(366 words) Many people probably think that indifference is bad. However, not all of them will be able to answer who can be called an indifferent person? I believe that in this ignorance lies the problem of society, where it becomes the norm to pass by suffering and grief, not even to help with advice and consolation. The answer to this question is not so difficult to find, because Russian literature is rich in examples of what can be called an indifferent attitude towards the world and its inhabitants.

In Gogol's story "The Overcoat" examples of indifference speak for themselves. Young officials do not give rest to the old employee of their department, mock him, and all for the sake of fun. Young men do not think what pain they cause by their behavior to this meek and harmless person. Akaky Akakievich daily becomes a victim of ridicule and meekly endures such treatment, because by nature he is a quiet and timid eccentric who loves to copy papers. However, society takes up arms against him only because he cannot stand up for himself. The indifferent attitude of the authorities to the misfortune of the subordinate also confuses the reader: how can such rudeness be tolerated? Such people who are deaf to the feelings of others, who shamelessly insult the hero for fun, can be called indifferent.

No less immoral is the behavior of the "significant person" from the same story. The official, wanting to show off in front of a friend, scolds Bashmachkin, who came with a request to find a stolen overcoat. He does not want to understand that a person lives in poverty, and for him this thing is priceless. He mercilessly kicks out the hero who came for his natural right - the protection of the law. A significant person absolutely does not care what will happen to those whom he humiliated because of his own vanity. And without warm clothes, Akaky Akakievich catches a cold and falls ill with a fever that drives him to the grave. Of course, the official finds out about what happened and repents of his deed. But it hardly saves someone from the death that has already happened. In the image of this official criminal, Petersburg, gloomy and indifferent to the fate of the little man, is cold, where, among the luxury of palaces, hundreds of people cannot afford clothes.

Thus, indifference is manifested in the most respectable people, who in some cases are not even alien to compassion. However, these “isolated cases” do not cancel the general pattern - an indifferent person always puts his desires and whims above the fate of other members of society, and even outbursts of responsiveness will not force him to take into account the interests of society the next time another little person needs help, but not will receive it.

All the mystical works of Nikolai Gogol are of great importance for Russian literature. In his stories, the author refers to various phenomena of life that help him create typical characters of that time. They combine lyrical and satirical motifs, making them invaluable. Such outstanding works of the writer include the plot of "The Overcoat", where the author shows a miserable and defenseless person who is trying to survive in a harsh world where there is absolutely no justice and truth.

The main thought and idea is the idea that the state is crippled, gives birth to "small" people, who often still do not find themselves in this world. They are forced to drag out their existence.
The story tells in detail the whole ordinary and amazing story of the life and mystical death of Akaki Bashmachkin, whom the author makes the main and, perhaps, the only character in a short story. Throughout his life, Gogol's Akaki Akakievich worked as an ordinary adviser of the lowest rank. The society in which Gogol's character lives is mired in bureaucracy.

It is this kind of bureaucratic system that drives the hero to stupefaction, not wanting to enjoy life. The whole point of his life is to rewrite and copy some completely ridiculous and completely unnecessary documents and papers. Bashmachkin, who is in such a society, becomes a part of it himself, and only a new overcoat can still give birth to some feelings and desires in his head.

Only the overcoat becomes its meaning. The hero is starving to raise money for a new acquisition. The main thing for him is the tailoring of a new overcoat. The overcoat is the main and important meaning of the whole life of the Gogol hero. And it becomes a real blow for him that suddenly he suddenly loses it. The elements of indifference and evil fell upon Bashmachkin. He sees how evil and unkindly the street lamps burn, how deserted the streets become.

Gogolevsky Akaki Akakievich cannot find protection for himself at all, the state rejects him, as well as society. But to come to terms with the theft of the overcoat meant for the hero to go back to the past, where his existence did not make any sense. Therefore, Gogol's hero decides to fight, defending his life goal.

First, Bashmachkin goes to a certain private person who supposedly could help him, but he refuses. Akaky Akakievich does not give up and goes to the general, who is presented in the story as a significant person. But his appearance no longer evokes positive feelings in the general. He is dissatisfied with such a visitor, and when he finds out what business Akaki Akakievich came to ask about, he is at first surprised that such a poor titular adviser can have a rich and new overcoat. Therefore, he even has suspicions about where Bashmachkin could get such an overcoat.

And this "significant" person decides to scold Bashmachkin for behaving so decisively and so boldly, defiantly. He "baked" Akaky Akakievich so much that he could not bear it. And the important person did not think to somehow help or protect the poor official, who lost not only the only joy in life, but lost his life purpose.

After visiting a "significant" and important person, Gogol's Akaky Akakievich soon became very ill. He returned home humiliated, went to bed and fell ill. Bashmachkin dies a few days later. But such an unexpected death of the protagonist does not put an end to this Gogol's plot, since now a new stage begins - retribution. The deceased hero turns into a ghost who begins to take revenge. He rips off the overcoat from the general himself on the bridge.

In the plot, the author used a large number of characters. For example, Petrovich's snuffbox, who sewed a new and desirable overcoat for the timid and shy Akaki. It depicts a general, but only his face has been erased. And this is symbolic, since the authorities have long lost their face and did nothing to help the poor official, but only brought him to death. It is not entirely by chance that the author necessarily introduces the image of a baker into his unusual work, since he sees a ghost with his own eyes and even follows him for some time. And he is also a symbol of power, which keeps order at such a lower level.

