As usual, Dostoyevsky presents us in "The Parable" another portrait of the human psyche. Golyadkin is a man of dual personality... Those who saw him from the outside would simply call him mad... Dostoyevsky, however, sees him from within, living his psychological experience with him, and therefore hardly laughs at him. On the contrary, he highlights the tragic side of the life of a person suffering, not only from social injustice, but also from a psychological illness that may be related to social injustice. Anyone who is unable, with at least a personal experience, to see what Dostoyevsky sees in his hero from the inside will be unable to grasp the full psychological depth in his portrayal of this hero's character with his discerning eye and skillful pen. In "A Painful Tale" we see a sharp critique, even sarcasm, of the Russian bureaucracy during the great reforms of the reign of Alexander II. At that time, a generation of new men emerged, idealistic men calling for liberal reforms. But in this story, Dostoevsky describes the comical turmoil within the souls of such men, and reveals the lack of resolve within the bureaucrats who belong to this new system. Dostoevsky takes the high-ranking official, "General Civilian," Bralinsky, as his model. Bralinsky is an ambitious man who is enthusiastic about the social renaissance that was shaking people's souls at that time. He considers himself a liberal, speaks eloquently and rhetorically about new ideas, advocates humanism, and calls for the good treatment of subordinates. However, the result is the opposite, and it is revealed that his liberalism was nothing more than a passing whim.