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Summary
The story “Beloved Boles” by Maxim Gorky is about loneliness, compassion, and human connection. It is narrated by a student who lived in a small apartment in Moscow, across from a Polish woman named Teresa.
At first, the student disliked Teresa. She looked rough, spoke in a deep voice, and often appeared drunk. Her coarse looks and behaviour frightened him, so he kept his distance. However, one morning, Teresa came to him shyly and asked for a favour — she wanted him to write a letter to her lover, Boles, because she could not write.
As she dictated the letter, she called herself “thy sorrowing little dove,” which made the student almost laugh, since Teresa was big and strong. A few weeks later, she returned and asked him to write another letter — this time, one from Boles to her. The student became angry, thinking she was lying, but soon realised the truth: there was no Boles. Teresa had invented him out of her loneliness.
She explained that writing and listening to letters made her feel loved and less alone. Moved by pity, the student began writing letters both to and from Boles regularly. Teresa would listen and cry with joy. Later, she was arrested for unknown reasons, and the student never saw her again.
The narrator’s acquaintance who told this story concludes that people who suffer the most hunger most deeply for love and kindness, while society often judges them cruelly without understanding their pain.
Textual Question–Answers (While We Read)
a. How is Teresa’s physical appearance described?
She was tall, strong, with dark hair, thick eyebrows, a large coarse face, and a deep voice that frightened the narrator.
b. Why does the narrator say, “I never left my door open when I knew her to be at home”?
Because he was afraid of her rough appearance and strong voice.
c. How does Teresa’s tone change when she approaches the narrator for help?
She becomes soft, timid, and polite — very different from her usual rough manner.
d. What favour did Teresa expect from Mr. Student? How did he respond?
She wanted him to write a letter to her lover, Boles. The student agreed and wrote it for her.
e. What was the content of the letter dictated by Teresa?
It was a loving letter where she called Boles her “beloved” and “faithful lover,” asking why he hadn’t written to her.
f. What made the narrator burst out laughing?
He found it funny that the tall, strong Teresa called herself a “sorrowing little dove.”
g. Do you think Teresa is courteous?
Yes. She always addressed the student politely and thanked him sincerely for his help.
h. Why was the narrator astonished when Teresa asked him to write a second letter?
Because she said it was from Boles to her, which made him realise something strange was going on.
i. Why did the student get angry with Teresa?
He thought she was lying about Boles and trying to fool him.
j. What did the narrator guess about ‘Boles’ and ‘Teresa’?
He guessed that Boles was imaginary and that Teresa had made up the story.
k. Why do you think Teresa asked the student to write the letter?
Because she was extremely lonely and wanted to imagine that someone cared for her.
l. Why does the narrator go to Teresa’s apartment?
He feels bad for shouting at her and wants to comfort her and help her write the letter.
m. What does Teresa mean by, “Am I then not a human creature like the rest of you?”
She means that, like everyone else, she also needs love, care, and affection.
n. When does the narrator begin to feel empathy for Teresa?
When he realises that she invented Boles to escape her loneliness and pain.
o. Why does the student decide to continue writing letters for Teresa?
He pities her and wants to make her feel loved and happy, even if the letters are imaginary.
p. How did Teresa repay the narrator?
She began mending his torn clothes as a gesture of gratitude.
q. Why does Teresa cry when she listens to the letters?
Because they make her feel loved and cared for — something she had been missing all her life.
Let’s Rewind (Textual Comprehension)
1. How do the narrator’s preconceptions influence his initial interactions with Teresa?
He judges Teresa by her rough looks and behaviour, assuming she is bad or rude. Because of this, he avoids her and fails to see her kind heart at first.
2. What does the imaginary Boles represent for Teresa?
Boles represents the love, warmth, and companionship she longs for. He fills the emptiness in her lonely life.
3. “But enough of this. It is all as old as the hills.” — Comment.
This line means that loneliness and people’s hunger for love are ancient and universal human experiences. Gorky says such suffering is not new; it has always existed.
4. “Appearances can be deceptive.” How does this apply to the story?
At first, Teresa seemed rough and unpleasant, but later, the narrator realised she was kind and sensitive. The story teaches that outward appearances do not always show a person’s true nature.
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Activities
Activity 1 – Character Sketch of Teresa
Teresa is one of the most memorable characters created by Maxim Gorky. At first, she appears to be a rough, strong, and unfriendly woman. She is tall, broad-shouldered, and has a deep, hoarse voice. Her face looks coarse and tired, as if life has been unkind to her. Because of her looks and behaviour, people, including the narrator, misunderstand her and avoid her.
