What Men Live By Characters

Semyon is an impoverished Russian peasant who struggles to make ends meet as a shoemaker. Semyon feels oppressed by his financial hardships and resentful of his neighbors, whom he considers stingy and selfish when they… read analysis of Semyon

Mikhail is the strange man whom Semyon finds naked and freezing on the roadside. He later becomes an unofficial member of Matryona and Semyon’s family, moving in with them and working as Semyon’s shoemaking apprentice… read analysis of Mikhail

At the beginning of the story, Semyon’s wife Matryona is defined by many of the same worries and beliefs that shape her husband’s character. When she is first introduced, she is absorbed in frugal… read analysis of Matryona

The gentleman is a customer who comes to commission boots from Semyon after Mikhail’s workmanship has given the business a good reputation. The gentleman is extremely well-fed and large—so large, in fact, that Semyon’s… read analysis of The Gentleman