"Ssanin" is a novel by M. Artsebashev about the complex relationship between an intellectual and a commoner, about the search for the meaning of life and love. The main character, Ssanin, a representative of the intellectual youth, turns out to be caused by a competition for his inner freedom and a desire for self-improvement. In the novel, the author reveals the problems of morality and ethics, demonstrating the conflict of civilizational and ideological principles. "Ssanin" is not only a story about the individual development of the hero, but also a deep psychological study of society at the beginning of the 20th century.