But still, Gogol's main and important idea lies in the fact that this petty official, a small and seemingly insignificant person, spent his entire short life serving other people. Akakiy did not offend anyone during his earthly life, but he always endured peacefully and timidly all the ridicule of himself. He was not happy, but he experienced moments of supreme pleasure, when thoughts of the coveted overcoat appeared, and this bliss of his from each fitting became stronger and stronger. He changed, became a little different, healed, but only happiness does not last long. This was also recognized by the main character.

Compositions based on the work "The Overcoat" (Gogol N.V.)

The image of Bashmachkin (based on the novel by N.V. Gogol "The Overcoat")

The theme of the "little man" in the story of N.V. Gogol's "Overcoat" develops as an important problem of social life. The protagonist of the work, Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, personifies all the oppressed, destitute, doomed to an inhuman existence.

From the very beginning, the theme of predestination of fate is introduced into the story. It turns out that already from birth, fate, fate, fate dominates the hero. An unenviable fate befell Akaky Akakievich already when they chose a name for him: “Well, I see,” said the old woman, “that, apparently, this is his fate. If so, let it be better to call him like his father. It is curious that in this episode the author is ironic: "We brought it because the reader could see for himself that it happened completely out of necessity and it was impossible to give another name."
The spiritual life of the matured hero is impoverished, his thoughts and feelings are concentrated around official duties. Akaki Akakievich serves as a petty clerk in some office. He receives an insignificant salary, which is barely enough to feed the hero. Bashmachkin's whole life is confined to rewriting papers. Other than that, he doesn't notice anything in life.

The terrible thing is that the hero sees nothing immoral in his existence. He considers natural the conditions in which he lives. The "predestination" of Bashmachkin's fate is gradually revealed in the story as his severe dependence on the general conditions of life.
The world of Akaky Akakievich is limited, uncolored, it is unchanging. The hero is doomed to be an eternal titular adviser and be content with the most modest, inconspicuous place in society. In life, he is assigned an insignificant, insignificant role.

In my opinion, the image of Bashmachkin correlates with such concepts as "vegetation" and "spiritual degeneration." Constant dependence on something or someone, blind obedience to superiors, mechanical execution of instructions "blunted" in this person the ability to reflect on the meaning of life and the content of work. His work, like his life, is static, devoid of initiative. Everything in Akaky Akakievich's life is reduced to the mechanical functions of a copyist of office papers.

With bitter sympathy, we look at the uncomplaining employee who lives and works like an automaton copying departmental documents. Reading the story, we are surprised how the long-term routine work of Akaki Akakievich deprived him of the ability to think independently: “One director, being a kind person and wanting to reward him for his long service, ordered to give him something more important than ordinary rewriting; it was from the already finished case that he was ordered to make some kind of relation to another public place; the point was only to change the title title and change here and there the verbs from the first person to the third. This gave him such a job that he sweated completely, rubbed his forehead and finally said: "No, better let me rewrite something."

Obviously, the impoverishment of Bashmachkin's spiritual life, limited not by the department itself, but by the duties that he performs. His entire existence is reduced to service functions: “There, in this rewriting, he saw some kind of his own diverse and pleasant world ... Outside this rewriting, it seemed that nothing existed for him.”

Bashmachkin did not know another world, another life. Moreover, he did not even have the thought that there is another, real, life. All that Bashmachkin has is a constant struggle for existence. The unceasing work of Akaky Akakiyevich cannot provide him even with his needs reduced to a minimum.
The need to sew a new overcoat for him is not just an everyday problem, but an event of great importance. Only the next self-restraint, the next cutting of their needs, already cut down, can help this hero find a way out.
Akaky Akakievich gives an account of his victims. Therefore, his joy at achieving the goal is so great: "The most solemn in the life of Akaky Akakievich" was the day "when Petrovich finally brought his overcoat."

Bashmachkin belongs to that category of people who are completely deprived of any protection in a class society. Where the worship of the strong and rich prevails, Bashmachkin does not exist as a person. Among the people with whom he is connected on duty, Akaky Akakievich meets with an attitude that is either coldly indifferent or mockingly insulting: “The department did not show him any respect ...”, “The bosses treated him somehow coldly and despotically ... Young officials laughed at him, as long as clerical wit was enough ... "

The new overcoat led to the transformation of the personality of the hero. He seemed to come to life, began to notice the people around him, the outside world. But this revival of Akaky Akakievich did not last long. He didn't even spend a day in his new clothes. It was stolen the next evening. It was a terrible shock for Bashmachkin. He decided on an unprecedented act for him - to fight for his overcoat. But the bureaucratic machine did not give him any chance. Bashmachkin even got to the "significant person" and dared to contradict him. A "significant person" accused Bashmachkin of freethinking. After that, “Akaky Akakievich froze, staggered, trembled all over and could not stand in any way ... he would have flopped on the floor; they carried him out almost motionless.” As a result, Bashmachkin fell ill and died.