However, when Teresa comes to the student and shyly asks him to write a letter for her, a completely different side of her character is revealed. Behind her rough appearance lies a soft, kind, and sensitive heart. Her eyes, once hard, fill with tears as she speaks of her imaginary lover, Boles.
Her request is not a lie meant to deceive anyone — it is a desperate attempt to feel loved and cared for. Teresa invents Boles because she cannot bear her loneliness. She represents all those poor, neglected people who crave affection in a world that often ignores them.
Even though she cannot read or write, she respects education and feels thankful to the student who helps her. She even shows her gratitude by quietly mending his torn clothes. This simple act reveals her tenderness and goodness of heart.
Teresa’s story teaches us a timeless truth — people should not be judged by appearance. Beneath her rough exterior, she is loving, gentle, and deeply human. She symbolises the silent suffering of the poor and the power of love to give meaning to even the most painful life.
Activity 2 – Conversation between Mr. Student and His Classmate
Classmate: Hey, you look disturbed. What happened?
Student: It’s about the woman who lives opposite my room — Teresa.
Classmate: Oh, the tall Polish woman? I’ve seen her. She looks scary!
Student: That’s what I thought too. She seemed rough and unpleasant, so I always kept away from her.
Classmate: Did she trouble you?
Student: Not at all. One day, she came to me very politely and asked me to write a letter to her lover, Boles. I was surprised — she looked so shy and gentle.
Classmate: Really? That’s unexpected!
Student: Yes. Later, she asked me to write another letter — this time from Boles to her! I got angry, thinking she was lying. But then I realised there was no Boles.
Classmate: What? So she invented him?
Student: Yes. She was just lonely and wanted to feel that someone loved her. I felt ashamed of how I had judged her before.
Classmate: Poor woman! It must be painful to live without love or company.
Student: Exactly. Now I help her by writing letters so she can feel a little happiness.
Classmate: You did the right thing. Compassion is the best kind of humanity.
Activity 3 – Letter from Mr. Student to His Friend
Kottayam
October 15, 1920
Dear Alex,
I hope this letter finds you well. I want to share something that has touched me deeply. In the room opposite mine lives a woman named Teresa. At first glance, she looks rude and unkind — tall, strong, with a deep, harsh voice. I used to avoid her because she frightened me.
One day, she came to my door and asked me shyly to write a letter to her lover, Boles. I agreed, thinking it was an ordinary favour. But soon I discovered that there was no Boles — she had invented him to ease her loneliness. I cannot describe how sad I felt when I understood that truth.
Now, I write letters both to and from Boles for her. When she listens, tears roll down her cheeks, and she thanks me with such genuine gratitude. I have realised that loneliness can destroy a person’s spirit, and that even a small act of kindness can bring someone peace.
This experience has changed my heart. I have learned not to judge people by their appearance and to be more understanding. Teresa has taught me that compassion is the greatest language of all.
Yours affectionately,
Mr. Student
Activity 4 – Diary Entry by Mr. Student
Date: October 17, 1920
Place: Moscow
Today I experienced something that will stay in my heart forever. I finally understood Teresa — the woman I once feared and mocked. For months, I had thought she was rude and unpleasant, but now I see how wrong I was.
There is no real Boles. She had created him in her imagination, just to feel that someone loved her. Her loneliness broke my heart. I can still see her eyes filled with tears as she listened to me read her the letter I had written as “Boles.” In that moment, I realised how powerful human affection is.
I am ashamed of my earlier pride. Teresa’s suffering has taught me that every person, no matter how poor or rough, carries a heart that longs for love. I have promised myself never to judge people by their looks again. Today, I feel humbler and more human than ever before.
– Mr. Student
Activity 5 – Invitation
St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School
LITERARY CLUB INVITATION
The Literary Club of our school is organising a special Ethnic Day Celebration to promote the message of unity, equality, and acceptance in society.
We are proud to announce that Aishwarya Rituparna Pradhan, India’s first transgender civil service officer, will inaugurate the function and address the students on the topic “Humanity Beyond Labels.”
All students are requested to participate by wearing traditional attire representing our cultural diversity.
Date: 15 November 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Venue: School Auditorium
Come, celebrate our culture, respect for differences, and the values of kindness and inclusion that make us truly human.
Place: Kottayam
Date: 10.11.2024
Signature: Secretary, Literary Club