Story Title: The Imp and the Crust by Leo Tolstoy

Point of View
"The Imp and the Crust" is told from a third-person omniscient point of view,
meaning the narrator knows what all the characters, including the imp and the
peasant, are thinking and feeling.

Genre: Moral Fable or Moral allegory or Parable ( if asked to justify in your

exams, you have to have to be able to reason with proper context. Note that
fable, allegory and parable have different meanings )
*The story is a moral fable. A moral fable is a short story, often involving animals or
supernatural elements, that teaches a moral lesson. In this case, the story uses
characters like the imp and symbolic animals to convey its message about greed and
morality.
**While moral allegory is also a fitting term, as it emphasizes how characters,
events, and symbols in the story represent broader moral or spiritual ideas. "The Imp
and the Crust" is also an allegory because the imp, the peasant, and the crust of bread
all represent deeper moral concepts.
***"The Imp and the Crust" is also parable that teaches a moral lesson about greed
and fairness. The parable illustrates the idea that greed and taking advantage of others
can lead to one's downfall. It highlights themes of fairness, the consequences of
unethical behavior, and the importance of treating others with respect. The story is
structured to teach a moral lesson through its narrative and the eventual outcome of
the characters' actions.

Summary
The story is a cautionary tale against the dangers of alcohol. The story opens with a
peasant preparing to plow a field. Having gone without breakfast, he is careful to hide
his dinner, a small crust of bread, under his coat. The poor peasant realizes that his
breakfast was stolen by someone. However he blesses whoever stole the crust of
bread as the person who stole it might have been hungry. An imp, angry at the
peasant's goodness, tempts him to become greedy. He realizes that alcohol can bring
out human vices. Over time, the peasant turns selfish and mean, losing his moral
values, showing how giving in to temptation can lead to bigger mistakes and moral
downfall. This nature of human being is explored through series of symbolism.
Symbolisms Used in the Story
I) The Crust of Bread: Stands for basic needs and choices—whether to be generous
or greedy. At first, it's a symbol of kindness.
II) The Imp: Represents the temptation to do wrong and the influence of evil,
whispering bad ideas to the peasant.
III) The Uninvited Peasant: Symbolizes the test of being kind and generous. How the
peasant who becomes rich, treats the uninvited peasant shows his changing character.
IV) Animals (Fox, Wolves, and Swine): The fox stands for trickiness and lies, like
how the imp tricks the peasant. Wolves represent the peasant’s growing greed and
harshness. Swine symbolize the peasant’s moral decay, showing how he becomes
greedy and uncaring. Collectively the imp says the nature of beast is inherent in
human beings, if one gives into temptation, all our vices will manifest in the worst
ways.

Two Main Themes

One important theme in "The Imp and the Crust" is how greed can corrupt a person.
The story shows that starting with a small act of selfishness can lead to bigger
problems. The peasant, who was once kind, becomes more and more greedy because
of the imp's influence, eventually forgetting what is truly important.

Another main theme is the struggle between good and evil inside every person.
The imp stands for evil, always tempting the peasant to make bad choices, while the
peasant's original kindness shows his potential for good. The story teaches that we all
have to make choices that will either help us grow as good people or lead us down the
wrong path.

Below are the collected Q and A from the net. (probable question that might come
in board exam)
1.What advice did the imp(in the guise of pilgrim) give the peasant?
The imp turned himself into a labouring man and took service with the poor
peasant.The first year he advised the peasant to sow corn in a marshy place.The year
turned out to be a dry one but poor peasant's corn grew thick and tall and full eared
and he had enough for the full and besides much left over also.
The next year the imp advised the peasant to sow on hill and it turned out to be a wet
summer.when other peoples corn were rotted, peasant's crop was fine and had much
left over than before.The peasant did not knew what to do with it all.Then the imp
showed the peasant how he could mash the grain and distil spirit from it.
2.Describe the change that overcame the peasant?
The peasant became a greedy man when he had more than enough.The man who had
not grudge his last crust, started behaving like a beastly man.He scolded his wife for
spilling the glass of wine when she accidentally tumbled and spilled the wine.He was
not ready to offer wine to the poor peasant who came to his party uninvited. Only the
rich peasants were invited to his party.And they all drank including the peasant ,and
started making false oily speeches to one another under the influence of wine.Thus the
peasant who was once a humble, noble and kind man, became greedy and
unkind ,and started behaving like a beast when he became rich.

3. How did the peasants and the guests behave under the influence of wine?
The peasant and the guests started drinking together and started making false oily
speeches to one another and started behaving like foxes trying to get round like one
another..When they had another glass their talks became wilder and rougher and
instead of oily speeches they began to abuse and snarl at one another .Soon they took
to fighting and punched one another's noses like wolves.The peasant also joined the
fight and he too got well beaten.
When the peasants had their third glass they started behaving like swines.They
became quite like brutes .They muttered and shouted not knowing why and were not
listening to one another.Then the party began to break up and all were staggering
down the street.The peasant went out to speed his guests but he fell on his nose into a
puddle, smeared himself from top to toe and lay there grunting like a hog.

4. What do you mean by "the blood of the beast is always in man"?

"The blood of the beast is always in man" means that the beastly behaviour is
always hidden inside man. But as long as he has only enough corn for his needs, it is
kept in bounds.When the peasant was poor and had just only enough corn for his
needs, he did not grudge his last crust. He was not at all angry when he found that his
bread was stolen.Instead he told to himself that he was not going to die of hunger and
whoever took the bread might have needed it and is blessing the person saying, may it
do good to him.
But when the peasant had corn left over, he looked for ways of getting pleasure out of
it. To add on, the imp showed him a way of getting pleasure ,that is, indulging into
alcohol. Predictably when the peasant began to turn God's gifts into spirits for his own
pleasure the fox's. wolf's and swine's blood which was in him all came out.If the
peasant goes on drinking he will always be a beast.
5) How does the stories ‘The Bet’ by Anton Chekov and ‘The Imp and the Crust’ by
Leo Tolstoy delve into the theme of human nature?
Both "The Bet" by Anton Chekhov and "The Imp and the Crust" explore aspects of
human nature, though in different ways.
"The Bet delves into human nature through the themes of greed, pride, and the search
for meaning. It examines how a bet between a banker and a lawyer, regarding the
value of life imprisonment versus death, reveals the depths of human motivation and
the consequences of extreme decisions. The lawyer's isolation leads to a profound
transformation in his understanding of life, highlighting the complexities of human
nature and the impact of materialism and existential contemplation.

Meanwhile "The Imp and the Crust" is a parable that explores human nature
through the themes of greed and justice. The imp’s act of taking the bread and the
subsequent punishment reveal how selfish actions and exploitation can lead to one's
downfall. It reflects on the moral aspects of human behavior, illustrating that ethical
conduct and respect for others are essential for harmony and fairness in society.

Both stories use their narratives to reflect on fundamental aspects of human behavior,
though "The Bet" focuses more on existential and philosophical dimensions, while
"The Imp and the Crust" emphasizes moral and ethical lessons.

P.S work hard. We have completed The Giver and Four stories. That’s 50 marks
for you.The story is so interesting, it might come in the exam. Unseen passage
and unseen poetry will be out of 50 marks.