The universally despised first-person narrator from "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" initially wanted to commit suicide, but he lacked the strength to do so. Now he has fallen asleep in his armchair and dreams of flying to an unknown planet. This planet turns out to be a second Earth, before the fall from grace, but that changes with the arrival of the dreamer; he quickly infects the innocent inhabitants with all the evils of Russia during Dostoevsky's time, such as corruption, cruelty, and slavery. In addition to this famous satirical-fantastical novella, the volume also includes the stories "A Stupid Story," "Bobok," "The Crocodile," and "The Boy with Mr. Jesus at Christmas.".