But the story doesn't end there. Petersburg, a ghost appeared in the form of an official. He was looking for the missing overcoat and, under this pretext, tore off the overcoats from all passers-by, regardless of rank. In this walking dead man they recognized Akaky Akakievich. In the end, the “significant person” also suffered from the “hands” of the ghost, who also lost his overcoat: “I need your overcoat! He didn’t bother about mine, and even scolded it - now give yours!”

I believe that Bashmachkin's spiritual degeneration is not a fact of his individual biography. The source of the crushing of his personality lies elsewhere - in social humiliation, in the social lack of rights of the "little man". The fate of Bashmachkin is the fate of many disadvantaged people.

The theme of the "little man" is traditional for Russian literature of the 19th century. It is directly related to the humanistic theme - one of the main ones in Russian classical literature.
The first writer who touched upon and developed this topic is A.S. Pushkin. In the story "The Stationmaster" he "brings out" his hero - the "little man" Samson Vyrin, who serves as a stationmaster.
Immediately, Pushkin draws attention to the fact that in the outwardly stupid and ingenuous performance of his duties by this person lies hard, often thankless work, full of trouble and worries. Why don't they blame the stationmaster? “The weather is unbearable, the road is bad, the coachman is stubborn, the horses are not driven - and the caretaker is to blame ...”.
Few people passing by are interested in the life of stationmasters, and yet, as a rule, each of them has a difficult fate, in which there are plenty of tears, suffering and grief.
The life of Samson Vyrin was no different from the life of stationmasters like him, who, in order to have the most necessary things for the maintenance of their family, were ready to silently listen and just as silently endure endless insults and reproaches addressed to them. True, Samson Vyrin's family was small: he and his beautiful daughter Dunya. Samson's wife died, and he lived only for the sake of Dunya. At the age of fourteen, the daughter was a real helper to her father: to clean the house, cook dinner, serve the passerby - she was a craftswoman for everything, everything was arguable in her hands. Looking at Dunin's beauty, even those who made rude treatment of stationmasters as a rule became kinder and more merciful.
In the first part of the story, Samson Vyrin looked "fresh and vigorous", despite the hard work and the rude, unfair treatment of him by those passing by. However, how grief can change a person! Just a few years later, the narrator, having met with Samson, sees an old man in front of him, unkempt, prone to drunkenness, vegetating in his abandoned dwelling. His Dunya, his hope, the one that gave strength to live, left with an unfamiliar hussar. And not with a father's blessing, as is customary among honest people, but secretly. It was terrible for Samson to think that his dear child, his Dunya, whom he protected from all dangers as best he could, did this to him and, most importantly, to herself - she became not a wife, but a mistress.
Pushkin sympathizes with his hero and treats him with respect: honor for Samson is above everything, above wealth and money. More than once fate beat this man, but nothing made him sink so low, stop loving life so much as the act of his beloved daughter. Material poverty for Samson is nothing compared to the emptiness of the soul.
Pictures depicting the story of the prodigal son hung on the wall in Samson Vyrin's house. The caretaker's daughter repeated the act of the hero of the biblical legend. And, most likely, like the father of the prodigal son depicted in the pictures, the stationmaster was waiting for his daughter, ready for forgiveness. But Dunya did not return. And the father could not find a place for himself from despair, knowing how such stories often end: “There are a lot of them in St. Petersburg, young fools, today in satin and velvet, and tomorrow, you see, sweeping the street, along with the barren tavern. When you sometimes think that Dunya, perhaps, immediately disappears, you involuntarily sin and wish her a grave ... "
Nothing good ended and the attempt of the stationmaster to return his daughter home. After that, drinking even more from despair and grief, Samson Vyrin died.
The story of N.V. Gogol's "The Overcoat" is successively connected with Pushkin's story, written a decade earlier. But, revealing the tragedy of the "little man", Gogol introduced one very important feature into his story. He pushed the "little man" Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin against the state machine and showed how hostile it was to his interests. In Gogol, public, social motives sound stronger than in Pushkin.
What is a “little man”, according to Gogol? We are talking about a person who is small in social terms, because he is not rich, has no voice in society, is not remarkable in any way. He is just a petty official with a meager salary.
But this person is also “small” because his inner world is very limited. Gogol's hero is insignificant and invisible. Even his name is translated from Greek as "the most humble." Akaki Akakievich is very efficient, but at the same time he does not even think about what he is doing. Therefore, the hero begins to get very worried when it is necessary to show at least a little ingenuity. But the most interesting thing is that Bashmachkin has lost faith in himself so much that he does not even try to change, to improve. He only repeats over and over again: "No, better let me rewrite something."
The only meaning of the hero's life is to collect money to buy an overcoat. He is insanely happy at the mere thought of fulfilling this desire. It is not surprising that the theft of a wonderful overcoat, acquired with such difficulty, became a real tragedy for Bashmachkin. The people around Akaky Akakievich only laughed at his misfortune. No one even tried to understand this man, let alone help him. The worst thing, in my opinion, is that no one noticed the death of Bashmachkin, no one remembered him after.
The episode of the resurrection of Akaky Akakievich in the epilogue of the story is fantastic. Now this hero allegedly wanders around St. Petersburg and rips off overcoats and fur coats from passers-by. Such is Bashmachkin's revenge. He calms down only when he rips off the overcoat from the "significant person", who greatly influenced the fate of the hero. Only now Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin is growing up in his own eyes. According to Gogol, even in the life of the most insignificant person there are moments when he can become a strong personality, able to stand up for himself.
Thus, the theme of the “little” person is a cross-cutting one in Russian literature of the 19th century. Major writers have addressed this topic, interpreting and developing it in their own way. Pushkin emphasized the personal humility of his hero, Gogol - the indifference of society. But both artists, following the humanistic tradition of Russian classical literature, focused on the soul of their characters, on their inner world. These writers urged to see in the "little man" a personality worthy, if not respect, then sympathy and understanding.

