The idea of ​​the overcoat. Overcoat - analysis of the work

The idea of ​​the story "The Overcoat" arose from N.V. Gogol under the influence of a real story told to him. One poor official had been saving up money for a very expensive gun for a long time. Having bought it and went hunting, the official did not notice how the priceless purchase slipped from the boat into the river. The shock of the loss was so strong that the unlucky hunter became seriously ill. The official's health began to improve only after his friends chipped in and bought him exactly the same gun.

Gogol took this amusing incident very seriously. He knew firsthand about the hard life of poor officials. In the first years of service in St. Petersburg, the writer himself "took off the whole winter in a summer overcoat."

Combining the main idea from the story of the official with his own memories, in 1839 Gogol began work on The Overcoat. The story was finished at the beginning of 1841 and first published a year later.

The meaning of the name

The overcoat in the story is not just a piece of clothing. She practically becomes one of the heroes of the work. Not only the happiness of poor Akaky Akakievich, but even his life, turn out to be dependent on an ordinary overcoat.

The main theme of the story is the plight of petty bureaucracy.

The protagonist Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin evokes unfeigned pity. The whole life path was destined for him from birth. At baptism, the child made such a face, "as if he had a presentiment that there would be a titular adviser."

Akaky Akakievich is just a cog in a huge bureaucratic machine. The work of an official consists in the primitive rewriting of documents. Akaky Akakievich is not capable of more.

The authorities treat Bashmachkin "coldly and despotically." In addition, he serves as a constant target for jokes from colleagues. Akaky Akakievich does not react in any way to ridicule. Only in extreme cases does he plaintively ask: “Leave me, why do you offend me?”.

In the eyes of those around him, Bashmachkin's life is boring and colorless. Although the official himself sees "a diverse and pleasant world" in his rewriting of papers. Akaki Akakievich does not even notice anything around, completely immersed in his monotonous work.

The “strong enemy” of all petty officials, the Russian frost, brings Bashmachkin out of his state of detachment. Akaki Akakievich understands with horror that buying a new overcoat is a severe necessity. The required sum could be accumulated only by the most severe economy and limitation of expenses. This led Bashmachkin to an even more disastrous financial situation, but, on the other hand, gave him his first real goal in life.

Dreaming of a new greatcoat, Akaki Akakievich seemed to be born again: "he became somehow more alive, even firmer in character." “Fire was sometimes shown in the eyes” of the obedient titular adviser.

The long-awaited realization of the dream became the most significant event in the life of Akaky Akakievich - "a great solemn holiday." Thanks to an ordinary overcoat, he felt like a different person and even agreed to go to a colleague's birthday, which he never did.

The bliss of Akaky Akakievich did not last long. Being attacked at night and having lost his dream, he fell into despair. The efforts to find the criminal did not help. The only means was the help of one "significant person". However, the sharp reception given to Bashmachkin by the general killed his last hope. "Proper scolding" led to a fever and an early death.

The figure of the titular adviser was so insignificant that in the service they learned about his funeral only on the fourth day. The replacement of the place by another official was completely painless for the work of the institution.

Issues

The main problem of the story lies in the fact that in the era of Gogol a huge number of people were the same Akaki Akakievich. Their lives passed without a trace and did not represent any value. For any higher official, Akaki Akakievich is not even a person, but a submissive and defenseless executor of orders.

The bureaucratic system breeds a soulless attitude towards people. A striking example is the “significant person”. This person "compassion was ... not alien", but the position he holds kills the best feelings in him. Upon learning of the death of the poor petitioner, the general feels remorse, but it quickly passes. The ending of the story with the appearance of the ghost of an official emphasizes that in real life the death of Akaky Akakievich would not have affected the established order in any way.

Composition

The story is a life story of the official Bashmachkin, the main event in which was the purchase of a new overcoat. The end of the work is the fantastic revenge of the deceased titular adviser.

What does the author teach

Gogol knew from his own experience what a negative impact on a person his cramped financial situation has. He calls to pay attention to the downtrodden and humiliated people, to pity them and try to help, because their lives may depend on it.

Analysis of the story "The Overcoat"

Often thinkers and literary critics agree that Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol became the most mysterious Russian writer. In this article, we will consider the analysis of the story "The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol, trying to penetrate the subtle intricacies of the plot, and Gogol is a master in building such plots.

