MP Board Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 9 – The Beggar

Who is the beggar in the story?
Answer: The beggar is Lushkoff, a former school teacher turned alcoholic, who resorts to begging for survival due to his addiction and helplessness.

Who helps Lushkoff change his life?
Answer: Sergei, a kind and honest advocate, helps him by giving him small jobs and encouraging him to live with dignity and work.

How does Sergei first meet Lushkoff?
Answer: Sergei meets Lushkoff on the street when he was pretending to be a former student needing money. Sergei recognizes the lie and confronts him.

Why does Sergei decide to help the beggar despite his lie?
Answer: Sergei sees potential in Lushkoff and believes that giving him a chance to work can help him reform and regain self-respect.

What job does Sergei give Lushkoff?
Answer: Sergei offers him the job of chopping wood at his home, although Lushkoff is weak and unfit for such physical work.

Who actually chops the wood for Lushkoff?
Answer: Olga, the cook, does the woodcutting for Lushkoff out of compassion, while he pretends to be working.

How does Olga influence Lushkoff’s transformation?
Answer: Olga scolds and cries for Lushkoff, which touches his heart and slowly leads him to leave alcohol and live honestly.

Why didn’t Sergei know the truth about Olga’s help?
Answer: Lushkoff kept it a secret out of shame and respect. Sergei believed Lushkoff was doing the work himself and never doubted him.

What did Lushkoff become by the end of the story?
Answer: Lushkoff became a notary working with honesty and self-respect. He overcame his addiction and rebuilt his life with the help he received.

What is the central theme of the story?
Answer: The theme is about compassion, transformation, and how kindness and empathy from others can redeem even the most broken souls.

What does Lushkoff admit to Sergei later?
Answer: He admits that he never chopped wood and that it was Olga who helped him, and her kindness changed his life.

What does Olga symbolize in the story?
Answer: Olga symbolizes silent compassion, motherhood, and the unseen forces of kindness that inspire people to change for the better.

What role does self-realization play in Lushkoff’s transformation?
Answer: Lushkoff realizes the value of work and dignity through Olga’s efforts, which leads him to stop drinking and start working honestly.

Why did Olga cry for Lushkoff?
Answer: She cried out of pity and frustration, feeling sad that a young man was wasting his life, and wished for his reform.

How is the title ‘The Beggar’ meaningful?
Answer: It focuses on Lushkoff’s starting point, showing how even a beggar can transform with proper support and inner strength.

What moral lesson does the story teach?
Answer: The story teaches that empathy, love, and gentle guidance can help even the most hopeless person change their life.

What was Sergei’s approach toward helping Lushkoff?
Answer: Sergei believed in rehabilitating through work, giving Lushkoff small jobs rather than giving money, aiming to restore his self-worth.

Why did Lushkoff stop drinking?
Answer: He stopped drinking out of respect for Olga’s silent sacrifices, and because her tears made him reflect on his mistakes.

What kind of person was Sergei?
Answer: Sergei was honest, generous, and believed in uplifting others through opportunity rather than direct charity.

What kind of person was Olga?
Answer: Olga was rough in speech but kind-hearted, with a soft core, whose compassionate actions brought real change to Lushkoff’s life.

How does Lushkoff’s life represent hope?
Answer: His story shows that no matter how low a person falls, with the right support, anyone can rise and succeed.

What is the importance of honest work in the story?
Answer: Honest work helps people regain their self-esteem and become productive members of society, which is seen in Lushkoff’s transformation.

How did Lushkoff feel about Olga in the end?
Answer: He was deeply grateful, believing that without her, he would have perished. Her tears saved his soul.

How is the ending of the story uplifting?
Answer: It ends with Lushkoff as a reformed man, showing that with guidance and kindness, even the weakest can stand tall again.

Summarize the moral of the story.
Answer: The story reminds us that compassion and belief in others can lead to true transformation, often more than any lecture or punishment.