 31. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Answer
Sergei says so because Lushkoff looked sober and seemed to have helped in the packing and hauling of furniture. He is partially right in saying this because his constant support had at least given Lushkoff an option to quit his disgusting life as a beggar.
Question 32. Why did the carters make fun of Lushkoff?
Answer
Sergei has moved into another house. He asked Lushkoff to pack and haul the furniture. But Lushkoff hardly touched the furniture. He looked sad, silent and gloomy. He walked behind the wagons hanging his head. He also shivered in the cold. So the Carters made fun of Lushkoff for his idleness, weakness and fancy overcoat.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1. Discuss the title of the story. Is it appropriate?
Answer
The Beggar is an appropriate title for the story, as it revolves around the transformation that takes place in the life of a beggar. He was a wastrel and did not do any work. It was only due to the compassion shown by the cook at the narrator’s house that was he able to change his outlook.
When he was too drunk and weak to perform any of the odd jobs he was supposed to do, the cook did all the work for him, feeling sorry for him and worrying about his sorry state. This kindness on her part had a tremendous effect on the beggar, who changed his ways, stopped drinking and slowly over the years got a steady job as a notary, earning thirty-five roubles as salary.
Question 2. Describe the last meeting between Sergei and Luslikoff. How did Olga help Lushkoff to be a real man?
Answer
One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei was pleased to hear this. He congratulated Lushk for standing on his own feet in life. At this Lushk disclosed something to him. He said that it was not because of him, but his maidservant Olga that he had reformed himself. When he used to come to his house to chop wood, he could not do so because he was weak and inexperienced. Then Olga would take pity on him and chop the wood for him. He told Sergei that he never chopped a single stick. It was all done by Olga. Her kindness transformed him. He stopped drinking and started earning his living by hard work. In this way, Olga’s kindness had changed his life.
Question 3. Explain why Sergie is extremely delighted to see Lushkoff at the theatre.
Answer
Lushkoff, the beggar was offered some work. Sergei asked him to go to his friends. They gave him some copying work as he could write. Sergei was happy that he had put the man on the right track. Two years went by. One evening standing at a ticket window of a theatre Sergei saw the man again. Lushkoff told him that he was a notary and was paid 35 roubles a month. He thanked Sergei for what he had done for him. He said that if he had not helped him he would still have been telling lies. This was the reason why Sergei was extremely delighted to see him at the theatre.
Question 4. During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei's cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?
Answer
Olga was a cook in Sergei's house. Olga was a lady who was very good at heart. She played an important role in transforming Lushkoff. She realised Lushkoff's condition and tried to improve him by criticising him, in order to improve him. She went through lots of misery and cried a lot for him. She used to even chop the wood for him. Just the sight of Olga made Lushkoff stop drinking. Olga's sympathy and nobility changed him and he became a notary, earning 35 roubles a month.
Question 5. Sergei’s sympathy was as important as Olga’s noble deeds that reformed Lushkoff. Discuss.
Answer
Lushkoff gave the credit of his reformation to Olga but it is true that Sergei’s sympathy towards him was also important. If Sergei had not taken the initiative to assign work to Lushkoff and had instead handed him over to the police, the beggar’s life would have ended in disaster. Sergei, like Olga, went out of his way to uplift the ragged beggar by making him do odd jobs and paying him in return. Sergei was not obliged in any way to spend money on a beggar in this manner but it was his concern for Lushkoff that he made sincere efforts to reform him. Sergei also arranged a ‘cleaner employment’ of a copier for Lushkoff by sending him to his friend with a letter of recommendation. Again, it was Sergei who brought Lushkoff to Olga. If this had not been done, Olga would not have been able to help him. Hence, the contribution of Sergei in the reformation of Lushkoff was as important as that of Olga.
Question 6. How was the life of Lushkoff changed?
Answer
Lushkoffs life was changed drastically when he came in contact with Sergei. Sergei taught him the value of self-respect. Olga, the cook of Sergei also helped him in changing from a spoiled, drunken beggar to a noble person. Sergei also taught him the value of earning by working hard instead of begging. Lushkoff would now chop wood, shovel snow, put the wood shed in order, and beat the dust out of the rugs and mattresses. For every work, he used to earn around twenty to forty copecks. Now, Lushkoff was a refined person. He had become a notary, earning at least 35 roubles a month.
Question 7. What are the different ways in which the writer refers to Lushkoff? Why?