The story "The Overcoat" is a story about one "little man" named Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin. He served as the simplest copyist in an unremarkable county town, in the office. However, the reader can think about what the meaning of a person’s life may be, and one cannot do without a thoughtful approach, which is why we are analyzing the story “The Overcoat”.

The main character "Overcoat" So, the main character Akaki Bashm Achkin was a "little man". This concept is widely used in Russian literature. However, more draws attention to his character, way of life, values ​​and attitude. He doesn't need anything. He detachedly looks at what is happening around him, there is emptiness inside him, and in fact, his slogan in life is: "Please leave me alone." Are there such people today? All around. And they are not interested in the reaction of others, they care little about what anyone thinks about them. But is it right? For example, Akaki Bashmachkin. He often hears ridicule addressed to him by fellow officials. They tease him, saying hurtful words and competing in wit. Sometimes Bashmachkin will remain silent, and sometimes, raising his eyes, he will answer: "Why so?"

Making an analysis of this side of the "Overcoat", the problem becomes visible social tension.

Bashmachkin's character

Akaki passionately loved his work, and this was the main thing in his life. He was engaged in rewriting documents, and his work could always be called neat, clean, done with diligence. And what did this petty official do at home in the evenings? After dinner at home, after returning from work, Akaky Akakievich paced up and down the room, slowly living through long minutes and hours. Then he sank into an armchair and throughout the evening he could be caught writing another scribble.

the meaning of human life in work is petty and bleak. Here is another confirmation of this idea. Then, after such leisure activities, Bashmachkin goes to bed, but what are his thoughts in bed about? About what he will copy in the service in the office tomorrow. He thought about it, and it pleased him.

The meaning of life this official, who was a "little man" and who was already in his sixties, was the most primitive: take paper, dip a pen into an inkwell and write endlessly - neatly and diligently. However, another goal in the life of Akaki, nevertheless, appeared. Other details of the analysis of the story "The Overcoat" Akakiy had a very small salary in the service. He was paid thirty-six rubles a month, and almost all of them went to food and housing. Here came the harsh winter - an icy wind blew and frost hit. And Bashmachkin walks in worn-out clothes that cannot warm on a frosty day. Here Nikolai Gogol very accurately describes the situation of Akaki, his old shabby overcoat, and the actions of the official. Akaki Akakievich decides to go to the workshop to repair his overcoat. He asks the tailor to fix the holes, but he announces that the overcoat cannot be repaired, and there is only one way out - to purchase a new one. For this thing he calls porn a gigantic sum (for Akaki) - eighty rubles. Bashmachkin does not have such money, he will have to save it, and for this it is worth entering a very economical mode of life. Analyzing here, one might think why this "little man" goes to such extremes: he stops drinking tea in the evenings, once again does not give his laundry to the laundress, walks so that his shoes are less washed ... Is it really all for the sake of a new overcoat, which he wears? then lose? But this is his new joy in life, his goal.

Gogol tries to encourage the reader to think what is most important in life, what to prioritize.

We briefly reviewed the plot, but singled out from it only those details that are needed in order to make a clear analysis of the story "The Overcoat". The main character is spiritually and physically untenable. He does not strive for the best, his condition is poor, he is not a person. After another goal appears in life, different from rewriting papers, it seems to change. Now Akaki is focused on buying an overcoat. Gogol shows us the other side. How heartlessly and unfairly others treat Bashmachkin. He suffers ridicule and bullying. In addition, the meaning of his life disappears after Akaki's new overcoat is taken away. He loses his last joy, again Bashmachkin is sad and lonely. Here, during the analysis, Gogol's goal is visible - to show the harsh truth of that time. "Little people" were destined to suffer and die, they were of no use to anyone and uninteresting. Just as the death of the Shoemaker did not interest his entourage and those who could help him. You have read a brief analysis of the story "The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol. In our literary blog you will find many articles on various topics, including analyzes of works.
Brief analysis

Year of writing – 1841.

History of creation- The story was created on the basis of an anecdote with a similar plot.

Subject- the theme of the "little man", a protest against social orders that limit the individual.

Composition- the narrative is built on the principle of "being". The exposition is a brief history of Bashmachkin's life, the plot is the decision to change the overcoat, the climax is the theft of the overcoat and the clash with the indifference of the authorities, the denouement is the illness and death of the protagonist, the epilogue is the news of the ghost stealing the overcoat.

Genre- story. A little something in common with the genre of "lives" of the saints. Many researchers find similarities in the plot with the life of the Monk Akaki of Sinai. This is indicated by the numerous humiliations and wanderings of the hero, his patience and rejection of worldly joys, death.

