“The Beggar” is a short story by the famous Russian author Anton Chekhov, included in the NCERT Class 9 English supplementary reader Moments. The story follows Lushkoff, a beggar who uses false stories to earn alms, and Sergei, an advocate who decides to give him honest work instead of charity. Through the compassion of Olga, Sergei’s cook, Lushkoff undergoes a remarkable transformation — from a dishonest beggar to a hardworking notary earning thirty-five roubles a month. ASSEB Class 9 students will find complete question answers, summary, and MCQs for this chapter below.
Summary of The Beggar
The story begins when Sergei, a lawyer, encounters a ragged beggar named Lushkoff on the street. Lushkoff claims he was once a schoolteacher who lost his job because of conspiracies against him, and now he is starving. However, Sergei recognises him — only two days earlier, the same man had told him a completely different story, claiming to be an expelled student. Sergei confronts him, calling him a fraud. Caught in his lie, Lushkoff admits that he had formerly sung in a Russian choir but was dismissed because of his drunkenness. He confesses that he cannot survive without telling lies because people are unwilling to help him when he tells the truth.
Rather than giving him money, Sergei decides to offer Lushkoff honest work — chopping wood in his yard. Lushkoff is not a willing worker; he is weak from alcohol and hunger. He agrees only because he is ashamed and trapped by his own words. He is taken to the woodshed by Olga, the cook, who scolds him harshly and calls him a drunkard and a good-for-nothing. Yet, moved by pity, she secretly chops the wood for him, weeping all the while.
Lushkoff returns to Sergei on several occasions for work — clearing snow, stacking wood, and other odd jobs. Sergei later sends him to a friend for copying work. Gradually, Lushkoff reforms. Two years later, Sergei meets Lushkoff outside a theatre. Lushkoff is now well-dressed and has become a notary earning thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei is pleased and tells him, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” But Lushkoff corrects him — it was not Sergei’s words that changed him. It was Olga. She used to weep for him, call him an unfortunate man, and sometimes chop wood for him herself. Her words and her tears changed him. Without her, says Lushkoff, he would still be calling himself a schoolteacher or an expelled student to earn his alms.
Think about It
Q1. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Answer: Lushkoff has become a beggar primarily by choice, though circumstances played a role in the beginning. He was originally a singer in a Russian choir but was dismissed because of his drunkenness. Alcoholism was the root cause of his downfall — it is a circumstance brought on by his own habit. However, instead of making a genuine effort to find honest work after losing his job, he chose the path of begging by inventing false and sympathetic stories to extract alms from people. He admits to Sergei that he “cannot get along without lying” because no one will help him if he tells the truth. This deliberate deception shows that begging has become a choice for him, not merely a situation forced upon him by unavoidable circumstances. His later transformation into a notary proves that he was always capable of honest work and had chosen the easier, dishonest path.
Q2. What reasons does he give to Sergei for telling lies?
Answer: When Sergei confronts Lushkoff about his lies and calls him a fraud, Lushkoff does not deny the accusation. He openly admits that he cannot get along without lying. He explains that people are not willing to give him anything when he tells the truth about himself. The truth — that he is a dismissed choir singer and a drunkard — does not inspire sympathy in anyone. So he resorts to fabricating stories, such as being an expelled student or a dismissed teacher, because these false backgrounds rouse pity and make people more generous. In other words, Lushkoff justifies his lying as a survival strategy: without lies, he would receive no help and would starve.
Q3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why does he agree to chop wood?
Answer: No, Lushkoff is not a willing worker at all. He is weak from alcohol and chronic hunger, and he has no desire to do physical labour. He looks at the wood with no enthusiasm whatsoever. However, he agrees to chop wood for the following reasons: First, he has been caught in his own lie and is too ashamed to refuse outright. Sergei has exposed him as a fraud, and to walk away without accepting the offered work would make him appear even more dishonest. Second, there is an element of pride involved — accepting the work allows him to maintain some dignity. Third, Sergei implies that Lushkoff could be reported to the police for begging and telling false stories, which also pressures him into accepting. So he agrees not out of willingness but out of shame, pride, and a degree of fear.
Q4. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say this? Is he right?
Answer: Sergei says this when he meets Lushkoff two years later outside a theatre and finds that Lushkoff has transformed into a well-dressed notary earning thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei believes that his moral lectures and the opportunity he gave Lushkoff to do honest work were responsible for this change. He takes credit for the transformation, feeling that his strategy of offering work instead of charity, combined with his stern words about dishonesty, guided Lushkoff onto the right path.
