Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Due Monday, December 16th - "We all came out of Gogol's overcoat...One day you will understand."
Directions: Please read "The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol. Comment on the story using 2-3 direct quotations from the text in your response. Think about the line Ashoke quoted from Dostoevsky, "We all came out of Gogol's overcoat. One day you will understand." Given what you understand of the short story, below, what do you think Lahiri meant in using this quotation as an allusion? What clues do you see in the stories? How does it show a correlation between name and self? What does that mean for Gogol Ganguli and his change of name? How does it add a richness to your understanding of Lahiri's work? I look forward to your responses.
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The overcoat ih the story i feel could represent a multitude of ideals. One specific thing that I felt was very blatantly clearly was how as soon as Akaky wore the coat that he worked so hard to earn he started to act different. He began to question his own character and have inner conflicts. These inner conflicts are evident when he goes to the party that his co-workers threw for him. There he is confused as to how to act - even when leaving the party he chases after a girl but then stops after being confused as to why he was running in the first place. I feel as though that Gogol believes that his name is his overcoat, in the sense that he feels judged and looked at different due to his name. Both Akaky and Gogol both believe that changing their clothes or name results in a change in character which is what caused such inner conflict for Akaky after buying the coat. I feel like im reading too much into the overcat phrase but then again I feel like reading too much into literary works is what makes it so open to interpretation. Thus I feel as though that as the movie progresses gogol will have a downfall much like how Akaky got robbed and his identity was taken from him(or so he believed). I believe Gogol will face a struggle in the future regarding his identity and will come to terms with how his name doesn't actually define who he is as a person.
ReplyDeleteAkakiy Akakievitch has an incredibly sad life from our point of view but to him it is ideal. He loves his job even though it is only copying and no one really cared for him. In the line, “No respect was shown him in the department. The porter not only did not rise from his seat when he passed, but never even glanced at him, any more than if a fly had flown through the reception-room.” we see exactly how little he mattered to the people around him which would be so sad but Akakiy who doesn’t really care to be around people, this is rather beneficial. Buying a new coat is the highlight of his life for him so the moment it is stolen from him is heartbreaking. However, “But who could have imagined that this was not really the end of Akakiy Akakievitch, that he was destined to raise a commotion after death, as if in compensation for his utterly insignificant life?” With that we see that Akakiy who wasn’t really going anywhere in his lifetime was much more significant in death. He becomes the neighborhood ghost, stealing people’s coats and it is very perfect way Akakiy got back at those who did him wrong in life.
ReplyDeleteWith “We all came out of Gogol's overcoat. One day you will understand’’. Lahiri may have meant that we are all in some ways like Akakiy. Like Akakiy we may all be very different from others. Like how Gogol in the movie felt so different due to his heritage and name, he resembles Akakiy’s struggle to fit in. In the story we see Akakiy pushed down so many times due to financial struggles and social struggles, it makes the reader want to cheer for him. But we also see that buying a coat and fitting into his society made him unhappy and perhaps it means we have different ideals for happiness. Like Akakiy who bought a coat, Gogol changing his name made him feel like he fit in more. I think it's very cool how Lahiri was able to draw parallels between the two stories of Gogol and Akakiy because seeing both line up to show struggles of fitting into society is very interesting.
Akakiy and Gogol’s stories make me think about how there is no textbook definition for happiness. Each person’s individual life means something different and there is no universal rule for how they should live it. This concept definitely stresses me out. I wish sometimes there was one specific way to live a fulfilling life, but there's not because… that's life (haha). Akakiy never really feels like he fits in, he feels like a fly on the wall and that his actions have no impact. Even when he buys the coat, something that he thought would make all of the difference, not much actually changed. This reminds me of Gogol and how he wants to change his name. He thinks that if he changes his name, everything will suddenly fall into place - because it is clearly his name that is an issue! I can relate to the feeling that changing one trivial thing in my life will make all of my problems go away. I think a lot of people do this too, I guess it’s human nature. Maybe I’m reaching, but I think that’s something Lahiri could be trying to show the readers. That each person is an individual and there are so many little things that come together to form someone's identity... nobody is the same… but also nobody is really that different. I’m finding it hard to put this into words but basically I feel like these stories show that individuality is comprised of so many little things, and each of those little things are important - so trying to alter one, won’t change the individual.
