Creatures That Once Were Men

"Creatures That Once Were Men" by Maksim Gorky is about the lives of people struggling with poverty and hardship, focusing on the idea of lost humanity and hope. The main character, Aristid Kuvalda, who is a captain, manages a rundown dosshouse filled with poor people, each having difficult experiences dealing with loss to work. The story starts with a detailed description of a sad street along with worn-down huts and the worn-down dosshouse managed by Kuvalda. As the captain talks and interacts with the people, the readers learn their stories, and their pasts filled with loss. The book has a heavy feeling, showing the sadness of their lives, but has little bits of humor along with philosophical thoughts about life and maintaining respect despite their sad situations. This prepares for a strong examination of the ability to recover combined with a critic of society.