However, Sergei is not entirely right. Lushkoff himself corrects him, revealing that it was not Sergei’s words but Olga’s compassion that truly changed him. Olga used to weep and lament over his condition, call him an unfortunate wretch, and even chop wood for him out of pity. It was her heartfelt empathy — not Sergei’s moral preaching — that stirred something in Lushkoff and inspired him to reform. Sergei’s role was important in providing the opportunity, but the real credit for the transformation belongs to Olga.
Q5. Lushkoff is earning thirty-five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
Answer: Lushkoff acknowledges his deep obligation to Sergei even while crediting Olga as the true agent of his transformation. Sergei was the first person who refused to give Lushkoff charity and instead offered him an opportunity to work honestly. By giving him work chopping wood, Sergei gave Lushkoff his first step toward honest employment. Later, Sergei also sent him to a friend to do copying work, which opened the door to further honest employment. These steps eventually led Lushkoff to his current position as a notary earning thirty-five roubles a month. Without Sergei’s initial intervention — his refusal to enable begging and his insistence on honest work — Lushkoff would never have had the chance to reform. So, even though Olga’s compassion changed his heart, Sergei’s practical help and guidance provided the path that made his transformation possible.
Q6. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?
Answer: Olga, Sergei’s cook, saved Lushkoff through the power of genuine human compassion. Whenever Lushkoff came to chop wood, Olga would scold him and call him a drunkard and a good-for-nothing. Yet, at the same time, she was deeply moved by his pathetic condition. She used to weep and wail over him, calling him an “unfortunate wretch.” Out of her pity and kindness, she even used to chop the wood herself when Lushkoff was too weak or too lost to do it. These acts of silent, selfless care touched Lushkoff far more deeply than any stern lecture could. Her tears and her concern for his soul stirred a sense of shame and remorse in him. As Lushkoff himself tells Sergei later, it was Olga’s words, tears, and actions that changed his character and saved him. Without her compassionate intervention, he says he would still be a beggar living on false stories. Olga’s story is a reminder that genuine empathy and human kindness can transform a person in ways that moral authority and punishment cannot.
Talk about It
Q1. The story shows that giving someone an opportunity to work is more effective than giving charity. Do you agree? Discuss.
Answer: Yes, the story strongly supports the idea that giving someone an opportunity to work is more meaningful and effective than simply handing out charity. When Sergei offers Lushkoff work instead of money, he gives him something far more valuable: a chance to rebuild his dignity and self-respect through honest effort. Direct charity would have only encouraged Lushkoff to continue begging and lying. By insisting on work, Sergei breaks the cycle of dependency. Work gives a person purpose, routine, and the satisfaction of earning their own livelihood. The story shows that Lushkoff’s ultimate transformation into a notary was possible only because he was put on the path of labour, however reluctantly at first. At the same time, the story also reminds us that opportunity alone is not enough — it must be accompanied by compassion and empathy, as demonstrated by Olga, for lasting change to occur.
Q2. What can we do to help the beggars and remove the problem of begging from society?
Answer: Begging is a social problem that cannot be solved through charity alone. Some measures that can help are: First, the government and NGOs can set up shelters and rehabilitation centres where beggars are provided food, clothing, healthcare, and skill training so they can find honest employment. Second, children of beggars must be ensured access to free education so the next generation breaks out of the cycle of poverty and begging. Third, society should encourage compassion without enabling dependency — like Sergei, we should offer opportunities to work rather than simply handing out money. Fourth, awareness campaigns can sensitise people to the social and economic conditions that lead to begging, encouraging a more empathetic and solutions-oriented approach. Fifth, vocational training and microfinance schemes can help beggars become self-reliant. A combination of government action, community compassion, and individual effort is needed to truly solve the problem.
Additional Questions and Answers
Short Answer Questions
Q1. Who is the author of “The Beggar”?
Answer: The story “The Beggar” is written by Anton Chekhov, the celebrated Russian short story writer and playwright, known for his realistic and psychologically insightful narratives.
Q2. Who is Sergei?
Answer: Sergei is a lawyer (advocate) in the story. He is the man who first exposes Lushkoff’s lies, refuses to give him charity, and instead offers him honest work. He plays a key role in beginning Lushkoff’s reformation.
Q3. What false story does Lushkoff tell Sergei when they first meet?
Answer: When Lushkoff first approaches Sergei, he claims that he was once a village schoolteacher who lost his job due to intrigues and conspiracies against him. He says he has been out of work for eight months and is starving, and he begs Sergei for help.
Q4. Why does Sergei refuse to give Lushkoff money?