The image of the "little man" (based on the story "The Overcoat")

We all came out of Gogol's "Overcoat".
F. Dostoevsky

Russian literature, with its humanistic orientation, could not ignore the problems and fates of the common man. Conventionally, in literary criticism, it began to be called the theme of the “little man”. Karamzin and Pushkin, Gogol and Dostoevsky stood at its origins. In their works: "Poor Liza", "The Stationmaster", "The Overcoat" and "Poor People" - they revealed to readers the inner world of a simple person, his feelings and experiences.
Why does Dostoevsky single out Gogol as the first to open the world of the “little man” to readers? Probably because in his story "The Overcoat" Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin is the main character, all the rest of the characters create a background.
The story "The Overcoat" is one of the best in Gogol's work. In it, the writer appears before us as a master of detail, a satirist and a humanist. Narrating the life of a petty official, Gogol was able to create an unforgettable vivid image of a “little man” with his joys and troubles, difficulties and worries. Hopeless need surrounds Akaky Akakievich, but he does not see the tragedy of his situation, as he is busy with business. Bashmachkin is not burdened by his poverty, because he does not know the Other Life. And when he has a dream - a new overcoat, he is ready to endure any hardships, if only to bring the implementation of his plans closer. The overcoat becomes a kind of symbol of a happy future, a favorite brainchild, for which Akaki Akakievich is ready to work tirelessly. The author is quite serious when he describes the delight of his hero about the realization of a dream: the overcoat is sewn! Bashmachkin was completely happy. But for how long?
The “little man” is not destined to be happy in this unfair world. And only after death is justice done. The “soul” of Bashmachkin finds peace when he returns his lost thing.
Gogol showed not only the life of the "little man", but also his protest against the injustice of life. Let this “rebellion” be timid, almost fantastic, but the hero stands up for his rights, against the foundations of the existing order.

Ideological and artistic analysis of the story by N.V. Gogol's "Overcoat"

The story of N.V. Gogol's "The Overcoat" is included in the cycle "Petersburg Tales", which, in addition to "The Overcoat", included the following stories: "Nevsky Prospekt", "Nose", "Portrait", "Carriage", "Notes of a Madman", "Rome". The first draft of The Overcoat is called The Tale of the Official Stealing the Overcoat. It is narrated in an anecdotal manner with a clear focus on comic effects. In the final version of the story, the comic effect is weakened, the author's irony and the drama of the situation give the fate of the unfortunate Akaky Akakievich a tragic shade.
The plot of the story is traditionally traced back to that given in the memoirs of P.V. Annenkov's anecdote about a poor official who lost his gun. Compositionally, the story is divided into four parts: a story about the circumstances of the birth and baptism of the hero, about his service in the department, about the deplorable state of his overcoat, a fantastic story about Bashmachkin the deceased.
In the first part of the story, the portrait characteristic of the protagonist, Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, has a great semantic load. There is something pitiful in his appearance: “short, somewhat pockmarked, somewhat reddish, somewhat even blind, with a slight bald spot on his forehead, with wrinkles on both sides of his cheeks…”
From birth, the unfortunate Bashmachkin was unlucky: when the boy was chosen a name, the most ridiculous names came across on the calendar: Trifimy, Dula, Varasakhy. In the end, he was named after his father - Akakiy. When the child was baptized, he, as if anticipating his bitter fate, “cried”, “made a grimace”.
Bashmachkin is an "eternal titular adviser", all his life he has been rewriting papers. The monotony, the routine of this work, devoid of creativity, does not bother Bashmachkin at all: “Outside of this rewriting, it seemed that nothing existed for him.”
The hero’s evenings are boring and monotonous: having come home from work and having a quick dinner (and not noticing the taste of food), he “takes out a jar of ink and rewrites the papers brought home.” Moreover: if there was no work, Bashmachkin "shot on purpose, for his own pleasure, a copy for himself ..."
In the first part of the story, the collective image of bureaucracy plays an important role. Officials in Bashmachkin's department are heartless people. The downtroddenness, the worthlessness of the poor, lonely Bashmachkin, so miserable, does not arouse any sympathy in them. They “laughed and sneered at him, as long as their clerical wit was enough, they immediately told him various stories compiled about him ...” They poured papers on his head, “calling it snow.”
If the short background of the unfortunate Bashmachkin (the story of his birth, choice of name and his baptism) is made in the tradition of an anecdote, then the story about the department and Bashmachkin's fellow officials removes this comic effect. The phrase of the unfortunate Akaki Akakievich - “Leave me, why do you offend me?” - full of drama. In these words, “something was heard, bowing to pity, that one young man, who had recently made up his mind, who, following the example of others, allowed himself to be laughed at, suddenly stopped, as if pierced, and since then everything seemed to have changed before it seemed to him in a different light.
But the life of Akaky Akakievich is changing dramatically. The "strong enemy" of all Petersburgers - the "northern frost" - forced the unfortunate Bashmachkin to think about buying a new overcoat, because his old one had become unusable: "The cloth was so worn out that it was see through, and the lining was spread." But buying a new thing for the "little man" Bashmachkin is a whole event, fraught with great financial difficulties. So Gogol's work includes another theme - the theme of a little man crushed by poverty. Meager wages do not allow Bashmachkin to make this purchase. He “drooped completely in spirit” and thought: “How, in fact, with what, with what money to make it?”
The comic effect, tangible in the story of the birth, baptism and choice of the name of Akaky Akakievich; about those “misfortunes” that now and then rained down on his head (either a “whole cap of lime” falls on him from the roof, then a chimney sweep will touch and black out” him all, etc.) completely disappear. Gogol mercilessly talks about the hardships that his hero went to for the sake of a new overcoat: he stopped drinking tea and lighting candles in the evenings, began to walk very carefully through the streets, “almost on tiptoe”, so as not to quickly wear out the soles, etc. .
The tailor Petrovich, who sewed Bashmachkin's overcoat, is the only person who took part in the fate of Akaky Akakievich. The new overcoat became a real holiday for the hero Gogol. On this day, he went to work as a holiday.
But a misfortune happened: at night, when Akaky Akakievich was returning from a reception arranged by colleagues, his overcoat was stolen from him. Of course, for the hero Gogol, who suffered so much hardship for the sake of buying a new overcoat, this is a real shock, a disaster. On the part of the authorities, Akaki Akakievich, instead of help and sympathy, met with complete indifference. Moreover, the “significant person” was indignant at the impudence of Bashmachkin, who demanded a search for the thief: “Do you know to whom you are telling this? Do you understand who is standing in front of you?...” The death of the unfortunate Akaky Akakievich is not so much the result of a fever, but of human indifference and cruelty.
General concern about rank for Gogol is a kind of global social law. It is disastrous for all people standing at any step of the social ladder: the authorities made the “significant person” cruel, indifferent, and the “little man” Bashmachkin was depersonalized by the humiliating role of the “eternal titular adviser”, turned into a downtrodden creature whose spiritual world is terrible.
The last part of the story - fantastic (the story of a dead man taking off his greatcoat from the general) - also has a great ideological and semantic load. It can be regarded both as a kind of moral warning to "significant persons", and as a sad conclusion of the author. In real life, the harsh Russian reality, the “little man” does not have the opportunity to declare himself, his rights, demand attention and respect for himself, and therefore the writer chooses a fantastic ending for his story.