ReplyDeleteI also think it is interesting that Akakiy comes back as a ghost and steals everyone’s coats. I believe in spirits and stuff and stories like this are always funny but kind of sad to me. Like yes- it is comical that some ghost is going around stealing everyone’s coats… so stupid but weird idk. But it also makes me sad, because it shows that he is still suffering from his past life. He is still stuck on trying to change the one trivial aspect that he thinks will make all the difference. Maybe he thinks that by stealing coats he will be noticed and that he will finally find the happiness he was searching for.
Reading through “The Overcoat” made me feel actually a lot of things. I could relate to Akakiy in so many ways, but in others it was so upsetting to have to read through how he was feeling and what he went through with many of the other characters. It was like nothing he did was right and had no one there to help him or talk with him. From the beginning of reading this story, I could tell see Akakiy’s independence, even when others made fun of him, he made no mistake in his work because as the reader could tell, he just simply didn’t care, “It even had no effect upon his work: amid all these annoyances he never made a single mistake in a letter.” However if it got to the point where he was extremely annoyed, he called an end to it but this was just to a certain extent. I could also see the tradition in Akakiy’s life, the way his mother named him - just after his father. Not that this is a bad thing, however, after the many interesting names tossed around, his mother quite frankly refused to name Akakiy anything but this. This really reminded me of Gogol, not only because of the topic of names but because his family was also rooted with tradition. Akakiy really had a simple life, but too simple - it made me sad to read this because I felt as if all he had was disappointment. He tried so desperately hard to get his cloak, and waited so long for it too - just for it to be stolen by strange men who weren’t even found. I feel like his coat was his way to escape his small world for a little while. He had something to look forward to, something interesting that he knew was coming for him - giving him hope for at least one thing; all of this makes the loss of it just so much more sad and disappointing. If I were to create a new ending for this story, not even a new ending but an addition, I would just like one moment of pure happiness for Akakiy. He never had one thing to look forward to, other than receiving a coat which he had to wait MONTHS for. He didn’t have friends and spent his time “copying” reports. Yes, this sometimes brought him joy but I would write for him to have more than just this one coat. But, maybe this is what Lahiri wanted - she wanted the reader to realize that sometimes one doesn’t have the best life or people around them so it’s the happiness in the little things that matters. (It did make me a little happier to read how he stole others’ coats after he died - his revenge for those who didn’t take the time to talk or get to know Akakiy)
ReplyDeleteI found that Akakiy’s story and Gogol’s story relate to one another because they are both fixated on one thing - for Akakiy, it’s his coat and for Gogol, it’s his name. The difference seems as if Akakiy is only happy with his coat, it gives him a sense of happiness and hope. But for Gogol, he believes that it’s his name that leaves him out of society - he doesn’t fit in. But he does - it is the little things that one must find happiness in if the things around you aren’t pleasing you. I think these two stories definitely correlate and Lahiri did a really nice job putting together some of the pieces with Akakiy and Gogol.
While reading this, I really felt connected to Akakiy. Like him, I like to have my alone time, and like my work and continue to work until im satisfied. I also work until im capable of providing for myself. When he did finally get his overcoat, he changed his demeanor. Suddenly, he was out later, still wanting to leave, but wanting to be out with his friends at the party. He felt more confident, much like anyone after waiting and working for something so important. I see a lot of Gogol Ganguli in Akakiy. Gogol is torn between being the traditional Indian man that his mother wants, and being more American like his father. But the one thing that is distracting him from being either, is that he is trying to be anything but himself. He is so fixated on his name and if it was different, instead of embracing who he is what what his name means. Akakiy, is fixated on his coat, that he doesn't think of the backlash he will get if he is seen out in public in the neighborhood that he lives in. Both are so lost in the problems at hand, that they can't see ahead, in turn, that will be their own downfall.
