If anyone doubted the gloom and miserable poverty of Russia in the 1880s, the anarchist theorist Peter Kropotkin responded, "read only Chekhov's novels!" Raymond Tallis further recounts that Vladimir Lenin believed his reading of the short story Ward No.
This passage highlights the use of literature as a tool for understanding social realities. It suggests that Chekhov's works and the short story "Ward No." provided insights into the poverty of Russia in the 1880s, influencing individuals like Kropotkin and Lenin.