The meaning of the image of the overcoat in the story of the same name by N.V. Gogol

The Overcoat unfolded the social and moral motif of Gogol's other, earlier stories. It lies in the thought of the riches of the human spirit, not destroyed, but only deeply hidden in the very depths of the existence of people, distorted by a bad society. Gogol was guided by the idea that these values ​​of the spirit, clogged with vulgarity, can, and therefore must, rise and flourish, albeit in some uncertain circumstances. This theme in "The Overcoat" was expressed especially sharply.

The main way of the story by N.V. Gogol is the figure of the humiliated Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, deprived of the joys of life. In revealing the character of this hero, the image of the overcoat performs an important function. An overcoat is not just an item. This is the goal for which Bashmachkin is ready for self-restraint, for cutting funds, which are already very limited. And receiving a new overcoat from Petrovich is a holiday for him, "a most solemn day."

The purchase of an overcoat is preceded by a description of the life of Akaky Akakievich. It shows the tragedy of the "little man" in a big city. The story depicts his struggle for existence, deprivation, the inability to satisfy the needs of life, which include the acquisition of a new overcoat. The routine work of Bashmachkin in the department cannot provide the smallest and most necessary. Therefore, the overcoat personifies for this hero what he aspires to. But, in addition, it shows how little this person needs.

Gogol depicts in his story how the most modest, most insignificant smile of fate leads to the fact that in the half-dead Akaky Akakievich the human begins to stir and awaken. He still does not have an overcoat, but only a dream about it. But something has already changed in Bashmachkin, because in front of him, in front, is some kind of event. Moreover, this is an event that brings joy. For once, something happens for him, while for years this hero existed not for himself, but for the meaningless labor that absorbed his being. For the sake of a greatcoat, Bashmachkin makes sacrifices. It is not so difficult for Akaky Akakievich to carry them, because he "feeded spiritually, carrying in his thoughts the eternal idea of ​​a future overcoat." It is very curious that this hero has an idea, and even an eternal one! Gogol remarks: “From now on, it’s as if he got married ...”. And then the author describes the state of Bashmachkin: “He became somehow more alive, even firmer in character ... Doubt, indecision disappeared by itself from his face and actions ... Fire sometimes showed in his eyes, even the most daring and courageous thoughts flashed in his head: not whether to put, for sure, a marten on the collar.

The audacity of thought of the renewing Akaki Akakievich does not go further than a marten on a collar; but it's not funny. The marten is not available to the means of Akaky Akakievich; dreaming about her means dreaming about something characteristic of "significant persons", with whom it had never even occurred to Akaky Akakievich to equate himself with. But something else draws attention. Just dreams of an unfortunate overcoat lined with calico so dramatically changed Akaky Akakievich. What would happen to him and to all the downtrodden, humiliated and devastated, if they were given an existence worthy of a person, given a goal, scope, a dream?

