Fyodor Sologub's 'The Little Demon' is a chilling masterpiece of Russian Symbolism, offering a scathing critique of provincial life and moral decay at the turn of the 20th century. The novel centers on Ardalion Peredonov, a petty schoolteacher consumed by paranoia and a virulent hatred for everyone around him. His descent into madness is meticulously detailed, as he imagines conspiracies and torments those he perceives as threats. Sologub masterfully weaves a narrative that explores themes of delusion, obsession, and the destructive power of a poisoned mind, making it a profound psychological study and a timeless commentary on human cruelty and the dark corners of the soul.