Answer
The writer refers to Lushkoff by numerous derogatory terms. He calls him a suppliant, mendicant, beggar, ragged creature, swindler, scarecrow of a beggar, pseudo-teacher, spoiled, drunken, sick man, waif, miserable creature, unlucky man, an unhappy one. He does so to convey to the reader the miserable plight into which Lushkoff had sunken himself owing to his alcohol addiction. These derogatory terms not only highlight a character marred by alcoholic habits but also amplify his improvement later in the story. This technique of employing contrast is used by the writer to make the reader realise that alcoholism ruins an individual completely. His reformation thus gains significance because of varied adjectives that indicate his depravity. It also emphasises the impact of compassion and concern while rehabilitating an addict. It eventually builds faith that transformation is possible if a person is made to realise his mistakes and is given proper support and effective counselling.
Question 8. Both Sergei and his cook were kind to the beggar. Compare and contrast their characters and the effect they had on Lushkoff.
Answer
Sergei was a wealthy advocate with a kind heart. He appears to be a practical man who tries to stop Lushkoff from begging by giving him an alternative method of earning a living. He is also resourceful as he keeps engaging Lushkoff in different tasks, which are helpful for both the beggar and him. In the end, he sends him to his friend, who needs someone to do some copying work. This helps the man to get a stable job and make a decent living. At first, he takes the credit for the beggar’s transformation, but later he is humble enough to accept that though he provided the opportunity, it was his cook Olga who deserved the credit for inspiring the beggar to change.
The cook, on the other hand, is the most noble and compassionate character in the story. Initially, she appears to be angry with the arrival of the beggar and seems to ill-treat and abuse him. In reality, however, she is the one who performs all the tasks for the beggar and lets him take the credit and money for them. She is empathetic to the extent that she cries seeing the state the beggar is in, and his fate if he continues to be a wastrel and drunkard.
It is her selflessness and compassion that brings about a change in the beggar’s character. Because of her empathy, he is able to remain sober and starts working hard, becoming a notary and earning a stable salary within two years. She is thus able to save the life of the beggar, even though she isn’t actually aware of the profound effect she has on him, and never takes any credit for what she has done.
Question 9. Describe Sergei's role in reforming Lushkoff.
Answer
If Lushkoff had not come to Sergei he wouldn't have been leading a noble life. Sergei did not believe in Lushkoff's stories as he kept begging for alms saying that he was an expected teacher and sometimes became an expelled student. So, Sergei threatened him to hand over to the police. Sergei offered him work at his place. He asked him to chop wood for him, then he hired him to slight his belongings to a new house. He then sent him to his friend for a copying job. He helped Lushkoff by offering money for every work he used to finish. He made him believe in the power of goodness and honest means of livelihood. Sergei had made him his godson and his cook Olga too had helped Lushkoff in reforming himself.
Question 10. Compassion and pity can bring positive changes in human being. How did Olga prove it?
Answer
Yes, it is true that compassion can bring positive changes in human beings. Olga came to know about the condition of Lushkoff. She understood that he was a victim of his bad habits and circumstances. She helped him by working in his place. This brought a positive change in Lushkoff who became a good and successful person in life. In general life, a convict can be made a true human by love and compassion. Bur When he gets love and compassion from others, it arouses a feeling in his heart to hr improve and become a good man and this makes him realise his mistakes. By self-introspection, he finds that the path he has chosen is not the path of a true human and gradually he starts to modify himself as a true human. A convict who is not improved by harsh punishment can easily be improved by a loving and sympathetic attitude towards him.
Question 11. Describe the character of Sergei.
Answer
Sergei was a kind and honest man. Sergei couldn't tolerate lies and dishonesty. He thought that everyone should earn money by working hard. He was not the kind of man who took undue advantage of a person's helplessness and exploited him. When Lushkoff came to his house to chop wood, he felt bad because Lushkoff was weak and hungry. He was ashamed of himself for having set a spoiled, drunken, perhaps sick man to work at menial labour in the cold. Sergei held everyone equally. He didn't discriminate against people on the basis of how rich he was. Though Lushkoff was poor and worked for him, he wasn't disrespectful to him. He rather recognised Lushkoff's hard work. Sergei was a resourceful man also. He sent Lushkoff with a letter to his friend so that Lushkoff could get a better job. Sergei never forgot anyone. Even if he met Lushkoff after two years, he could recognise him immediately and talk with him in the most cordial way. Sergei was a man of principles with a kind heart.