Pavadinimu “Vagis” norima lyg pabrėžti socialinį žmogaus vaidmenį visuomenėje (atstumtas, nepageidaujamas, pažeidžiantis visuomenės normas). Tačiau novelėje iškyla kita žmogaus reikšmė – dvasingoji. Dėmesio centre ne vagis, o pasakotojas, kurio gyvenimas ir dvasinė būsena nulemta susitikimo su vagimi. Pavadinimas aiškus, trumpas ir konkretus. Šio žodžio prasmė išreiškia laikinumą, nuodėmę, nusikaltimą, praradimą… Vagis, paimdamas svetimą daiktą, praturtėja materialiai, bet jo dvasia skursta ir menkėja.
Jonas Biliūnas (11 April 1879 – 8 December 1907) was a Lithuanian writer, poet, and a significant participant in the national awakening of Lithuania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of his works are short stories, and often have autobiographical inclusions dealing with his own personal life's experiences. Liūdna pasaka (A Sad Tale) is his longest work and is a psychological drama dealing with the Uprising of 1863. In this work the main character, a woman, is driven to ruin as a consequence of the uprising, and her story is told from a psychological vantage point. During the period between 1900 and 1905, Biliūnas wrote approximately fifteen poems, including several sonnets. These sonnets were influenced by his studies of Petrarch. Most critical reviews of his poems are of the opinion that they fall short of his other writings. Interestingly Biliūnas wrote several articles concerning literary criticism, which are highly regarded and considered to show his depth of perception concerning the subjects he dealt with.
Most of Jonas Biliūnas' works were published posthumously, and have been translated in many different languages.
Vienas iš įsimintiniausių man Biliūno kūrinių, žmogžudystė yra toks dalykas, kuris sukelia tokią psichologinę traumą, kad net jeigu širdyje tiki, kad tas žmogus to nusipelnė, tas įvykis visada seks kaip šešėlis. Po šio įvykio tik pas psichologą eit