Finally, the overcoat is ready, and Akaky Akakievich stepped one step further along the path of the resurrection of a person in it. Let “I didn’t buy a marten, because there was definitely a road, but instead they chose the best cat that was found in the shop.” Yet the event happened. And in Akaky Akakievich we see something new again: he “even laughed”, comparing the old hood with a new overcoat, “he dined merrily and after dinner he didn’t write anything, no papers, but just scribbled a little on the bed.” And emotions, and fun, and sybarism, and life without writing papers - Akaky Akakievich had not had all this before. Even some playful ideas stirred in the soul of this hero: on the way to visit, he saw a playful picture in the shop window, “shaked his head and grinned.” And on the way back, after drinking champagne at a party, Akaky Akakievich “even ran up all of a sudden, for some unknown reason, after some lady who, like lightning, passed by and in which every part of her body was full of unusual movement.”

Of course, Akaky Akakievich remains Akaky Akakievich with all this, and the flashes of something new are dying out in him. But they are, and it is they who will lead to the denouement of the story. We see a turning point when Akaky Akakievich is robbed, humiliated, destroyed. Moreover, he is on the edge of the coffin, delirious. And here it turns out that really unexpected things lurked in this heroine. He knows who his killer is, and little is left of his timid submissiveness. Death frees a person in Bashmachkin.

Akaky Akakiyevich, who had experienced fear all his life and died most of all from the fear instilled in him by a significant person, now, after death, he himself began to inspire fear in others. He frightens many people, including those who wear beaver overcoats, raccoon and bear coats, that is, significant people. All the indignation of this hero against the life he lived manifested itself after his death. And the key here is the image of the overcoat, the acquisition of which made it possible to see the human principle in Bashmachkin. The overcoat was the reason for the whole protest of the little man against the existing order of life to manifest itself. It can be said that there is life in the story before and after the purchase of an overcoat. In the story, the overcoat is of great importance. It personifies, on the one hand, an object materially necessary and, on the other hand, an object that allows you to revive a person killed by reality.

What is the meaning of the mystical finale of the story by N.V. Gogol's "Overcoat"?

The meaning of the mystical finale of the story by N.V. Gogol's "Overcoat" lies in the fact that justice, which Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin could not find during his lifetime, nevertheless triumphed after the death of the hero. Bashmachkin's ghost rips off greatcoats from noble and wealthy people. But a special place in the finale is occupied by a meeting with "one significant person", who, after the service, decided "to call on a familiar lady, Karolina Ivanovna." But on the way, a strange incident happens to him. Suddenly, the official felt that someone grabbed him tightly by the collar, this someone turned out to be the late Akaki Akakievich. He says in a terrible voice: “Finally, I caught you by the collar! I need your overcoat!”
Gogol believes that in the life of every person, even the most insignificant, there are such moments when he becomes a person in the highest sense of the word. Taking overcoats from officials, Bashmachkin becomes a real hero in his own eyes and in the eyes of the "humiliated and insulted". Only now Akaky Akakievich is able to stand up for himself.
Gogol resorts to fantasy in the last episode of his "Overcoat" to show the injustice of the world, its inhumanity. And only the intervention of otherworldly forces can change this state of affairs.
It should be noted that the last meeting of Akaky Akakievich and the official became significant for the "significant" person. Gogol writes that this incident "made a strong impression on him." The official became much less likely to say to his subordinates, “How dare you, do you understand who is in front of you?” If he uttered such words, then after he listened to the person standing in front of him.
Gogol in his story shows all the inhumanity of human society. He calls to look at the "little man" with understanding and pity. The conflict between the "little man" and society leads to an uprising of the meek and humble, even after death.
Thus, in The Overcoat, Gogol refers to a new type of hero for him - the "little man". The author seeks to show all the hardships of the life of a simple person who cannot find support anywhere and in anyone. He cannot even answer the offenders, because he is too weak. In the real world, everything cannot change and justice will prevail, so Gogol introduces fantasy into the narrative.

Pain for a person or a mockery of him? (based on the novel by N.V. Gogol "The Overcoat")