ReplyDeleteThe Overcoat is the story of Akakiy and his monotone life. Specifically, how is monotone life is changed by this overcoat, which he changes himself to afford. After he has the coat, he is more confident, he "could not refrain from rejoicing when he saw how they praised his cloak" which is very different from before, when he just takes insults from his coworkers "But Akakiy Akakievitch answered not a word, any more than if there had been no one there besides himself.". Later, this coat is stolen from him when he leaves a party earlier than everyone else, and he dies after days of begging and searching for his coat. The quote "We all came out of Gogol's overcoat" I interpret references both the first and second overcoat. Akakiy has his set life. A constant stream of the same mundane life, boring and uninteresting. This all changes with the idea of having to get a new overcoat. Akakiy is at first extremely upset, for reasons like cost but it's undeniable he has a strong attachment to his current old overcoat and the life he had been living until now. However, he is persuaded because he realizes he really can't manage with his current overcoat, and other people won't tolerate him remaining as he is with the ratty overcoat (Petrovich). So he resolves to change his life and endure so he can save up for a new overcoat and with time and work, he finally gets the new overcoat. This overcoat is so different from the previous version of himself, who lived a more monotone life. The new overcoat is a symbol of the person Akakiy can become, someone who is willing to work hard and strive for something more than just what is in his life. He goes to a party, another symbol of this life he could strive for of more luxury and sociableness. However, he leaves early to return to his monotone life because he can't fathom exiting his routine anymore than he already has. This brings him into the night where some guys take his coat and he is left with nothing but his old worn overcoat. He dies trying to strive and find his new overcoat, but to no avail. We all have a routine that we are afraid to leave because it is what's comfortable, it's what we have in our routine. But we have to leave that routine if we want to change ourselves for the better. Once we have started changing ourselves, it is not possible to go back to the former self, the old overcoat, and survive. Gogol's father, Ashoke, is the same. He was living his routine life of reading books and no plans of traveling the world until the train crash. The train crash and him surviving it is his new overcoat. By coming out of the old overcoat and deciding to go to America and live a life he wants to live, Ashoke accepted the change of what could be. Gogol is currently in a transitional time where he is still stuck in his old overcoat, with his difficulty accepting his name and his culture. The old overcoat is his ignorance of his own life for a strictly American one. If he is able to come out of the new overcoat, he will be able to accept both his American upbringing and his roots of his name and family.
ReplyDeleteAkakiy Akakievitch lives a life that can be externally viewed as sad and lonely, yet is personally satisfying to him. His life consists of his work, and it is commented that “It would be difficult to find another man who lived so entirely for his duties” (2), as he worked each day with devotion despite the horrible social situation. Due to his simple life, and need for little, he has little, and added expenses require a lot of forethought and planning. I’ll admit, upon first reading this story, I was annoyed at the entire pages dedicated to the way Akakiy saved up for his new coat- why not sum up in a paragraph? But at the end of the story, when his coat is stolen, it gives the reader a much stronger appreciation for the significance of the item. The coat was an ideal. Something Akakiy built up in his mind, planned for months, envisioned, never to be as perfect in reality as fantasy. Thus, when he first tries on the coat and “He was conscious every second of the time that he had a new cloak on his shoulders; and several times he laughed with internal satisfaction,” (9) it shocked me, as the reader, to find that there was no flaw in the coat. We learn that the true flaw comes later, in its theft, and that, had the coat been less perfect, it probably would not have been stolen.
ReplyDeleteThis is similar in a strange way to Gogol by Lahiri. In this story, the character Gogol despises his name all his life, and wishes that it were Indian. He knows it is partially his own fault for refusing to be called Nikhil in kindergarten, yet still despises his father for giving him the name in the first place. Thus, when he learns that his name could be legally changed to something sounding better, he is excited. This becomes his ideal, his fantasy, much akin to Akakiy’s coat. And like Akakiy’s coat, when he finally gets the name changed, it seems perfect at first. That is, until he realizes that he does not really feel like Nikhil. Once again, after the build up, after the idealization, reality doesn’t match up to fantasy, and Gogol is left feeling dissatisfied.