Direction- critical realism.

In The Overcoat, the analysis of a work is impossible without a background that prompted the author to create the work. Someone P. V. Annenkov in his memoirs notes a case when, in the presence of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, a “clerical anecdote” was told about a petty official who lost his gun, for the purchase of which he had been saving money for a long time. Everyone found the anecdote very funny, and the writer became gloomy and thought deeply, this was in 1834. Five years later, the plot will emerge in Gogol's "The Overcoat", artistically rethought and creatively reworked. This prehistory of creation seems very plausible.

It is important to note that writing the story was difficult for the writer, perhaps some emotional, personal experiences played a role: he was able to finish it only in 1841, thanks to the pressure of M. V. Pogodin, a well-known publisher, historian and scientist.

In 1843 the story was published. It belongs to the cycle of "Petersburg Tales", becomes the final and the most ideologically rich. The author changed the name of the protagonist during the work on the work Tishkevich - Bashmakevich - Bashmachkin).

The name of the story itself underwent several changes (“The Tale of the Official Stealing the Overcoat”) before the final and most accurate version, “The Overcoat”, reached us. Criticism accepted the work calmly; during the life of the author, it was not particularly noted. Only a century later it became clear that "The Overcoat" had a huge impact on Russian literature, on the historical understanding of the era and the formation of literary trends. Gogol's "little man" was reflected in the work of many writers and poets, created a whole wave of similar, no less brilliant, works.

The work is structured in such a way that we trace the entire life of the protagonist, starting from the moment of birth (where the story of why he was named Akakiy is mentioned) and to the most tragic point - the death of the titular adviser.

The plot is built on the disclosure of the image of Akaki Akakievich, his clash with public order, power and indifference of people. The problems of an insignificant creature do not bother the powerful of this world, no one notices his life, and even death. Only after death will justice prevail in the fantastic part of the story - about a night ghost taking overcoats from passers-by.

Issues“The Overcoat” covers all the sins of a well-fed, soulless world, makes the reader look around and notice those who are just as “small and defenseless” as the main character. Main thought stories - a protest against the lack of spirituality of society, against orders that humiliate a person morally, materially and physically. The meaning of Bashmachkin's phrase “Leave ..., why are you offending me?

” – contains both moral and spiritual and biblical context. What the work teaches us: how not to treat your neighbor. Idea Gogol is to show the impotence of a small person in the face of a vast world of people who are indifferent to other people's grief.

Composition

The composition is built on the principle of the life or "walking" of saints and martyrs. The whole life of the protagonist, from birth to death, is the same painful feat, a battle for the truth and a test of patience and self-sacrifice.

The whole life of the hero of "The Overcoat" is an empty existence, a conflict with public order - the only act that he tried to commit in his life. In the exposition of the story, we learn brief information about the birth of Akaki Bashmachkin, about why he was called that, about the work and inner world of the character. The essence of the plot is to show the need to acquire a new thing (if you look deeper - a new life, striking bold changes).

The climax is an attack on the protagonist and his clash with the indifference of the authorities. The denouement is the last meeting with the "significant person" and the death of the character. The epilogue is a fantastic (in Gogol's favorite style - satirical and terrifying) story about a ghost who takes overcoats from passers-by and eventually gets to his offender. The author emphasizes the impotence of a person to change the world and achieve justice. Only in the “other” reality the main character is strong, endowed with power, they are afraid of him, he boldly says in the eyes of the offender what he did not have time to say during his lifetime.

Main characters

We wrote a separate article about the heroes of the work - The main characters of "The Overcoat".

The story about the titular counselor is built on the principle of the lives of the saints. The genre is defined as a story, due to the scale of the content plan of the work. The story about a titular adviser who is in love with his profession has become a kind of parable, has acquired a philosophical connotation. The work can hardly be considered realistic, given the ending. She turns the work into a phantasmagoria, where bizarre unreal events, visions, strange images intersect.

reasoning
What is indifference?

An example of indifference from the work of N. V. Gogol "The Overcoat" (USE in Russian)

What is indifference? I'll try to think about it. I believe that indifference is one of the lowest and meanest feelings, characterized by a complete lack of compassion and understanding for other people. It seems to me that indifference can be attributed to the main signs of the lack of humanism.

