Mikhail Mikhailovich Zoshchenko was born in 1895 in Poltava in an artistic family. He is one of the most important writers of the mid-1920s. Having entered the group "The Serapion Brothers", which sought to separate art from politics, Zoshchenko wanted to become a professional writer. His creative work can be divided into three phases. At the beginning of the 20s, he writes stories that illustrate how the society '20s of the last century functioned. Zoshchenko condemned the vices of the society he lived in: philistinism, social arrogance, greed and lack of culture. In the 30s he starts looking for a way to "optimistic satire". The focus is placed on the search for human happiness, and not criticism of modern society. The third period covers the war and postwar years. Zoshchenko has created a new type of hero in Russian literature, "little man" without culture. Zoshchenko heroes want to become equal participants in society, which often leads to their suffering. This fact reinforces the comedy in his stories. As he wrote his stories, he never showed his true self and often hid behind the mask of a half-literate man. He was one of the few writers who managed to portray the problems of a “little man” on a small number of pages. His works have had a major impact on the development of satirical and humorous literature of the 20s and 30s.