Answer: Sergei refuses to give Lushkoff money because he recognises him as a fraud. He had encountered the same beggar just two days earlier, when Lushkoff had told him a completely different story — that he was an expelled student. Sergei knows Lushkoff is lying and believes that giving him money would only encourage his dishonest begging.
Q5. What was Lushkoff’s previous occupation before he became a beggar?
Answer: Lushkoff had previously been a singer in a Russian choir. He was dismissed from the choir because of his drunkenness (alcoholism). After losing this job, he fell into the habit of begging and lying to survive.
Q6. What work does Sergei offer Lushkoff?
Answer: Sergei offers Lushkoff the work of chopping wood in his yard. This is physical labour, and it is Sergei’s way of providing honest employment rather than charity. He later also arranges copying work for Lushkoff through a friend.
Q7. Who is Olga in the story?
Answer: Olga is Sergei’s cook. She is the person who accompanies Lushkoff to the woodshed when he comes to chop wood. Although she scolds him harshly, she is deeply moved by compassion for him and often chops the wood herself while weeping over his pitiful condition. She is ultimately the true agent of Lushkoff’s transformation.
Q8. How much money does Lushkoff earn as a notary?
Answer: As a notary, Lushkoff earns thirty-five roubles a month. This is a significant improvement from his earlier life as a beggar, and it reflects the extent of his personal transformation and professional success.
Q9. Where does Sergei meet Lushkoff two years later?
Answer: Sergei meets Lushkoff two years later outside a theatre. Lushkoff is now well-dressed and has become a notary. The chance meeting gives Lushkoff the opportunity to explain to Sergei that it was Olga’s compassion, not Sergei’s lectures, that truly changed his life.
Q10. What is the central theme of the story “The Beggar”?
Answer: The central theme of the story is the transformative power of compassion and human kindness. While Sergei’s practical intervention of offering work is important, it is Olga’s genuine empathy — her tears, her scolding born of care, and her silent acts of selfless help — that truly transforms Lushkoff from a dishonest beggar into an honest, hardworking man. The story also explores the dignity of labour and the difference between charity (which can enable dependency) and genuine compassionate help (which can inspire real change).
Long Answer Questions
Q1. Describe the character of Lushkoff. How does he change over the course of the story?
Answer: At the beginning of the story, Lushkoff appears as a deeply flawed character. He is a professional beggar who survives by inventing false, sympathetic stories to extract alms from kind-hearted people. He pretends to be an expelled student one day and a dismissed schoolteacher the next. He is a former choir singer who ruined his career through alcoholism, and rather than taking responsibility for his situation, he chose the path of dishonesty. When Sergei exposes his lies, Lushkoff does not show any immediate desire to reform. He agrees to chop wood not out of willingness but out of shame and compulsion. He is too weak and lethargic even to chop wood properly.
However, over time, a change takes place — not because of Sergei’s lectures, but because of Olga’s compassionate tears and silent acts of kindness. Lushkoff’s hardened heart is slowly softened. He begins to come more regularly for work, eventually transitions to copying work through Sergei’s referral, and two years later he has become a respectable notary earning thirty-five roubles a month. He is now honest enough to give Olga the true credit for his transformation and to acknowledge his debt to both Sergei and Olga. This journey from a lying, drunken beggar to an honest, self-respecting professional is the heart of the story.
Q2. Compare and contrast the roles of Sergei and Olga in transforming Lushkoff.
Answer: Both Sergei and Olga contribute to Lushkoff’s transformation, but in very different ways. Sergei’s approach is logical and principled. He refuses to give Lushkoff charity because he believes it will only enable dishonesty. Instead, he offers honest work, which is a rational and morally sound response to begging. He provides Lushkoff with the practical opportunity to reform — first through chopping wood, then through arranging copying work. Sergei’s role is that of a guide who opens the door to honest employment.
Olga’s approach, on the other hand, is emotional and deeply human. She scolds Lushkoff harshly, but her scolding is born of genuine pity, not cruelty. She weeps over his condition, calls him an unfortunate wretch, and even does his work for him out of compassion. Her tears and her words reach Lushkoff’s heart in a way that Sergei’s moral lectures cannot. It is this emotional connection — a woman who cares enough to cry for a stranger’s soul — that ultimately motivates Lushkoff to change.
In summary, Sergei provides the opportunity, but Olga provides the inspiration. Sergei changes Lushkoff’s circumstances; Olga changes his character. The story suggests that while practical help is necessary, genuine compassion is what truly transforms a human being.
Q3. What does the story “The Beggar” tell us about the value of honest work and human dignity?
Answer: “The Beggar” presents honest work as the foundation of human dignity and self-respect. Lushkoff, despite being capable of work, chose begging because it was easier — but it required him to constantly lie and debase himself. He could not look anyone in the eye with pride. The moment he is compelled to take up honest work, even reluctantly, a process of redemption begins.