In confirmation, I will give an example from the story of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol "The Overcoat". The main character of the work, Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, who works as a titular adviser, is constantly mocked by his colleagues for the sake of laughter. Timid and whimsical, Akaki Akakievich endures all this and can fight back only if he is prevented from working. Officials do not think about the pain, suffering and insult they cause to a person, thereby showing their indifference and heartlessness.

An example of indifference can be found in modern society. Increasingly, video clips appear on the news, the Internet and social networks, in which passers-by simply walk past a person who has become ill on the street, trying not to pay any attention to him. This whole situation is incredibly terrible! After all, a person can die, because people do not take any measures to help. And the scary thing is that many do not realize the full responsibility in such difficult moments. Alas, over time, indifference penetrates more and more into the hearts of people who do not understand or, rather, do not want to understand that it will destroy them. No wonder Gorky said: "Do not be indifferent, for indifference is deadly for the human soul."

So, we can say that indifference is one of the most important vices of mankind. I would like to believe that in the future people will become kinder and more responsive to each other. I am sure that only in such a society where respect and compassion reign, a person can feel happy.

Indifference

The story of N.V. Gogol "Overcoat.

Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin is constantly mocked by his colleagues for the sake of laughter. They do not think about the pain, suffering and insult caused to a person, showing indifference and heartlessness.

The story was written in 1841 and saw the light of day in 1843. It entered the "Petersburg Tales" (1830s - 40s) and gained great fame among enlightened readers. Petersburg stories are united by a common place of action - the city of St. Petersburg and a single problem of the "little man".

The work was included in the collection "Petersburg Tales" along with the works: "The Nose", "Nevsky Prospekt", "Portrait", "Arabesques". Gogol's work was most fully revealed in this famous cycle. You will learn the most important thing about him from the analysis from the Wise Litrekon.

According to the memoirs of P. V. Annenkov (Russian literary critic, literary historian and memoirist from a noble family), the story was born from an anecdote about a poor hunter who saved up for a gun for a long time. Hearing her, Gogol already then thought about creating a story about "an official stealing an overcoat." This estate was incredibly interesting for the author, because at an early stage he himself had to work in this environment in order to find means for living. All his observations are "written off" from real people and real circumstances. Work began in 1839 and he completed it in 1842.
The Russian State Library has an early version of the beginning of the story (an excerpt), which was dictated to Pogodin M.P. (historian, collector, journalist, fiction writer and publisher) in Marienbad.

Pogodin helped Gogol finish the story while the latter was in Rome and Vienna.
It is important to note that Belovaya Gogol's manuscript has not been preserved, so it is difficult for literary critics to determine whether it was censored. Contemporaries said that the story retained its main idea, but many interesting passages remained thrown out of it by vigilant thought guards from the censorship department.

Genre and direction

In the nineteenth century, a new literary trend, realism, is actively developing and supported by many writers. It is typical for him to touch upon acute social problems, for example, the relationship of different classes, poverty and wealth, morality and immorality in the context of the actions and relationships of the characters.

However, the works from "Petersburg Tales" are characterized by a more specific genre definition - fantastic realism. Within the framework of this direction, the author can more actively influence readers and use certain artistic means of expression (grotesque, hyperbole, author's fiction). Fiction in the story "The Overcoat" is an opportunity to show the hopelessness of the real world, where an ordinary person cannot find justice for lawlessness.

There are two worlds in this work - reality (the city of St. Petersburg, the department in which our hero works) and mystical (the ghost of Bashmachkin on the pavement). Thus, the fantastic and the real are intertwined and produce new bizarre forms of literature that give the reader a new meaning. In reality, we see only injustice and poverty, and only fiction allows people to get even with the "officials". Such is the role of fantasy in Gogol's story.

Along with the literary direction "realism", the image of the "little man" is also developing, which in a short time has become a favorite type for writers of the nineteenth century. A small person is a hero of a low social status, who does not have special abilities and is not distinguished by strength of character, but does no harm to anyone and is harmless. The first idea of ​​"little people" was embodied by A.S. Pushkin in his story "The Stationmaster" in the main character Samson Vyrin.

Taking into account the peculiarities of the direction and genre, Gogol was able to combine fantasy and reality in his story - to take as a basis the problems that were relevant for Russia at that time and, coupled with a supernatural plot, it is very beneficial to present to the astonished public.

We can safely say that Gogol is one of the brightest representatives of realism.