The theme of the "little man" is traditional for Russian literature of the 19th century. Russian word artists solved it in a humanistic way, calling for sympathy and compassion.
The first writer who touched upon and developed this topic is A.S. Pushkin. It is from his Belkin's Tales that the "little man" begins its pedigree in Russian literature and a fundamentally new, realistic approach to the depiction of the "simple" hero is outlined.
Samson Vyrin, the hero of the story "The Stationmaster", an official of the lowest, fourteenth grade, has the only joy in life - the beautiful daughter Dunya. By her very presence in the house of her old father, she brightens up both the hard labor of the stationmaster, and the wretchedness of existence at a small postal station, lost in the vast expanses of Russia: nimble, all dead mother.
But the rich captain Minsky secretly takes away Dunya, leaving Vyrin in confusion and grief: “The old man could not bear his misfortune; he immediately took to the very bed where the young deceiver lay the day before. The hero begs for a vacation and goes on foot to St. Petersburg to rescue his daughter, because he believes that the Minsk Dunya is in danger of death. But all attempts to fight against those in power turn out to be fruitless: “What do you need? - he said to him, clenching his teeth, - why are you sneaking around me like a robber? Or do you want to kill me? Go away!" and seizing the old man by the collar with a strong hand, pushed him out onto the stairs.
Returning home, powerless and humiliated, the caretaker dies in poverty and loneliness.
Compassion for the hero is the defining motive of the whole story. It is in this vein that the narrator's meeting with Vyrin is described, it is this that determines the emotional and sympathetic coloring of all the details of the text ("poor" caretaker, "kind" caretaker, etc.).
The story of N.V. Gogol's "The Overcoat" is successively connected with Pushkin's story, written a decade earlier. But, revealing the tragedy of the "little man", Gogol introduced one very important feature into his story. There is a passage in The Stationmaster: “His friend advised him to complain; but the caretaker thought, waved his hand and decided to step back. He decided to retreat, because, apparently, he understood that complaints and troubles would not lead to anything anyway.
What Pushkin only hinted at, Gogol in The Overcoat showed with his own eyes, leading his hero through ordeals and bureaucratic red tape. It was as if he pushed the little man Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin against the state machine and showed how hostile it was to his interests. Thus, in Gogol, public, social motives sound stronger than in Pushkin.
What is a “little man”, according to Gogol? He is talking about a person who is small in social terms, because he is not rich, has no voice in society, is unremarkable: “As for the rank (for we first need to announce the rank), he was what they call eternal titular adviser…” Gogol Bashmachkin is just a minor official with a meager salary.
But this person is also “small” because his inner world is very limited. Akaki Akakievich is diligent and diligent, but at the same time he does not even think about what he is doing. In addition, Bashmachkin has lost confidence in himself so much that he does not even try to change, to improve. He only repeats over and over again: "No, better let me rewrite something."
The only meaning of the hero's life is to collect money to buy an overcoat. He is insanely happy at the mere thought of the fulfillment of this desire: “From now on, it’s as if his very existence has somehow become more complete, as if he had married, as if some other person was present with him.”
It is not surprising that the theft of a wonderful overcoat, acquired with such difficulty, became a real tragedy for Bashmachkin. But the people around Akaky Akakievich only laughed at his misfortune. No one even tried to understand this man, let alone help him. The worst thing, in my opinion, is that no one noticed the death of Bashmachkin, no one remembered him after.
The episode of the resurrection of Akaky Akakievich in the epilogue of the story is fantastic. Now this hero allegedly wanders around St. Petersburg and rips off overcoats and fur coats from passers-by. Such is Bashmachkin's revenge. He calms down only when he rips off the overcoat from the “significant person”, who greatly influenced the fate of the hero: “Ah! so here you are at last! finally I caught you by the collar! I need your overcoat! didn’t bother about mine, and even scolded it - now give yours!” Only now Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin is growing up in his own eyes.
According to Gogol, even in the life of the most insignificant person there are moments when he can become a strong personality, able to stand up for himself.
Thus, the theme of the "little man" is a cross-cutting one in Russian literature of the 19th century. Major writers have addressed this topic, interpreting and developing it in their own way. Pushkin emphasized the personal humility of his hero, Gogol - the indifference of society. But both artists, following the humanistic tradition of Russian classical literature, focused on the soul of their characters, on their inner world. Writers urged to see in the "little man" a personality worthy, if not respect, then at least sympathy and understanding.

"The Little Man" in N. V. Gogol's story "The Overcoat"

The story of Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol "The Overcoat" played a big role in the development of Russian literature. “We all came out of Gogol's Overcoat,” said F. M. Dostoevsky, assessing its significance for many generations of Russian writers.
The story in "The Overcoat" is conducted in the first person. We notice that the narrator knows the life of officials well. The hero of the story is Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, a small official of one of the St. Petersburg departments, a disenfranchised and humiliated person. Gogol describes the appearance of the protagonist of the story as follows: “short, somewhat pockmarked, somewhat reddish, even somewhat blind-sighted, with a small bald spot on his forehead, with wrinkles on both sides of his cheeks.”
Colleagues treat him with disrespect. Even the watchmen in the department look at Bashmachkin as if he were an empty place, "as if a simple fly had flown through the reception room." And young officials laugh at Akaky Akakievich. He's really a ridiculous, funny man who only knows how to copy papers. And in response to insults, he says only one thing: “Leave me, why are you offending me?”. “And there was something strange in the words and in the voice with which they were pronounced,” writes Gogol. “There was something in him… pitiful…”
The narrative in "The Overcoat" is constructed in such a way that the comic image of Bashmachkin gradually becomes tragic. He walks in an old overcoat, which can no longer be repaired. In order to save up money for a new overcoat on the tailor's advice, he saves money: he doesn't light candles in the evenings, he doesn't drink tea. Akaky Akakievich walks the streets very carefully, “almost on tiptoe”, so as not to “wear out the soles” ahead of time, rarely gives the laundry to the laundress. “At first it was somewhat difficult for him to get used to such restrictions, but then he somehow got used to it and went smoothly; even he was perfectly accustomed to fasting in the evenings; but on the other hand, he ate spiritually, carrying in his thoughts the eternal idea of ​​a future greatcoat, ”writes Gogol. The new overcoat becomes the dream and meaning of the life of the protagonist of the story.
And now Bashmachkin's overcoat is ready. On this occasion, officials arrange a banquet. Happy Akaki Akakievich does not even notice that they are mocking him. At night, when Bashmachkin was returning from a banquet, the robbers took off his overcoat. This man's happiness lasted only one day. “The next day he appeared all pale and in his old hood, which became even more deplorable.” He turns to the police for help, but they don't even want to talk to him. Then Akaky Akakievich goes to the "significant person", but he kicks him out. These troubles had such a strong effect on the protagonist of the story that he could not survive them. He fell ill and died soon after. “A creature disappeared and disappeared, protected by no one, dear to no one, not interesting to anyone ... but for which all the same, although just before the very end of life, a bright guest flashed in the form of an overcoat, reviving a poor life for a moment”, - writes Gogol.
Emphasizing the typical fate of the “little man”, Gogol says that his death did not change anything in the department, Bashmachkin’s place was simply taken by another official.
The story "The Overcoat", despite its realism, ends fantastically. After the death of Akaky Akakievich, a ghost began to appear on the streets of St. Petersburg, who removed the overcoats from passers-by. Some saw in him a resemblance to Bashmachkin, others did not notice anything in common between the robber and the timid official. One night, the ghost met a “significant person” and tore off his overcoat, frightening the official to the point that he “even began to fear about some kind of painful attack.” After this incident, the “significant person” began to treat people better. This end of the story emphasizes the author's intention. Gogol sympathizes with the fate of the "little man". He calls on us to be attentive to each other, and, as it were, warns that a person will have to answer in the future for the insults inflicted on his neighbor. No wonder one of Bashmachkin's colleagues heard behind his words: “Leave me, why are you offending me?” other words: "I am your brother."