“The Overcoat” was not at all what I expected. With all of the lead up to it, and the declaration of its importance in the future of Russian literature, I thought that it would be more remarkable to read. Instead, it felt like a fairly standard short story. However, that is likely due to the fact that I am unfamiliar with the other writings of the time. It appears that just like with Mrs. Dalloway, this short story was groundbreaking for the nature of what it was. Mrs. Dalloway was the first novel to look so deeply at a single day in a characters life, yet still be a riveting story. “The Overcoat” does the same, it was the first story to break free from the romanticism movement and establish itself as a new form, the naturalist movement. Furthermore, it set the stage for the form of modern short stories. When thought about in this context, it is definitely more impactful of a story. An interesting quote from “The Overcoat” is, “And the young man covered his face with his hand; and many a time afterwards, in the course of his life, shuddered at seeing how much inhumanity there is in man“. This is an important message in the story, and one that few of the characters realize, and even fewer actually act upon. It is clear throughout the story that the members of this society scarcely view each other as human, with their views being based on social position instead. When his beloved coat is stolen, the police chief treats Akakiy like a criminal, and does not help at all, “ Instead of directing his attention to the principal points of the matter, he began to question Akakiy Akakievitch“. Had he been a higher ranking official, it is implied that he would have been helped. Gogol also speaks on the nature of regret, using the haunting of “the prominent personage” to show the consequences of treating others poorly.
ReplyDeleteWhen Lahiri says “We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat” as an allusion, she means a few things. The first meaning that comes to mind is that of salvation and change. Ashoke is saved by the Overcoat. Therefore, the rest of his life, and by extension, his kids lives, also comes from Gogol’s Overcoat: hence why saying “we all” is appropriate. Another meaning comes from the idea of change. The Overcoat represented an extremely influential short story, that shaped russian literature as well as modern short stories. Meanwhile, Ashoke also went through this same change. He leaves home and travels the world, distancing himself from his culture, and in essence becoming a changed man. Then, his son is born, and he experiences another miracle, transforming yet again, except this time he transforms into a caring father who is rooted in place.
When Gogol Ganguli changes his name, he is donning a new coat. Just as when Akakiy put on his new coat, this has consequences. Akakiy enters the upper parts of russian society. This proves to be not for him though, as he is pretending to be someone who he is not. The same is true when Gogol changes his name to Nikhil in order to become more easily accepted by Americans. He realizes that he does not like who he has become. The message in both stories relates to the importance of staying true to oneself.
The Overcoat reminded me of how sometimes the happiest things in your life can also be your downfall. Akakiy was perfectly satisfied in with his dull life, his cabbage soup, his job of copying papers. He does not care when people make fun of him or what people think of his looks, he simply does his job, goes home, and sleeps. That is his life. When he is forced to buy a new cloak, because his old one is simply a rag, he must cut down on food and other things just to afford it. But this causes the cloak to become almost a beacon of light in his life. It was what he looked forward to all the time, for there was no other variation in his life. When he finally got the cloak, everyone began treating him differently. They were impressed by his cloak and even invited him to a party. He goes, as a new man, and attempts to mingle and enjoy himself. However, just because he has a nice new cloak, this does not mean he is a whole new person. He is still as uncomfortable as he would be if he never got a new cloak. He walks home, tired, but then is robbed. They take his cloak. When I first read this, I thought it would be people from his office taking his cloak, because they constantly made fun of him until he got this cloak, so they were taking it back so things would go back to normal. This is never clarified. But, because this cloak is stolen, he eventually catches cold and dies. His cloak, the thing which brought him the most happiness in years, also, after it was stolen because he was invited to a party because of it, led to his death. Even as he was dying he hallucinated about the cloak. The cloak was the only thing he thought of.
ReplyDelete"We all came from Gogol's overcoat". I'm not really sure what this means honestly. The story was not what I was expecting, especially the ending. I think this saying has something to do with becoming all too focused on one thing to a fault. Like when Gogol got too upset about his name, he wasn't seeing the full picture of what it actually meant. Akakiy was so proud of his coat, that it became his downfall. Although, neither of these circumstances are fully the person's fault. Just because Akakiy tried to go to a party, doesn't mean he has rid himself of his true character. And Gogol did not know the whole backstory behind his name, so how would he understand it's full importance. SO really, this message confuses me. Is it that you should be yourself, but life can interrupt that anyways? I'm not sure.
