The Beggar Summary Class 9 English Moments Chapter 9

Key Points of the Story

1. Sergei's Assistance and Beliefs

• Sergei, an advocate, decided to help Lushkoff, believing that honest labour would reform him.
• He offered Lushkoff the task of chopping wood, thinking it would instill discipline and responsibility.

2. Olga’s Silent Support

• Olga, the cook, had a different approach. Though she scolded Lushkoff, she helped him by secretly chopping the wood for him.
• Her kindness, though concealed beneath a sharp tongue, left a lasting impact on Lushkoff.

3. Sergei's Satisfaction and Olga’s Role

• Sergei felt proud, thinking he had put Lushkoff on the right path, with Lushkoff now earning five copecks daily.
• However, it was Olga’s humane and silent support that truly reformed Lushkoff, showing that compassion can be more effective than stern guidance.

4. Lushkoff’s Gratitude

• Lushkoff eventually thanked Sergei but credited Olga for his transformation, acknowledging her actions as the real catalyst for the change in his heart.

Detailed Summary

• The Desperate Beggar’s Plea: In a bustling town, a poor, hungry man named Lushkoff approached Sergei, an advocate, seeking help. Dressed in ragged clothes, he shared his desperate plight of going three days without food or shelter. He claimed to have been a schoolteacher but lost his job due to false accusations. Sergei, however, recognized him as someone who had previously posed as an expelled student. Seeing through his lies, Sergei felt disgusted by Lushkoff’s deception
• Lushkoff’s Confession: Caught in his lies, Lushkoff admitted the truth. He confessed that he was not a schoolteacher but a former choir singer dismissed due to drunkenness. Desperate, he explained that he resorted to lying because no one helped him when he told the truth.
• Sergei’s Offer of Work: Moved by a mixture of pity and frustration, Sergei offered Lushkoff a job chopping wood. Though reluctant, Lushkoff accepted the offer out of pride and shame. As Sergei watched Lushkoff’s weak attempts to work, he felt sympathy for the man’s weakened state.
• A Regular Worker: Lushkoff gradually became a regular worker for Sergei, performing various menial tasks for small pay. Despite his initial reluctance, he continued to work, earning a small income and receiving old clothes as gifts.
• Olga’s Hidden Kindness: Over time, Lushkoff's situation improved. He later revealed to Sergei that his positive transformation was mainly due to Olga, the cook, who not only scolded him but also secretly chopped the wood on his behalf. Her quiet acts of kindness deeply impacted Lushkoff and led him to change his ways.
• A Transformed Life: Two years later, Sergei encountered Lushkoff, now a successful notary earning a respectable income. Lushkoff expressed his gratitude to both Sergei and Olga, acknowledging that while Sergei set him on the right path, it was Olga’s compassion that truly transformed his life.

Theme/ Message

Themes:

• Redemption through work and mentorship: Honest labour and guidance can bring about personal growth and redemption.
• The impact of kindness and second chances: Compassion and understanding can have a profound effect on an individual’s transformation.
• Transformation and personal growth: Small acts of kindness can set the stage for life-changing transformations.

Message:

• Hard work, guidance, and compassion can lead to personal transformation and success.
• Small, selfless acts of kindness can change someone’s life trajectory for the better.

Difficult Words

• Copecks: Russian coin equal to one hundredth of a rouble.
• Calumny: Making false and defamatory statements about someone to damage their reputation.
• Suppliant: A person making a humble plea to someone in power or authority.
• Mendicant: A beggar.
• Swindling: Cheating a person of money.
• Perplexity: State of being puzzled; bewilderment.
• Irresolutely: Hesitantly; undecidedly.
• Billet: A thick piece of wood.
• Waif: A homeless person.
• Sot: A habitual drunkard.
• Roasting: Scolding.
• Shovel: Remove snow with a shovel.
• Notary: An official authorized to perform legal activities, such as witnessing signatures and certifying documents.
• Trajectory: The path followed by a moving object.