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.

Topics

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 come true. 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.

"The Overcoat" - the last of the stories written by Gogol - was created simultaneously with the first volume of "Dead Souls". The story of Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, "the eternal titular adviser," is the story of the death of a little man. In the department they treated him without any respect and did not even look at him when they gave him something to copy. The hero's zealous fulfillment of his duties - rewriting government papers - is the only interest and meaning of his life. The poverty and timidity of the poor official are expressed in his tongue-tied speech. In a conversation, when he started, he did not finish the phrase: “This, really, is absolutely that ...” - and then there was nothing, and he himself forgot, thinking that he had already said everything. Despite his humiliated position, Akaky Akakievich is quite pleased with his lot. In the story with the overcoat, he experiences a kind of insight. The overcoat became his "ideal goal", warmed, filled his existence. Starving in order to save up money for her sewing, he "feeded spiritually, carrying in his thoughts the idea of ​​​​a future overcoat." The hero even became a firmer character, bold, courageous thoughts flashed through his head - “shouldn’t you just put a marten on your collar?” .

Faced with the blatant indifference of life in the form of a "significant person", having experienced a spiritual shock, Bashmachkin falls ill and dies. In his dying delirium, he utters terrible blasphemous speeches never heard from him. And here his thoughts revolved around the same overcoat. When he died, then “Petersburg was left without Akaky Akakievich, as if he had never been in it. A creature disappeared and disappeared, protected by no one, dear to no one, not interesting to anyone ... ". Only a few days later they learned in the department that Bashmachkin had died, and even then only because his place was empty.

But the story of the poor official does not end there. The deceased Bashmachkin turns into an avenging ghost and rips off the overcoat from the "significant person" himself. After meeting with the dead, he, having felt the pangs of conscience, is morally corrected. Sometimes they think that the deceased Akaki Akakievich disturbs the conscience of a "significant person" and is only a ghost in his imagination. However, such a plausible explanation violates the logic of Gogol's world - just as it would be violated if the action of the "Nose" were explained as a dream of Major Kovalev.

However, even here the author does not give a definitive answer to all questions. “One Kolomna watchman,” he writes, “saw with his own eyes how it seemed from behind one house a ghost; but being somewhat powerless by nature ... he did not dare to stop him, and so he followed him in the darkness until at last the ghost suddenly looked around and, stopping, asked: “What do you want?” - and showed such a fist, which you will not find even among the living. Buduchnik said: "Nothing," - and turned the same hour ago. The ghost, however, was already much taller, wore an enormous mustache, and, directing his steps, as it seemed, to the Obukhov bridge, disappeared completely in the darkness of the night.

Thus ends the story. Gogol leaves it up to the reader to decide whether the ghost had anything to do with Akaky Akakievich or whether it was all the fruit of idle inventions and urban rumors.

In The Overcoat, Gogol shows how a person puts his whole soul without a trace into a thing - an overcoat. This side of the hero of the story, deserving not only compassion, but also censure, was noted by Apollon Grigoriev, who wrote that in the image of Bashmachkin “the poet drew the last line of shallowing of God's creation to the extent that a thing, and the most insignificant thing, becomes a source for a person. boundless joy and annihilating grief, to the point that the overcoat becomes a tragic fatum in the life of a being created in the image and likeness of the Eternal ... "

Gogolevsky Akaki Akakievich is not reduced as a hero only to the Petersburg type of official, - this is a universal image, referring to all like him, wherever and whenever they live, in whatever conditions they die, or disappear from life just as imperceptibly for others, like Akaki Akakievich. The same misfortune fell upon him, “as fell upon the kings and rulers of the world ...”