The meaning of the name

In the overcoat itself, as in a piece of clothing, there is no deep meaning for us, but for Bashmachkin it was a new meaning of life. He stubbornly saved up for her, limited himself in everything, talked about the overcoat with the tailor who sewed it, as about a friend of life. He was literally obsessed with the "eternal idea of ​​a future greatcoat." Her loss was the culmination of the work and the driving force of the plot. She also provided a logical transition from reality to supernatural forces.

In this simple title, Gogol was able to reflect the whole problem of his work and allowed readers to focus on such an unexpectedly valuable item as an overcoat.

Composition

In the story, you can track the linear composition - highlighting the introduction and epilogue.

1. The work begins with a kind of introduction-exposition - the writer talks about the city, which unites all the "Petersburg stories".
   This part is replaced by the biography of the protagonist, which is typical for the followers of the "natural school" (realism). This allowed the author to reveal the motivation for his actions and explain the reasons for this behavior of Bashmachkin.
2. Then the plot (according to the laws of the genre) - the hero lights up with the "idea of ​​a future overcoat."
3. This idea brings the plot to the climax of the story - the acquisition of Akaky Akakievich turns out to be in the hands of the robbers.
4. The denouement takes place on the street, where the ghost overtook the official and took away his outer clothing.

If we divide the work into two parts, then the first part is a description of Bashmachkin's life and happy expectations, and the second is devoted to the hero's misadventures, his attempts to return the overcoat, communication with a "significant person".

Main characters and their characteristics

The author's position of Gogol deserves special attention. He does not justify or elevate his hero, although he pities him with all his heart. At the beginning, he is clearly ironic about him, but then he sincerely empathizes with his loss, endowing the soul of the deceased with mystical power to implement justice.

1. Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin- the main character of the story "The Overcoat"; a poor titular adviser who earns 400 rubles a year by copying papers. He loves his job very much and finds it on purpose even when it is not needed. But they pay him negligible, so every serious purchase makes him starve. Colleagues from work in every possible way mock the hero and laugh at his ridiculous and submissive appearance, but he cannot stand up for himself. His fate was predetermined a very long time ago - even at his birth. The midwife spoke about this: when Akaki was born, he grimaced, which did not bode well for him in life, but we have before us a character developing spiritually. After all, when Bashmachkin puts on the cherished overcoat, he is transformed: he tries to approach the lady, he becomes bolder. This is the image of the "little man", which Gogol successfully revealed from all sides and angles.
2. The image of the overcoat also found its place in the pages of the story. This is not a thing, but a symbol of change in the hero. It was she who gave him confidence in himself, becoming a universal calling card of an official, which inspires respect for the owner around him. She just can show the duality of Bashmachkin's character. After all, the hero, with the advent of a new overcoat, begins to see the world differently: brighter, more interesting and updated. The petty official becomes more active, persistent and enterprising. It is very significant that the attitude of society changed when the changes affected the appearance of an official. This once again proves that it is blind and does not distinguish the inner qualities of the personality. People not only meet, but also see off on clothes. The overcoat became a reflection of the insignificance of the bureaucratic environment, where everything is decided by the form, not the content.
3. Petersburg image also did not go unnoticed. In each part of the work, he appears before the reader in a different light. Either he is hospitable and friendly, or he is terrible and mystical (remember that night when Bashmachkin became a victim of thieves), cruel and merciful. Here Petersburg is more hostile to man than kind. There is a harsh winter, a climate unsuitable for residents, a very cruel, dank dry wind that cuts to the bone. This is where poverty and wealth find their place. While the majority of people are starving in order to clothe themselves, the upper classes are boasting, humiliating the supplicants. Such is St. Petersburg - a cold and indifferent city of contrasts.
4. Images of officials repulsive, because most of them are pathetic people clinging to imaginary power. Bashmachkin's colleagues are selfish and cruel cowards who are shy in front of their superiors, but humiliate their equals and inferiors. The official is not so clear. At first it expels the petitioner, but then regrets what happened. In this uniform, one can still see a person who is ashamed of what his bureaucratic essence allows himself.

Themes

The theme of the story is very multifaceted and affects many acute social and psychological aspects.

