Immediately after arriving in Moscow, Nikolenka feels the changes that have occurred to him. In his soul there is a place not only for his own feelings and feelings, but also for the compassion of others' grief, the ability to understand the actions of other people. He realizes all the inconsolability of the grief of his grandmother after the death of his beloved daughter, rejoices to tears that he finds the strength to forgive his elder brother after a stupid quarrel. Another striking change for Nikolenka is that he shyly notes the excitement that the twenty-five-year-old maid Masha causes in him. Nikolenka is convinced of her ugliness, envies Volodina’s beauty, and tries her best, albeit unsuccessfully, to convince herself that a pleasant appearance cannot make up all the happiness of life. And Nikolenka is trying to find salvation in thoughts of proud loneliness, which, he thinks, he is doomed to.

Grandmother is informed that the boys are playing with gunpowder, and although this is just a harmless lead shot, the grandmother blames the lack of childcare for Karl Ivanovich and insists on replacing him with a decent tutor. Nikolenka is having a hard time parting with Karl Ivanovich.

With Nikolenka, relations with the new French governor do not develop, he sometimes does not understand his impudence in relation to the teacher. It seems to him that the circumstances of life are directed against him. The case with a key, which, through negligence, it breaks, it is unclear why trying to open my father’s portfolio, finally brings Nikolenka out of emotional balance. Deciding that everyone specifically turned against him, Nikolenka behaves unpredictably - strikes the governor, in response to her brother's sympathetic question: "What is being done to you?" - shouts, how all nasty things to him and disgusting. He is locked in a closet and threatened to punish with rods. After a long imprisonment, during which Nikolenka is tormented by a desperate sense of humiliation, he asks his father for forgiveness, and convulsions are made with him. Everyone is afraid for his health, but after a twelve-hour sleep Nikolenka feels good and easy, and is even glad that his family worries about his incomprehensible illness.

After this incident, Nikolenka more and more feels lonely, and his main pleasure is secluded thoughts and observations. He observes the strange relationship between maid Masha and the tailor Vasily. Nikolenka does not understand how such rude relationships can be called love. Nikolenka’s circle of thoughts is wide, and he is often confused in his discoveries: “I think I think, what I think, and so on. Mind for reason went ... "

Nikolenka rejoices at Volodya's admission to the university and envies his adulthood. He notices the changes that are happening with his brother and sisters, watches how the aging father has a special tenderness for the children, experiences the death of his grandmother - and he is offended by the talk about who will get her inheritance ...

Before entering the university, Nikolenka remains a few months. He prepares for the Faculty of Mathematics and studies well. Trying to get rid of many of the shortcomings of adolescence, Nikolenka considers the main one to be a tendency toward inactive intellect and thinks that this tendency will bring him much harm in life. Thus, self-education attempts are manifested in it. Friends often come to Volodya - adjutant Dubkov and student Prince Nekhlyudov. Nikolenka is increasingly talking with Dmitry Nekhlyudov, they become friends. The mood of their souls seems to be the same to Nikolenka. Constantly improving himself and thus correcting all of humanity - Nikolenka comes to such an idea under the influence of her friend, and he considers this important discovery to be the beginning of his youth.