GOGOL'S OVERCOAT

I Recently Went Out for a Photo Walk and Came Across a Secondhand Bookstore

The other day, I was out taking photos when I stepped into a secondhand bookstore along my way. I was quite surprised to see a book I had read years ago sitting on the shelf. That book was The Overcoat, a collection of darkly humorous short stories. The author, Nikolai Gogol, is one of the leading figures in Russian literature.

The story introduces us to an ordinary, unremarkable clerk working in a government office. Our protagonist is a simple man who enjoys his modest job, is content with little, avoids attention, focuses on his work, dislikes socializing, and can be described as an invisible character.

Since winters in Russia are extremely harsh, staying warm is a serious challenge, and winter clothing like an overcoat is essential. Our main character, Akaky Akakievich, is a low-paid clerk barely making ends meet. He wears a patched-up overcoat that he takes to the tailor for repairs every year. His colleagues at the office, whose department remains unnamed, frequently mock him, primarily because of his tattered coat. At the time, an overcoat was considered a status symbol. When Akaky realizes that his coat can no longer be patched up, he decides to buy a new one and starts saving money. Unaccustomed to change, he finds the idea of a new coat overwhelming and enters a strange psychological state—yet he dreams of his new coat while making sacrifices, cutting back on food and drink to save up. After six months of frugality, he finally accumulates the necessary amount. With the help of a tailor friend, he gets a beautiful new coat.

Once he starts wearing the coat, his colleagues at the office begin to see him in a new light. They even suggest that he treat them to a meal in honor of his new coat. However, not long after acquiring it, tragedy strikes. One evening, while returning home from a dinner party at his boss’s house, Akaky is attacked. Not only is he injured, but his prized overcoat is stolen. He reports the incident to the police but receives little sympathy or assistance, leaving him deeply distressed. A friend advises him to seek help from a "person of great importance." Meek and timid, Akaky hesitantly presents his case to this official. Although the man is fundamentally kind, he is new to his position and eager to assert his authority. Moreover, since he happens to have a guest in his office at the time, he feels compelled to put on a show. Thus, he treats Akaky harshly, reprimands him excessively, and humiliates him, referring to him as a "ninth-grade clerk" in a condescending manner. Terrified, Akaky is eventually ejected from the office by an attendant, practically dragged out.

That evening, Akaky aimlessly wanders the streets of St. Petersburg in the cold and snow. Even before reaching home, his throat becomes inflamed. The next day, he wakes up with a fever, and his condition rapidly deteriorates. When the doctor arrives, he declares that Akaky only has a few days left to live. In his fevered state, Akaky begins to hallucinate, having bizarre visions of the coat thieves. A man with no one to protect him, no friends, and a life of insignificance, Akaky eventually breathes his last breath amidst delusions. His death is only discovered when the "person of great importance" sends his attendant to summon Akaky, only to learn that he has passed away.

But the story does not end there—it takes a turn into the realm of the fantastic.

I won’t reveal the rest; I recommend that you read it for yourself. The book is only 65 pages long, and I’ve already told you nearly everything—so I’ll leave the last ten pages to you. 😊

One thing that struck me when I first read The Overcoat was not just the story itself but also Gogol’s own life story. In his works, he explored themes of the "little man"—addressing social injustice, inequality, and internal human struggles. He vividly portrayed emotions like despair and loneliness, shedding light on the evils and injustices he witnessed during his time. In this particular story, he subtly criticizes politicians and the government.

Because of his writings, Gogol faced backlash from Tsarist Russia and was accused of denigrating Russia and its people.

There is a famous saying in literature: "We all came out of Gogol’s Overcoat." In one of his books, Dostoevsky referenced The Overcoat with this phrase, recognizing Gogol as a cornerstone of realism in Russian and world literature.

For 2024, I have a personal resolution to "read more books," and lately, I have been immersing myself in them more than ever. Since I’m drawn to literature that engages with social issues, I suspect I’ll be delving deeper into the classics of Russian literature for a while.

My humble advice to you: take a break from social media and pick up a book instead.

With love.