• The main theme of the piece is little man's fate. The story is dedicated to the disclosure of his image. N.V. Gogol in The Overcoat expressed his attitude towards this type of people and added to their large gallery. In the book, he described the character, morals, aspirations and life of this character. If Pushkin's "Station Master" Samson was not fully disclosed, then Gogol's entire plot is dedicated to one Bashmachkin. The theme of the little man is the key to understanding the author's intention: the writer wanted to show the tragedy of the fate of a limited and weak member of society in order to awaken compassion for him in our hearts.
• The theme of compassion and love for one's neighbor is also central to the text. Gogol was a believer and in every book he found a place for a moral lesson. It is the indifference and selfishness of people that contribute to misfortune and grief, and only mercy and kindness can oppose them. You need to regret and love not for merit or benefit, but just like that, without reasons and rewards. Only in this way can those social problems that are pressing on society to this day be overcome. In fact, the official did not need an overcoat, but the support of the environment that despised him.
• Another important topic is immorality. It is the fact of immorality that can explain most of what happens in the story. For example, the fact that everyone is indifferent to Bashmachkin's grief, no one wants to help him. Or the fact that the main character was robbed, or that a person, in principle, is valued not for his skills, personal qualities and achievements, but for his rank and wealth. While Bashmachkin did not have an overcoat, they did not notice him at all, and when he disappeared, they stopped. Therefore, we can conclude that the theme of immorality follows all the plot twists.
• Dream Theme in the work it is revealed in the image of an overcoat and its significance for the protagonist. Bashmachkin saved on everything, ate little, didn’t light candles, didn’t drink tea, and didn’t even give laundry to the laundry, but at home he went in a dressing gown so that his clothes would not wear out. He talked about the greatcoat with rapture, dreamed of her as a friend of life. Here, for the first time, we encounter the hero's perseverance, with his strong desire to try for something. Maybe if it were not an overcoat, but something more (spiritual), we would have seen a completely different Akaky Akakievich. However, he reduced all his usual expenses in order to wear this overcoat, did everything to make his dream a reality. However, do not forget that before the appearance of the obsessive "idea of ​​a future overcoat", he had a different hobby. Every time he came home from work, he dreamed of doing it again. He copied papers sometimes even on purpose, because he really liked it. Every day he copied papers, and he liked it, for him it was a dream job.
• Also, attention cannot be ignored theme of the humiliated and offended. This theme is directly related to the image of the main character. In the service they kick him, push him, but he forgives everything and will not say a word to anyone, unless he asks him to be more careful in a voice that breaks in pity. He does not complain, does not experience any deep emotions and strong feelings. The hero lives in a small, cold apartment, which is more like a room, does not take care of himself, partly because he does not need it, he is very quiet and unobtrusive. Maybe he was a ghost even during his lifetime?
• Retribution Theme is clearly seen in the epilogue of the story, when many see the ghost of Bashmachkin on the pavement (in particular, the significant person to whom Bashmachkin turned for help). And this theme gives its continuation and is transformed into a didactic author's conclusion. When a significant person gets what he deserves from a ghost, he concludes that you can’t be very strict with your subordinates and spread rot on people just because they are not high-ranking.
• Also interesting fate theme in the story. From childhood, it became clear that Akakiy would have the fate of a quiet, peaceful titular adviser who would not live very happily, but calmly and steadily.

Problems

The story has a very global theme. Within its framework, the author explains to readers the moral problems of humanism, poverty, social inequality, and indifference. The tragedy of the little man is the main one on their list. We concretize it in other, narrower areas:

• The problem of humanism- the main one in the "Overcoat". Absolutely all the characters in the work are petty in nature and selfish. In pursuit of material security, they ignore morality and morality. They do not need them, as it is unnecessary trouble. Why help a petty titular adviser if his life did not work out normally anyway? Thieves on the pavement are also pure anti-humanism. Akaki himself, having become a ghost, also becomes a thief, he cannot rest until he quenches his desire for revenge.
• The problem of indifference stems from the problem of lack of humanism. No one helps Bashmachkin, because no one cares. No one responds to his pleas for help. The official, who, according to his official duty, was supposed to help the petitioner, pushed him out the door to show his power to other people. If he had taken the proper measures, no one would have been hurt.
• The problem of poverty like a ghost passes through the whole work. It is imperceptible, but at the same time it is very well felt at almost every stage. Bashmachkin is very poor. Earning 400 rubles a year, you won’t get around much. He lives in a small room with broken, creaking floorboards, it's damp and cold. To buy an overcoat, he refuses the elementary rules of hygiene and health familiar to every person: wash clothes in the laundry, wear clothes, eat healthy and satisfying food. He doesn't even light candles or drink tea. Poverty is not a vice, but in an overcoat it takes on a very ugly shape.
• The problem of social inequality also appears throughout the story. A significant person ignores Bashmachkin and humiliates him for the fact that, in his opinion, he came in an inappropriate form. He tries to build the already poor Akaki, scolding him for his appearance. Although he himself has recently become this significant person. But despite this, he shows his superiority and a higher rank.

