Although rather simple in plot and structure, Gogol's short stories convey deep moral messages, urgent beyond time and place. One of them is the theme of a little man, who is a poor person, who is not respected by those in higher ranks and who is generally driven to despair by his living conditions. This is a socio-psychological type of person who is often pitifully aware of his insignificance, but it often happens that he dares to protest, which ultimately turns out to be fatal for him. As noted by Emily Hopkins (2011), this type of character functions as a contrast and a victim of an unjust system, which in addition to being unjust is deadly. In his series Stories from Saint Petersburg, Gogol develops this theme by focusing on the character of an ordinary employee. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe harsh school of life, which Gogol had gone through early in his career, trained him to create Nose, Diary of a Madman, Portrait, Le Pardessus and other stories. After moving to St. Petersburg, Gogol is struck by deep social contradictions and tragic disasters. From his own experience he learned about the living conditions of a poor employee, the circle of young artists and even the need for a new overcoat. This life experience helped Gogol to vividly show the city of St. Petersburg with its external splendor and deep internal social contrasts. Human and inhuman living conditions are the main underlying conflicts in Gogol's short stories. The author describes St. Petersburg as a city where human relations are distorted, where wickedness and cruelty triumph over justice and integrity. It’s a place where talent has no opportunity to develop. This terrible and senseless city becomes the scene of Poprishchin's significant incidents (in The Diary of a Madman), and the place where the life of poor Akaki Akakievich becomes unbearable (in The Overcoat). One of them loses his mind and the other dies during an unequal struggle against the harsh conditions of reality. The Diary of a Madman is without a doubt the most tragic story of the St. Petersburg Stories. The whole story is told by the hero and author of the Diary – Aksenti Ivanovich Poprishchin, a small official offended by everyone in his department. Poprishchin is of fairly noble origin, but very poor and makes no claims. His only responsibility is to sharpen his master's pencils. Poprishchin believes that rank creates reputation and that those who hold high rank are honest and respectable in his opinion. Poprishchin has his own socially legalized tastes, cultural and political interests, ideas of honor and self-respect, and even his cherished habits and dreams. In this world, created by himself, Poprishchin leads a rather self-satisfied life, without worrying about the fact that this life is actually an outrage on the personality and dignity of everyone. Poprishchin's conscience is in disarray and he begins to wonder why he is only a tenured advisor. , why everything is best owned by generals and other high-ranking figures. Offended human dignity awakens in Poprishchin and he dares to foment a rebellion. He completely loses his mind and thinks he is a king of Spain. This very idea appears to be a fantastical projection of these distorted conceptions of the world around it. Diary of a Madman is a cry of protest against the unjust moral principles of a world where everything is confused, where intelligence and justice are flouted. Poprishchin is both a 2.