The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol is an interesting short story that provides us a look into a simplistic, impoverished life of unfortunate circumstances. However, despite this, our main character Akaky seems to be quite content with his life.
ReplyDelete"Thus flowed on the peaceful life of the man, who, with a salary of four hundred rubles,
understood how to be content with his lot; and thus it would have continued to flow on, perhaps,
to extreme old age, were it not that there are various ills strewn along the path of life for titular
councillors as well as for private, actual, court, and every other species of councillor, even for
those who never give any advice or take any themselves."
To Nikolai, there is peace and tranquility in his very simple life. All he is to be concerned with is copying documents and eating food each day. As a reader, you are almost happy for him that he is able to be okay with his dreary situation. However, at a point in the reading, Akaky realizes he is in need of a new coat and goes to discuss the price of one.
“A hundred and fifty rubles for a cloak!” shrieked poor Akakiy Akakievitch, perhaps for the
first time in his life, for his voice had always been distinguished for softness.
In discovering the price, it is apparent this is something he cannot afford and must live frugally for a while before he is able to purchase it.
Now, most unfortunately, after he buys the coat he is mugged on his way home from a party thrown to celebrate his coat. Due to not having a coat in Russia, he dies from an infection. This is very disappointing to see the death of a simple, good person.
Now returning to the statement that "We all come from Gogols Overcoat" there is a definite link between this story and the statement. To me it displays that we all live a simple life that can be uprooted in a matter of seconds. Just as Ashoke had been in the accident and could have died, Akaky lost his coat and did die.
I love Akakiy’s spirit. He is more content than I have seen any literary character ever. No, I don’ mean excited or proud, I mean content. He is satisfied with the relatively “little” that he has. When doing what many would consider tedious work, “Enjoyment was written on his face: some letters were even favourites with him; and when he encountered these, he smiled, winked, and worked with his lips, till it seemed as though each letter might be read in his face, as his pen traced it.” He finds satisfaction in his work, a virtue rarely illustrated in literature and in life, where we are always striving for more, if not for something tangible, at least for a deeper understanding or purpose. Although the thievery of the overcoat and the subsequent downfall of Akakiy are extremely heart-wrenching, I could not help but chuckle at some parts, especially when exposing the blatant ineffectiveness of the Russian bureaucracy. The police cheif reprimands Akayiy’s perceived forwardness, “You should first have entered a complaint about this at the court below: it would have gone to the head of the department, then to the chief of the division, then it would have been handed over to the secretary, and the secretary would have given it to me.” This is even more evident when they whole government is trying to bring a ghost to justice: “Arrangements were made by the police to catch the corpse, alive or dead, at any cost, and punish him as an example to others in the most severe manner.” This class has changed the way I thought about 19th and 20th centrurey literature, their use of satire is so clever, especially in pointing out failings in society. Besides all the comic relief in this story it really did “warm my heart” as they say and I totally understand why Gogol’s father in The Namesake felt so comfortable choosing his son’s name.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of people seemingly live an insignificant life with no impact on the greater plains that define the universes lifetime. An average individual will experience peaks within their circle, but nothing that makes even a dent on the lives beyond said group. From this message sprang Nikolai Gogol’s The Overcoat, where the main character Akakiy Akakievitch experiences a generally uneventful and depressing course of life before he is introduced to his new cloak.
ReplyDeleteAkakiy Akakievitch was the clerk of some nondescript department, as the author felt it not important to mention of what department given how utterly unimportant Akakiy Akakievitch’s existence was. He lived a life of pattern, “always to be seen in the same place, [with] the same attitude, [in] the same occupation” and was told to rarely vary from such a course.
His life all changed with the arrival of his new cloak. His old cape, as it was referred, served to make a further mockery of his shy and odd personality that was already ridiculed be seemingly all. But his new cape, of the finest material and in line with new fashion trends, drew the attention of his former bullies, to which he equated as interest in himself. It was only after losing the cloak, and being confronted with horrible mistreatment from the police on his urgence to find it and regain his popularity- that he realizes the truth of his life.
Saddened and grieved, he dies of sickness some few days later. And even beyond the grave, although he himself had been forgotten, he searches for a cloak to replace the one he lost. Only after recovering a cloak that fit perfectly to his size did “the apparition of the dead tchinovnik ceased to be seen,” and Akakievitch die forgotten but for the lore of his cloak.