The book is directed against the selfishness and indifference of people, especially in the service, where they must perform not only moral, but also official duty.

The main idea and meaning of the final

• The meaning of the finale and the meaning of the blizzard. Gogol wanted to show all the acute social problems that worried him. To show that lazy and unprincipled officials have no control. And if there is, then only superiors. Becoming a ghost at the end of the story, Bashmachkin just takes on the right shape and takes his revenge as punishment for the indifference of high-ranking officials. But this, as the writer emphasizes, is possible only in the realm of mysticism. Perhaps the lover of overcoats became an instrument of the highest and righteous judgment of God, in which Gogol believed. All this action, it is worth noting, is accompanied by such an artistic detail as the wind. The blizzard that penetrates Petersburgers to the bone, in my opinion, symbolizes animal fear, elemental fear, which makes even immoral officials tremble. This is part of justice from above, which will overtake everyone, regardless of rank. And although Gogol is against revenge, in this story he saw it as the only way to administer justice.
• main idea: The author demonstrates the need for high moral values ​​and beliefs for a person. Any of us ceases to be small when we acquire a higher purpose. Morality and humanism - this is what should unite and equalize all people, destroying class differences. The main character needed not an overcoat, but recognition in the team, respect and support. It's not his fault that he could get such an attitude only because of the acquisition of an overcoat. The environment is to blame for his obsession with outerwear, which is ready to accept only those who come "in the proper form." Thus, the meaning of the "Overcoat" is to show the true values ​​​​of human nature and separate them from false and harmful prejudices.

What does it teach?

Of course, the work teaches us to be responsive, kind, merciful. Seeing the whole horror of the situation from the outside, the reader is able to distinguish good from evil and realize that to show a desire to help or really help is a very valuable quality. It can prevent many troubles. This is the conclusion from the read text.

The author inclines us to the idea that for any evil the world answers with evil. One way or another, having done something bad, a person will receive it in double size. Therefore, you should be responsible for your words and deeds, and also be prepared for the fact that retribution will definitely come. And if no one is able to punish, then the supernatural forces are definitely able to pay tribute to superiors. Such is the moral in Gogol's story "The Overcoat".

What Gogol laughs at is unpleasant and funny to every sane person. The baseness and narrow-mindedness of a person, his slavish obedience to fate and his environment, his infantilism and unwillingness to develop - all this is in the image of a small person. The author does not idealize him, but ridicules him for his weakness and indulgence in social vices.

Criticism

In the journal "Physiology of Petersburg" many writers spoke about the "Overcoat", which really made a revolution in the literary space of that time and opened a new direction of the "natural school".
V.G. Belinsky, for example, called the work "one of Gogol's deepest creations." And many critics have joined this opinion.

The famous phrase: "We all came out of Gogol's greatcoat", which by the way belongs not to Dostoevsky, but to the French resident of Vogüe, tells us not only that Gogol masterfully coped with his task and conveyed his idea to the reader as much as possible, but also that Gogol was known even abroad.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is one of the most significant figures in Russian literature. It is he who is rightfully called the founder of critical realism, the author who vividly described the image of the “little man” and made it central in Russian literature of that time. In the future, many writers used this image in their works. It is no coincidence that F. M. Dostoevsky in one of his conversations uttered the phrase: "We all came out of Gogol's overcoat."

History of creation

Literary critic Annenkov noted that N.V. Gogol often listened to anecdotes and various stories that were told in his environment. Sometimes it happened that these anecdotes and comical stories inspired the writer to create new works. So it happened with the "Overcoat". According to Annenkov, once Gogol heard a joke about a poor official who was very fond of hunting. This official lived in hardship, saving on everything just to buy a gun for his favorite hobby. And now, the long-awaited moment has come - the gun has been purchased. However, the first hunt was not successful: the gun caught on the bushes and drowned. The official was so shocked by the incident that he came down with a fever. This anecdote did not make Gogol laugh at all, but, on the contrary, led to serious reflections. According to many, it was then that the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwriting the story "The Overcoat" was born in his head.

During Gogol's lifetime, the story did not arouse significant critical discussions and debates. This is due to the fact that at that time writers quite often offered their readers comic works about the life of poor officials. However, the significance of Gogol's work for Russian literature was appreciated over the years. It was Gogol who developed the theme of the “little man” protesting against the laws in force in the system, and pushed other writers to further reveal this topic.

