If I didn't know that this work has a philosophical and partial biographical point of view, I would consider it just a fairy tale. Peter Schlemil, suffering from poverty, puts his shadow on his magic wallet to avoid suffering. But this decision does not save him from suffering, on the contrary, it brings a new tragedy. The wealth thus obtained does not bring him happiness. This story reminds us that wealth is not happiness. There is something in life that cannot be exchanged for money. The protagonist forgot about it. The book has context.

Dear reader, if you want to live among people, remember that you must first be a shadow, and only then have money. If you want to live in order to develop and improve, you do not need advice. So, "What does this shadow represent?"
It is clear that the absence of shadows is a sign of agreement with the devil. The rest of the characters immediately see this flaw and immediately abandon Shlemil. In my opinion, the absence of a shadow means a person's place in the environment. Despite his immense wealth, he could not define his place in society.

At first, it seemed that the shadow also personified moral values, but Schlemil did not sell his soul. He learned a lesson from his mistake and did not repeat it again. If he sacrificed his life for the shadows, he would become a criminal. There are many such people in life. He failed the first test and failed again.

In addition, the man in the gray coat represents an evil swindler. That is, when signing a contract, you should think about the decision several times and not rush. No matter how many times the fraudster deceived ignorant people, he did not achieve real success and happiness. In life, everything is in demand. Shlemil also had a request. No matter how isolated he was from society, in the end new opportunities opened up for him.
Although he is a fairy-tale character, he promotes high moral values ​​and makes one think. Reading, the reader decides for himself. But in the end, the unexpected happens.                                                                                                                                                                                 

                     Skеndirova Kyrmyzy