Origins of Dostoyevsky's early literary work. The theme of a "poor clerk" in Russian Literature and the image of Makar Devushkin as compared to this tradition. An "ambitious" streak in Devushkin's character. Humanism and sentimentality in Poor Folk. The fantastic setting and the psychological approach in The Double. Further development of the theme of a "small man" (Mr. Prokharchin, A Weak Heart). The theme of "a dreamer" in Dostoyevsky's works (The Landlady, White Nights).