The Little Demon · Chapter
XI explained
Peredonov visits the Police Commissioner Minchukov to complain about rumors and insinuate that young officials, including Volodin, are plotting against him.
What happens
Peredonov visits the Police Commissioner Minchukov to complain about rumors and insinuate that young officials, including Volodin, are plotting against him. Meanwhile, Varvara learns from Grushina that the new student Sasha Pilnikov is rumored to be a girl in disguise. Varvara tells Peredonov, who becomes curious. At home, a conflict erupts over missing raisins, which Peredonov secretly ate, but he blames the servant Klavdia.
Themes in this chapter
Madness and Paranoia
Peredonov's visit to the police commissioner is driven by paranoid suspicions about young officials and plots against him, reflecting his deteriorating mental state.
Hypocrisy and Social Facade
Peredonov puts on a show of piety by crossing himself elaborately in public, while secretly eating the raisins and blaming the servant, revealing the gap between appearance and reality.
Characters to notice
- Peredonov
Visits the Police Commissioner to complain about rumors and insinuate against young officials; later learns about Pilnikov and becomes curious.
- Varvara
Visits Grushina, hears the rumor about Pilnikov being a girl, and later tells Peredonov out of malice.
- Grushina
Tells Varvara the rumor that Sasha Pilnikov is a girl in disguise.
- Minchukov
The Police Commissioner; receives Peredonov and listens to his vague complaints about young officials.
- Klavdia
The servant; accused of stealing raisins that Peredonov actually ate, later finds the paper bag in his coat.
Key passages
“Peredonov was perturbed by everything he saw and heard in this place. He mumbled incoherent words and as he sat on his chair he tried to hold his cap in such a way that the Commissioner should see the badge.”
Peredonov felt unsettled by the police station's atmosphere, spoke unclearly, and positioned his cap to display his official badge prominently.
Highlights Peredonov's anxiety and his need to assert his status.
“I went to Vespers at the parish church on St. Pantelemon's day. She's very pious. 'Olga Vassilyevna,' I say to her, 'why do you keep only one student in your house now?' 'It seems to me,' I say to her, 'that one is not enough for you.'”
Grushina tells Varvara how she approached the landlady at church, hinting that having only one student boarder is suspicious.
Shows Grushina's manipulative gossip and the spreading of the rumor about Pilnikov.
“Peredonov tried to recall Pilnikov to his mind, but somehow he could not clearly visualise him. Until now, he had given little attention to this new pupil, and detested him for his prettiness and cleanness, and because he conducted himself so quietly, worked well, and was the youngest of the students in the fifth form.”
Peredonov had barely noticed Pilnikov before, but disliked him for his neat appearance and good behavior.
Reveals Peredonov's instinctive resentment of innocence and order.