The village of Stepanitchikovo and its inhabitants

In this novel, we see the two ideal types of Dostoevsky that appear in almost all his works: the gentle human and the fierce human. Although the novel takes a humorous turn, its characters are clearly divided into these two traits. Colonel Rostanov is a lovable person, tolerant even of abuse, and willingly submits to his mother's will, even being ready to marry a wealthy girl he does not love. He accepts the humiliation and contempt he receives from his mother, who believes the lies of Voma Fomch, who controls her life and his, and behaves in a way that reaches the level of amusing ridicule with everyone in the house, even in the whole village. This hypocrite's soul is filled with hatred, envy, and a desire for dominance and control, and he has become a tyrant who mocks everyone around him, ridicules them, and mocks them. He preaches morality, talks about religion, and claims he will become a monk after finishing his "Great Literature Book." But all of this is nothing but lies and hypocrisy; he writes nothing, and all he wants is to keep control over his mother to ensure a comfortable shelter and luxurious life in Stepanitchkovo.