It is after reading this story (along with a period spent mulling over its meanings) did the quote “we all came from Gogol’s overcoat” finally make sense. From Ashoke surviving his train crash, to living to see the birth of his son Gogol and see his life play out before his eyes- did Ashoke come to appreciate the greatness and prosperity of his life. He lived a full life, gaining more than he could have ever asked for in his wife and children and career and friends, when he thought his fate was to die if not for Gogol’s story, The Overcoat. The overcoat was a symbol for the prosperity we experience in life, and it is often the case that only after we lose it do we understand how truly great a life we were handed, and which we lived.
I admire Akaky Akakievich’s modest way of living. The simplicity of his joys is a refreshing reminder in an age where life moves so fast and materials are perceived to define one’s worth. Akaky is concerned with himself, not selfishly more like contently. He ignores the taunts of the younger workers and the commotion of the streets on his way to work. I was struck by the quote, “But Akakiy Akakievitch saw in all things the clean, even strokes of his written lines; and only when a horse thrust his nose, from some unknown quarter, over his shoulder, and sent a whole gust of wind down his neck from his nostrils, did he observe that he was not in the middle of a page, but in the middle of the street.” This reminded me of Ashoke’s ability to keep his nose in a book while walking, an ability I have always admired but failed to be able to do without being overwhelmed by dizziness. Such a simple motion as walking down the street is truly simple for Akaky, reminding me of our mindfulness studies from the previous class. Akaky finds joy in the simplicity of life, such as work and a new coat. I was calmed by the line, “Having written to his heart's content, he lay down to sleep, smiling at the thought of the coming day—of what God might send him to copy on the morrow.” Bringing such tranquility to life, Akaky lives in true happiness, free of concern for things that don’t truly matter or bring him joy.The apparent mechanization of his life may seem too linear and lack the spike in excitement that many crave. Though his way may lack such unprecedented spikes in emotion, it certainly does not lack joy, “If there happened to be none, he took copies for himself, for his own gratification, especially if the document was noteworthy, not on account of its style, but of its being addressed to some distinguished person.”
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is significant meaning to the overcoat itself and so much to be unpacked from the whole story by Nikolai Gogol but I can’t help but be continuously struck by the simplicity of Akaky’s everyday life. I am truly envious of how present Akaky is and how simple things should be. Just reading a description of such simplicity calms me, showing how tragically complicated I make the little things in life that are not truly important.
Akakiy Akakievitch was a simply satisfied man. Without a worry in the world, he was very different from Gogol. He didn’t mind eating cabbage every night and even enjoyed just copying papers everyday at his job. Akakiy’s life was interrupted when he was forced to buy a new coat. Because he had to sacrifice so much for it - money, time, comfort - the coat became the focus of his life. He thought about it constantly and it was the best thing in his life. When he got the coat, he was treated differently. He was admired and talked to, instead of being mocked and talked about. He was even invited to a party. This party leads to his death because, on his way home, he was robbed, his coat was taken, and, days later, he passed away from, what one might say was, a slight chill. He haunted people’s cloaks until he finally took the cloak from the man in power who wouldn’t help him. Even after death, the cloak was the only focus. This reminds me of Gogol because his name caused him so much of an inconvenience, like Akakiy’s old overcoat did, that he got rid of it. I can imagine Gogol, once he began being called Nikhil, acted differently. He said he couldn’t see the name “Gogol” on a resume, so he must’ve acted more mature and on top of it just because he changed his name. However, when his father eventually told him the real story of his name, he realized his mistake. He finally understood the importance and meaning of his name. Kind of like when Akakiy lost his coat, it is the major tip in both stories, signifying a moment of regret.
