mechtátel

His isolation is so absolute that there is no mention of parents, siblings, or relatives in his life, nor does he have a network of human friends. In fact, when he speaks to Nashtenka about his life, he emphasizes precisely this total lack of connection:
His "friends" are the houses: Having no real friends, he confesses that his only companions are the facades of the houses and buildings of St. Petersburg. He feels that the houses speak to him, telling him when they are being painted or when they are undergoing renovations.
His only real company is his maid Matriona: He lived in a rented room where he only interacted with Matriona, an elderly, older and rather apathetic maid, with whom he barely exchanged any functional words.

It begins on a magical evening on the banks of a canal in St. Petersburg, when he rescues the heartbroken young woman from harassment and strikes up a conversation that shatters her years of utter isolation. Over four nights filled with confidences, she reveals that she has spent a whole year waiting for the return of the man she loves, who promised to come back and marry her. He, captivated by the girl's warmth and authenticity, breaks through his shell of fantasy and falls hopelessly in love with her for the first time in real life. As the nights pass and Nashtenka's fiancé seems unable to appear, the young woman, who had already warned him not to fall in love with her, is moved by the Dreamer's unconditional devotion and desperate from the pain of rejection. She offers him her affection and moments of hope, promising to try to love him and build a life with him. However, at the height of this shared illusion, Nashtenka's former love suddenly reappears in the darkness of the final night. She, driven by an irresistible impulse, runs into his arms without hesitation, leaving the Dreamer dejected but strangely grateful in the cold, gray morning that followed, aware that, despite the disappointment and the pain of its brevity, that moment of genuine love was enough to justify a whole existence of solitude; that ended up leaving him alone and broken on the balcony.

Awareness of his own tragedy: The Dreamer is not naive; he knows perfectly well that his lifestyle is a destructive escape. He refers to his fantasies as a "sin" and a "crime" against himself, because he knows that time passes while he only imagines living.
Terror of waking up: His greatest fear is that old age will arrive and he will realize that he has left no trace, that he hasn't lived anything real. Therefore, his encounter with Náshtenka represents his last chance to connect with the real world.
Innocence and nobility of spirit: Despite her loneliness, she harbors no resentment or bitterness towards society. She possesses an extremely generous and altruistic heart, capable of loving selflessly.

Social isolation: He is a young man of about 26 years old who lives on the social periphery of St. Petersburg. He doesn't seem to have any friends, close family, or a prominent work life; he spends his days wandering alone through the city streets.
Relationship with the city: He has an almost mystical connection with St. Petersburg. He doesn't relate to people, but to houses and buildings, to which he attributes personality, emotions, and mood swings.
The refuge in imagination: She lives in a constant state of fantasy. She constructs stories of love, heroism, and beauty in her mind to replace the drabness of her reality. Her imagination is so vivid that her dreams evoke real physical emotions (joy, tears, ecstasy).