The story argues that charitable handouts, while well-intentioned, can sometimes do more harm than good by encouraging dependency and dishonesty. Sergei’s decision to offer work instead of money reflects the belief that every person deserves the chance to earn their living with dignity. Work gives Lushkoff a purpose, a routine, and eventually a profession. His pride in presenting himself as a notary rather than a beggar is a measure of the dignity that honest work has restored to him.
The story also reminds us that the journey toward honest work is not always easy or willing. Lushkoff’s first steps were reluctant and forced. But with the combined support of Sergei’s opportunity and Olga’s compassion, he was eventually able to transform his life. This teaches us that society must both offer opportunities for honest work and provide the human warmth needed to make people want to take those opportunities.
Q4. “It is not moral lectures but human compassion that truly changes people.” Discuss this statement with reference to “The Beggar.”
Answer: This statement is powerfully validated by the story “The Beggar.” Sergei, the advocate, represents the voice of moral reason. He confronts Lushkoff about his lies, refuses to reward dishonesty with charity, and delivers moral lectures about the value of honest work. His approach is stern, logical, and principled. Yet, at the end of the story, Lushkoff reveals that it was not Sergei’s words but Olga’s tears and compassion that truly changed him.
Olga never preaches to Lushkoff. She scolds him, yes, but her scolding is accompanied by genuine sorrow for his state. She weeps for him, calls him unfortunate rather than evil, and quietly performs acts of kindness such as chopping wood for him when he is unable to do so. These acts of selfless compassion touch Lushkoff’s soul in a way that no lecture can. They remind him that he is a human being worthy of care, which in turn makes him want to become worthy of that care.
This reflects a universal truth about human psychology: people change not primarily because they are told to, but because they feel genuinely seen, valued, and cared for. Moral authority can point to the right path, but it is love and empathy that give a person the courage and motivation to walk that path. Olga’s role in the story is Chekhov’s tribute to the quiet, unrecognised power of ordinary human kindness.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Q1. Who is the author of the story “The Beggar”?
(A) Leo Tolstoy (B) Anton Chekhov (C) Maxim Gorky (D) Fyodor Dostoevsky
Answer: (B) Anton Chekhov
Q2. What was Lushkoff’s original profession before becoming a beggar?
(A) A village schoolteacher (B) A soldier (C) A singer in a Russian choir (D) A copying clerk
Answer: (C) A singer in a Russian choir
Q3. Why was Lushkoff dismissed from the choir?
(A) Poor singing (B) Drunkenness (C) Fighting with colleagues (D) Illness
Answer: (B) Drunkenness
Q4. What work did Sergei offer Lushkoff?
(A) Sweeping the yard (B) Watering the garden (C) Chopping wood (D) Copying documents
Answer: (C) Chopping wood
Q5. Who actually chopped the wood for Lushkoff?
(A) Sergei (B) Lushkoff himself (C) Olga (D) A neighbour
Answer: (C) Olga
Q6. What was Sergei’s profession?
(A) Doctor (B) Teacher (C) Advocate (Lawyer) (D) Notary
Answer: (C) Advocate (Lawyer)
Q7. How much does Lushkoff earn per month as a notary?
(A) Twenty roubles (B) Twenty-five roubles (C) Forty roubles (D) Thirty-five roubles
Answer: (D) Thirty-five roubles
Q8. Where does Sergei meet Lushkoff after two years?
(A) In a market (B) Outside a theatre (C) In a church (D) At a friend’s house
Answer: (B) Outside a theatre
Q9. Who does Lushkoff credit for his transformation?
(A) Sergei (B) A priest (C) Olga (D) His own willpower
Answer: (C) Olga
Q10. What is the central message of the story “The Beggar”?
(A) Never trust a beggar (B) Kindness and compassion can transform anyone (C) Hard work alone leads to success (D) Strict discipline is the best teacher
Answer: (B) Kindness and compassion can transform anyone
Summary in English
“The Beggar” by Anton Chekhov is a story of transformation and compassion. Lushkoff, a habitual beggar who survives by telling lies, is confronted by Sergei, a lawyer who offers him honest work instead of charity. Through the silent, tearful compassion of Olga, the cook, Lushkoff is gradually transformed into a hardworking notary. The story teaches that genuine human kindness is more powerful than moral lectures in changing a person’s life. It also highlights the dignity that honest work restores to a human being. ASSEB Class 9 students studying this chapter for the first time should focus on the roles of all three characters and the theme of compassion versus charity.