ReplyDeleteI think that both cloaks in “The Overcoat” have many different figurative appearances in “Gogol.” For Gogol, his name represents what I believe to be the original cloak that Akakiy had. There once was a time when the cloak would have been fresh and new, just like Gogol’s name was when he was younger. But as time passes, both the cloak and the name grow old, causing both characters to be teased and feel ashamed. Akakiy obtains the new cloak and Gogol changes to Nikolai, causing them both to feel as is they fit into society more than before. Gogol was afraid of what other people in the world and community thought of his name, but in truth as he appears to admit, “the only person who didn’t take Gogol seriously, the only person who tormented him, the only person chronically aware of and afflicted by the embarrassment of his name, the only person who constantly questioned it and wished it were otherwise, was Gogol.” Before his new cloak, Akakiy was content with his life as it stated “it would be difficult to find another man who lived so entirely for his duties.” Losing the cloak caused Akakiy to lose what he believed to be his connection to the world, causing him to fall ill and die, but when Gogol learned the true meaning behind his name, he felt apologetic for the way he neglected his father's cultures and beliefs causing him to stand still and say “I’m sorry, Baba.” He learned that what made him feel different was what made him special, while Akakiy’s need to please his subordinates by staying late at the party allowed for his to realize that the only thing that caused him to be accepted was a garment of clothing, not his identity or who he was. Gogol learned that his name didn’t define who he was, but was tributed to his father, allowing for him to learn humility and thus building his character in the story.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIn Nikoli Gogol’s “The Overcoat”, the purpose of life is challenged through the story of Akaky Akakievitch. The description of a man who seems to be just another cog in the system of his work environment. He is not simply ignored but is highlighted by his ‘flaws’, to me I don’t know which is better. Would one want to be ignored or would one want to be exposed in a negative light?
“So flowed the peaceful life of this man who, with a salary of four hundred, was able to content himself with his lot, and so it might have flowed on into extreme old age, had it not been for the various calamities strewn along the path of life, not only of titular, but even of privy, actual, court, and other councilors, even of those who neither give counsel nor take any themselves.”
Narrator, p. 399
This quotation really focuses on empathy and its relationship with The Overcoat. Identity is given to it and a character starts to form from the descriptions. The description begins to shape a whole fear that encompasses all individuals. The symbolism of wealth and status and how it can imbalanced. It also speaks to the idea that nobody can live a perfect seamless life, and that people receive uneasy and unhappiness.
“From then on it was as if his very existence became somehow fuller, as if he were married, as if some other person were there with him, as if he were not alone but some pleasant life’s companion had agreed to walk down the path of life with him—and this companion was none other than that same overcoat with its cotton-wool quilting, with its sturdy lining that knew no wear.”
Narrator, p. 406
This quote is describing the sacrifice that Akaky made so he could purchase the overcoat. He is faced with a difficult unknown but ultimately accepts the challenge to invest his life into this unknown. This really highlights the risk we all take in life and that we never can guarantee a perfect outcome in whatever we do. The overcoat in a sense becomes a way for Akaky to open himself to the outside world.
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ReplyDeleteSorry for turning this in late as I was sick.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect I found surprising in The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol, was how easily material possessions can change who you are. In the beginning of the story, Akakiy Akakievitch is a simple man. He does his job diligently and works “like a horse in a mill.” On top of that, “with a salary of four hundred rubles, understood how to be content with his lot.” But this nature of Akakievitch changes when he required to buy a new overcoat. Although he does not want to spend money on a new one, his old one is in such a condition that nothing can be done to improve it. But rather than buy a new one, he and his tailor decide to create one from scratch. The end product is a nice overcoat for a reasonable price.
But when Akakievitch wears the coat on the street he becomes a new person. He felt a new sense of dignity and people at his work started treating him with respect by “congratulating him and saying pleasant things to him.” But this new sense of dignity causes Akakievitch to lose some of his morals. He starts to attend the parties he never would have attended and stays up later than he normally does.
But when coming home one day, someone steals his overcoat. This causes him to be depressed and has now found himself in a new state.
What I took from The Overcoat, is that you should stay true to yourself, and even if you gain or lose material possessions, your identity should not change. Connecting back to Gogol, I feel that one of the reasons his father was fine with Gogol changing his name was that it was not the name that made Gogol who he was, it was him as a person. No matter what Gogol’s new name would be, he would still be the same person that would remind his father of what became of his life after the train crash.
