A Desperate Character and Other Stories

"A Desperate Character and Other Stories" by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev is a compilation of short stories from the late 1800s that examines Russian society and the human mind, especially around ideas of hopelessness and the hunt for purpose. The first story is about Misha Poltyev, a young man who goes from a protected childhood to a destructive life, showing his change from a polite boy to a desperate man looking for comfort in bad habits. The narrator remembers a conversation about how people of the time felt desperate, which leads to the story of Misha Poltyev, as told by an older relative. Misha starts as a gentle boy raised with rules, however, after his parents pass, he quickly goes into a lifestyle of wild living and risky choices. This character shows the turmoil and disappointment of young people, spending a lot of money and acting carelessly, like drinking a lot and laughing at his own status. Misha's repeated dangerous adventures and self-harming actions create a sad picture of a hopeless character overwhelmed by what society expects and his own mistakes.