Description of the work

The protagonist of Gogol's work is the junior civil servant Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, who was constantly unlucky. Even in choosing a name, the official’s parents were not successful, as a result, the child was named after his father.

The life of the protagonist is modest and unremarkable. He lives in a small rented apartment. Occupies a small position with a beggarly salary. By adulthood, the official never acquired a wife, children, or friends.

Bashmachkin wears an old faded uniform and a holey overcoat. One day, a severe frost forces Akaky Akakievich to take his old overcoat to the tailor for repair. However, the tailor refuses to mend the old overcoat and talks about the need to buy a new one.

The price of the overcoat is 80 rubles. This is a lot of money for a small employee. In order to collect the necessary amount, he denies himself even small human joys, which are not many in his life anyway. After some time, the official manages to save up the required amount, and the tailor finally sews an overcoat. The acquisition of an expensive piece of clothing is a grandiose event in the miserable and boring life of an official.

One evening, unknown people caught up with Akaky Akakievich on the street and took away his overcoat. The frustrated official goes with a complaint to the "significant person" in the hope of finding and punishing those responsible for his misfortune. However, the "general" does not support the junior employee, but, on the contrary, reprimands. Bashmachkin, rejected and humiliated, was unable to cope with his grief and died.

At the end of the work, the author adds a little mysticism. After the funeral of the titular councilor, a ghost began to be noticed in the city, which took overcoats from passers-by. A little later, this same ghost took the overcoat from the same "general" who scolded Akaky Akakievich. This served as a lesson for the important official.

Main characters

The central figure of the story is a miserable civil servant who has been doing routine and uninteresting work all his life. There are no opportunities for creativity and self-realization in his work. Uniformity and monotony literally absorb the titular adviser. All he does is rewrite unnecessary papers. The hero has no relatives. He spends his free evenings at home, sometimes copying papers "for himself." The appearance of Akaky Akakievich creates an even stronger effect, the hero becomes truly sorry. There is something insignificant in his image. The impression is reinforced by Gogol's story about the constant troubles that befall the hero (either an unfortunate name, or a baptism). Gogol perfectly created the image of a “little” official who lives in terrible hardships and every day fights the system for his right to exist.

Officials (collective image of bureaucracy)

Gogol, talking about the colleagues of Akaky Akakievich, focuses on such qualities as heartlessness, callousness. Colleagues of the unfortunate official in every possible way mock and make fun of him, not feeling a single gram of sympathy. The whole drama of Bashmachkin's relationship with his colleagues lies in the phrase he said: “Leave me, why are you offending me?”.

"Significant Person" or "General"

Gogol does not name either the name or the surname of this person. Yes, it doesn't matter. Important rank, position on the social ladder. After the loss of his overcoat, Bashmachkin, for the first time in his life, decides to defend his rights and goes with a complaint to the "general". This is where the “small” official faces a tough, soulless bureaucratic machine, the image of which is contained in the character of a “significant person”.

Analysis of the work

In the person of his main character, Gogol seems to unite all the poor and humiliated people. Bashmachkin's life is an eternal struggle for survival, poverty and monotony. Society with its laws does not give the official the right to a normal human existence, degrades his dignity. At the same time, Akaki Akakievich himself agrees with this situation and meekly endures hardships and difficulties.

The loss of the overcoat is a turning point in the work. It forces the “little official” to declare his rights to society for the first time. Akaki Akakievich goes with a complaint to the "significant person", who in Gogol's story personifies all the soullessness and impersonality of the bureaucracy. Having run into a wall of aggression and misunderstanding on the part of a "significant person", the poor official cannot stand it and dies.

Gogol raises the problem of the extreme importance of the rank, which took place in the society of that time. The author shows that such attachment to the rank is fatal for people with very different social status. The prestigious position of a "significant person" made him indifferent and cruel. And the junior rank of Bashmachkin led to the depersonalization of a person, his humiliation.

At the end of the story, it is not by chance that Gogol introduces a fantastic ending in which the ghost of an unfortunate official removes the overcoat from the general. This is some kind of warning to important people that their inhumane actions can have consequences. The fantasy at the end of the work is explained by the fact that in the Russian reality of that time it is almost impossible to imagine a situation of retribution. Since the “little man” at that time had no rights, he could not demand attention and respect from society.