The Beggar

Given: The story traces Lushkoff's background as revealed through his conversation with Sergei.

Answer:
Lushkoff has become a beggar largely by circumstance, though his own weakness of character — particularly his addiction to alcohol — has contributed to his condition.

He claims to have been a village schoolteacher who lost his job due to intrigues and conspiracies against him. He was forced to beg because he had no other means of survival. However, it is also clear that his heavy drinking made it impossible for him to hold a steady job or support himself honestly. He resorted to lying and fabricating stories to earn sympathy and money from strangers.

Thus, it is a combination of both — unfavourable circumstances (loss of job) and personal weakness (alcoholism and dishonesty) — that made him a beggar. He did not choose poverty deliberately, but his own vices prevented him from rising above it.

Given: When Sergei catches Lushkoff in a lie (he had previously claimed to be a student, and now claims to be a village schoolteacher), he confronts him.

Answer:
Lushkoff admits to Sergei that he has been lying. He gives the following reasons for his dishonesty:

1. Compulsion of circumstances: He explains that no one would give him money if he told the truth. People do not help unless they are moved by a dramatic or sympathetic story.
2. Survival: He lies because it is the only way he can get food and money to survive on the streets.
3. Shame and helplessness: He is too ashamed to admit the real truth — that he is a drunkard who cannot hold a job — so he invents more respectable-sounding stories.

In short, Lushkoff justifies his lies as a necessary tool for survival, not as a matter of choice or moral indifference.

Given: Sergei offers Lushkoff work — chopping wood — instead of giving him money directly.

Answer:
No, Lushkoff is not a willing worker. He is lazy, weak, and broken down by alcohol. He is not used to physical labour and finds it difficult. In fact, we later learn from Olga that Lushkoff did not chop a single stick of wood himself — she did all the work on his behalf.

Reason he agrees to chop wood:
Lushkoff agrees to work for Sergei because he has no choice. He is trapped — he cannot refuse because:
1. He has been caught lying and is ashamed.
2. Sergei gives him an ultimatum: work or receive nothing.
3. He desperately needs money to buy alcohol and food.

Thus, he agrees not out of willingness or a desire to reform, but out of sheer necessity and helplessness.

Given: Two years after their first meeting, Sergei meets Lushkoff at a theatre, now well-dressed and apparently doing well. Lushkoff tells him he earns thirty-five roubles a month as a notary.

Answer:
Sergei says this because he believes that his stern lectures, moral advice, and the opportunity he gave Lushkoff to work have transformed the beggar into a responsible, self-sufficient man. He feels proud that his intervention — scolding Lushkoff for his dishonesty and making him do honest work — has brought about a positive change.

Is he right?
Sergei is only partially right. He did play a role in Lushkoff's transformation by giving him a chance and refusing to simply hand out money. However, the real credit belongs to his cook, Olga. As Lushkoff himself reveals, it was Olga who:
- Did the wood-chopping work on his behalf without complaint.
- Wept for him, called him a drunkard and a miserable man, and showed him genuine compassion.
- Through her noble deeds and kind words, touched his heart and inspired him to change.

So while Sergei's role was important in setting the process in motion, he is mistaken in taking full credit. The true agent of change was Olga's silent suffering and selfless kindness.

Given: Lushkoff meets Sergei at a theatre and tells him he is now working as a notary, earning thirty-five roubles a month.

Answer:
Lushkoff is obliged to Sergei because it was Sergei who first gave him an opportunity to do honest work instead of begging. Specifically:

1. Sergei refused to give him money directly and instead offered him work — chopping wood, shovelling snow, and tidying the woodshed. This forced Lushkoff to engage in some form of honest labour.
2. Sergei later gave him a letter of recommendation to a friend, which helped Lushkoff get the job of a notary.
3. Sergei's moral intervention — his scolding and lectures about honesty — planted the first seed of self-reflection in Lushkoff.

Without Sergei's initial push, Lushkoff would have continued begging and drinking. The job that now earns him thirty-five roubles a month is a direct result of the chain of events that began with Sergei's help. Hence, Lushkoff is deeply obliged to him.

Given: At the end of the story, Lushkoff tells Sergei the truth about who really changed his life.

Answer:
Olga, Sergei's cook, is the true saviour of Lushkoff. She saved him in the following ways:

1. She did his work for him: Whenever Lushkoff came to chop wood, Olga would do the chopping herself. She took pity on him because he was weak and incapable of hard labour due to his drinking.

2. She spoke to him with compassion and honesty: Olga would weep for him, call him a drunkard and a lost soul, and lament his wasted life. Her words were not harsh judgements but expressions of genuine sorrow and concern.

3. Her noble deeds touched his heart: Lushkoff says he cannot fully explain why her words and actions affected him so deeply, but seeing a woman silently suffer and work on his behalf — without expecting anything in return — filled him with shame and inspired him to change.

4. She gave him a reason to reform: Her selfless kindness made him feel unworthy of her goodness. This feeling of unworthiness and gratitude motivated him to stop drinking and start living honestly.

In Lushkoff's own words: *"She set me right and I shall never forget it."* Olga's quiet, compassionate humanity achieved what Sergei's lectures and moral pressure could not — a genuine, lasting transformation of Lushkoff's character.

This is an open-ended discussion question. Here is a well-structured response:

Begging is a complex social problem rooted in poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and sometimes exploitation. We can help beggars and work towards abolishing begging through the following measures:

At the Individual Level:
- Instead of giving money directly (which may be misused), offer food, clothing, or other necessities.
- Support genuine NGOs and charitable organisations that work with the homeless and destitute.
- Treat beggars with dignity and compassion, as Olga did in the story.

At the Social Level:
- Encourage skill development and vocational training programmes for beggars so they can earn an honest livelihood.
- Support rehabilitation centres that help beggars — especially those addicted to alcohol or drugs — recover and reintegrate into society.
- Raise awareness about the difference between genuine need and organised begging rackets.

At the Government Level:
- Implement and strengthen social welfare schemes such as food security, free education, and employment guarantee programmes.
- Enforce laws against the exploitation of children and disabled persons for begging.
- Set up shelters and care homes for the homeless, elderly, and destitute.

Conclusion:
As the story *The Beggar* shows us, what truly transforms a person is not charity alone, but genuine human compassion combined with an opportunity to work and rebuild self-respect. A combination of individual kindness and systemic support is the most effective way to abolish begging.