Chapter 10 The Beggar | Class 9th Moments Most Important Questions english

The Beggar important Questions Class 9 English

Short Answer Type Questions for The Beggar

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words.

Question 1: Why is Sergei so angry at the beggar?

Answer

Sergei was very angry at the beggar as he recognized the beggar from a few days back and caught him lying. A few days ago, the beggar said he was a student and now he said that he was a teacher.

Question 2: Why does Sergei give the beggar work?

Answer

Sergei feels working is better than begging. The beggar says that no one would give him work. So, Sergei offers to give him work.

Question 3: How do Sergei and Olga change the life of the beggar?

Answer

Sergei and Olga helped a beggar mend his ways and do better in his life. They both gave him opportunities and helped him along the way.

Question 4: Who was a better role model, Sergei or Olga? Why?

Answer

Sergei is probably a better role model as he helped other people by giving them opportunities. Olga only cursed him and did his work for him. There could be high chances that the beggar would have felt easier to be paid for something he didn’t have to work for. But Sergei gave him fair chances.

Question 5: Write a character sketch of Olga.

Answer

Olga was the gentle and caring cook of the advocate. She gave motherly affection to the beggar boy. Pity and concern were the emotions she comprised for the beggar boy. Her affection was exhibited by the fact, she chopped the wood for Lushkoff, so that he could earn a bit money. She used to curse him as well as weep for him, telling him that he would have neither a good future, nor pleasure or luxury in this world. The way she suffered and helped him, made him become sensitive towards others’ feelings and in the process, he also changed.

Question 6: What did the beggar tell Sergei? Why did Sergei threaten to call the police?

Answer

The beggar, Lushkoff, requested Sergei to have pity on him and give him some money to feed himself. He told that had been a village school teacher for many years. Sergei had seen him earlier. When Lushkoff found that his lie was caught, he told that he was an expelled student. So Sergei became furious and threatened to call the police.

Question 7: How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?

Answer

Olga treated Lushkoff very harshly in the beginning. She rebuked him and called him drunkard. But finally she chopped the wood for him. She behaved like that only to set him on a right path.

Question 8: How did the beggar try and convince Sergei to give him some money?

Answer

The beggar called out to Sergei and told him to have pity on a poor, hungry man. He said that he was a school teacher for eight years but had lost his job. He even swore before God. He asked for some money to Kaluga where he has a position waiting for him.

Question 9: How did Sergei recognise the beggar?

Answer

Sergei recognised the beggar by looking at his overshoes. One was high and the other one was low.

Question 10: Why did the beggar finally tell Sergei the truth about himself?

Answer

Sergei was very upset when he caught the beggar’s lie. He threatened to call the police over his dishonesty. The beggar got scared and he finally told Sergei the truth about himself.

Question 11: Why did Sergei feel ashamed to see the beggar working the first time?

Answer

When Sergei saw the beggar working for the first time, he saw him blowing at his hands in the cold and trying to hit the axe on the target. He felt ashamed that he might have given a drunken, probably sick man work in the cold.

Question 12: What are the different works that the beggar would do?

Answer

The beggar would cut wood, shovel snow, put the wood-shed in order, and beat the dust out of rugs and mattresses. He once even helped Sergei move into another house.

Question 13: Why was Sergei happy to see Lushkoff at the ticket window?

Answer

Sergei was happy to Lushkoff at the ticket window as he felt that he has set a drunkard on the right path. From being a beggar, he now was a well-dressed man who paid for his own tickets in a movie.

Question 14: Why does Sergei think of Lushkoff as his Godson?

Answer

Sergei thinks of Lushkoff as his Godson as Sergei was the one who gave him a push in the right direction. The first time, he had chided him but after that, he had given him many opportunities.

Long Answer Type Questions for The Beggar

Answer the following questions in 100-150 words.

Question 1: Write a note on Olga’s character.

Answer

Olga may be the most important character in the story because in many ways she is opposite to Sergei. She physically attempts to help Lushkoff by chopping the wood and giving him advice on the evils of alcohol. She takes more of an interest (selflessly) in Lushkoffs life than Sergei does. It is also noticeable that Lushkoff is grateful to Olga something that the reader becomes aware of when he is talking to Sergei at the theatre. Despite the passing of time, he has not forgotten all that Olga had done for him. All this always comes as a surprise to Sergei. He thought he was the one who was responsible for helping Lushkoff reclaim his life. However the reality is that Sergei’s words and deeds are no match for the actions of Olga who is the real impetus for change in Lushkoff s life. It may also be a case that Chekhov is suggesting that when it comes to change, it is a woman’s hand that will guide an individual rather than a man’s. Instinctively a woman may know what is best for an individual while a man will be critical and compare his own circumstances and benefits to those of somebody who is less fortunate which is very much the case in the story when it comes to Lushkoff and Sergei. Though it would appear that Sergei was thinking of others, the reality is that he was judgemental of Lushkoff considering him to be no more than a liar and an alcoholic. Both of which was true but Lushkoff through Olga’s guidance showed that he has so much more to offer, that he is just as good as others even though he might have had difficult circumstances to overcome.

Question 2: After I,ushkoff says that it was Olga who chopped the wood and that it was Olga who truly reformed him, the story ends. Write an alternate ending that presents Sergei’s reaction to Lushkofrs disclosure.

Answer

“Oh! Poor Olga! She passed away last year. To think she worked so hard and doesn’t even know what effect she had on some person. You should have visited her. She had grown so thin and frail. She had become very weak. She would have been happy to see you like this. I feel speechless… to have known such wonderful people.

Lushkoff… I would urge you to find more people like you were and inspire them too. I am sure if we make a difference in even one’s life, we would make it to heaven.”

Question 3: What inspired Lushkoff to be a real man?

Answer

Lushkoff was a beggar. He did not have strength and will to work. He used to tell false stories to people to get their sympathy and money. Once he met with Sergei and tried his methods on him. Sergei caught his lie. But he gave him the work of chopping wood. Sergei’s cook Olga helped the beggar. Initially she scolded him. Soon she felt pity for him and helped him by doing hard work and made him earn money. She changed him with her kind words and noble deeds. He gave up drinking. He realized that he was not a beggar always. He decided to mend his ways. He became a Notary. He always felt indebted to Olga.