On Earth is the second part of Gorky's autobiographical novel trilogy. The novel describes the life of the protagonist Aletha from 187 1 to 1884. During this period, in order to make a living, he and his grandmother worked hard to pick wild fruits, worked as apprentices for draftsmen, worked as dishwashers on ships, and worked as apprentices in icon workshops. On the road of life, he has experienced many ups and downs, dealing with all kinds of people at the bottom of society and having the opportunity to read a lot of books. Aletha's life experience and extensive reading broadened his horizons, and he was determined to "be a strong man and not give in to the environment". With such a firm belief, he left his hometown and came to Kazan.

My University is the third in Gorky's autobiographical novel trilogy.

The novel tells the story that Aletha, who suffered from human sufferings, came to Kazan with the ideal of going to college and soon took part in secret revolutionary activities. Poor life made him wander the Volga River, living with porters, thieves and beggars. Later, he found a job in a bakery, spread revolutionary ideals to workers, joined a secret organization of college students, and encouraged workers to strike. Corruption and personal difficulties in Russia led him to commit suicide and get injured. After his illness, he left Kazan with new strength and set foot on the road of wandering again.