THINK ABOUT IT

Page 67

Q1. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Answer: Lushkoff has become a beggar by circumstance. He was a singer in a Russian choir and was sent away for drunkenness. He could not get work after that and was forced to beg to survive. He says, “I can’t get along without lying. No one will give me anything when I tell the truth, what can I do?” This shows that he feels trapped and has no other choice.

Q2. What reasons does he give to Sergei for his telling lies?
Answer: Lushkoff gives the reason that no one would give him anything when he told the truth. He states that he was a victim of calumny and lost his place as a schoolteacher through intrigues. He felt that lying was the only way to get pity and some money from people.

Q3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Answer: Lushkoff is not a willing worker. It is obvious from his gait that he is unhealthy and has no inclination for toil. He agrees to chop wood for Sergei because he has been trapped by his own words. He is embarrassed at being caught in a lie and agrees to work out of pride and shame.

Q4. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Answer: Sergei says this because he sees Lushkoff two years later, well-dressed and working as a notary. He believes that his words of advice and the work he gave Lushkoff are responsible for the positive change. He is not entirely right in saying this, as Lushkoff later reveals that it was not Sergei’s words but the cook, Olga’s, who truly saved him.

Q5. Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
Answer: Lushkoff is obliged to Sergei for giving him the opportunity to work. It was Sergei who first offered him the job of chopping wood, and later offered him cleaner work as a copyist with a letter of recommendation. This allowed Lushkoff to pull himself out of the “pit” of begging and start a new life.

Q6. During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?
Answer: Olga saved Lushkoff by showing him compassion and kindness. She would sit opposite him and scold him for his drunkenness, but she would also feel pity for him and weep. The “chief thing was” that she would chop the wood for him. She saw the good in him and felt compassion, and this simple act of kindness and her noble deeds caused a change in his heart. It was her unconditional kindness and love that set him right and inspired him to change his ways.