Mune izvi Nguva inoshungurudza uye inotyisa zvekuti inotambudza vanhu vekuEurope, nedambudziko rezvehupfumi, rezvematongerwo enyika uye remasangano rakayeukwa kubvira Hondo Yenyika Yechipiri, ndiri kutsigira kukurudzira, pese pandinobvunzwa, kuverenga kwakasimba kwe Amai vaMáximo Gorki.
Gorky inoratidza mune iri basa iro kumuka kwevashandi, kurwira avo kodzero izvo zvakasikwa kumunhu uye izvo, panguva iyoyo, zvaive kutsikwa neTsarism (Hurumende, chechi, vatongi, mapurisa nemauto).
Gorky anotaurira nyaya ye pelagia, inozivikanwa se "Mai vachoe ”, hunhu hunomiririra iyo kumutsa kwevashandi vekuRussia kune chaicho chemagariro, akadaro kumutswa kwakatungamira mukurwa kwaizotora hupenyu hwevamwe vatambi.
Mushure mekufa kwemurume waPelagia, uyo anomutambudza, zvese panyama uye nepfungwa, kusvika panguva yekufa kwake, mwanakomana wake, Pavel, anowedzera kuchengetedzwa. Pasina nguva Pelagia aizoona, mushure memusangano kumba kwake, kuti zvikonzero zveiyi nyika zviri maari Zvematongerwo enyika kutenderera, mutungamiri weSocialist mufekitori ari kushanda. Misangano yaiwedzera kuitika nekufamba kwenguva, mune misoro yaikurukurwa, iri kutaurwa nhasi, uye iyo, zvishoma nezvishoma, vanoita kuti amai vabve mukutya ikoko kwakakurudzirwa neTsarism kuti ive, zvichitevera kusungwa kwemwanakomana wake nezvikonzero zvematongerwo enyika, mumumiriri, achitora mapepa kuenda kufekitori yemwanakomana wake, achiendesa mapepanhau zvisiri pamutemo kunzvimbo dzekumaruwa kana kuendesa magariro ehunhu kuvashandi.
Pakupedzisira, Pavel nevamwe vake vanotongerwa kujeri muSiberia mukutongwa kwaizonzi pantomime. Nguva pfupi yapfuura, uye kana amai vava kuda kutakura zvinyorwa zvisiri pamutemo zvematongerwo enyika zvakare, vanoona kuti akateverwa neTsarist spy, achisungwa nekurohwa zvakaipisisa.