I find it interesting that the simple act of putting on a new coat completely changed how Akaky felt about himself. This reminded me of the novel Catcher in the Rye, where Holden wears his red hunting hat to put on a mask. Once he puts it on, he is able to feel like another person, a more ideal version of himself. This gives him an immense confidence boost, the same as the overcoat does for Akaky. A single article of clothing holds a lot of power. It may cover insecurities, or just allow the person to be more comfortable in their own skin. For Akaky, people instantly noticed when he had his new coat. His boss even decided to host a party for his new coat. While he left the party early, he still stayed out far later than he normally would have without his new coat. On some level, he is conscious of this change that the coat brings to his life, as he is quite distressed when the coat is stolen from him. “All this has for me an indescribable charm, perhaps because I no longer see it, and because anything from which we are separated is pleasing to us.” When he first gets the coat, it is exciting and new, bringing a charm along with it. Had the coat gotten old, it would have lost that spark. Because it was taken from him so soon after he got it, it was more devastating than if that had happened years later. The fact that he has not spent much time in his coat makes it more valuable, as he has not quite gotten used to it yet.
ReplyDeleteWhen Ashoke brings up The Overcoat saying, “We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat. One day you will understand,” I think he meant that they have all been in a place where they were once trying to hide a part of themselves. This is something everyone has done at some point in their lives, if not frequently. We all hide different aspects of ourselves in order to fit in better in our society. Differences are not celebrated enough to allow people to fully be themselves in front of everyone they encounter. Everyone has different opinions and beliefs, which can often cause conflict when it’s being discussed by passionate people. Everyone wearing their “overcoats” maintains peace when people cannot respectfully disagree with each other.
It surprised me to see how Akakiy’s personality changed once he received his new cloak. It also surprised me to see how invested in the creation of this cloak he was. Akakiy “lived so entirely for his duties” that “outside this copying, it appeared that nothing existed for him.” He seemed content this way and was at first so averse to the idea of any change, that he would not even buy himself a new cloak. However, once Petrovitch began working on the new cloak, Akakiy changed completely. “He became more lively, and even his character grew firmer, like that of a man who has made up his mind, and set himself a goal. From his face and gait, doubt and indecision, all hesitating and wavering traits disappeared of themselves.” Akakiy had a new purpose for himself, he no longer lived solely for his work. It was interesting to see how much one new item could change Akakiy. Akakiy was a new person after getting his new coat. However, becoming this new person did have its negative affects. After his cloak was stolen, he became lost and even skipped going to work. His search for his cloak was ultimately the reason for his death. The cloak, that had once been such a source of joy for him, was also the reason that he died.
ReplyDeleteThere is a connection between The Overcoat and Gogol on names and how they shape who you are. Akakiy was named after his father, and it was said that “the circumstances were such that it would have been impossible to give him any other” name and it was “ In this manner [that] he became Akakiy Akakievitch.” Akakiy stayed true to himself for the majority of his life, until he got his new cloak and became a new person. Similarly, Gogol Ganguli was given the name Gogol out of necessity. At first he loved his name and identified with it strongly. However, as he grew up in the United States he felt less attached to this name. He was influenced greatly by those around him. He no longer felt like Gogol Ganguli. Both Akakiy and Gogol struggled with their identities. Their personalities were changed by societal pressures and materialism. Gogol and The Overcoat both show how outside influences have an affect on who a person is.
ReplyDeleteConstantly taunted by his coworkers, Akakiy Akakievitch is an average man, perhaps so average that it is odd. Emotionally attached to his cloak, it comes with great disparity to the indigent man that his cloak is beyond repair. Disheartened by the news Akakiy sets in quest to acquire a new cloak, and in the process undergoes a six month period of great sacrifice. The dull man acquires a surprising tenacity towards his goal, such that he even deprived himself from eating in the evenings, claiming that in spirit, “bearing ever in mind the idea of his future cloak” would be enough to satisfy the cravings. His determination to get a new cloak is admirable, and although it may be perceived as superficial or obsessive, the climatic conditions he is under do excuse his actions, the unforgiving Russian winter, as proved later in the story, is a great danger to one’s well being are they not equipped to endure it.
Once the overcoat is finally ready, Akakiy seems to possess a newfound confidence in himself, and it is visible to his coworkers as well, so much so that they decide to throw him a party, although unwilling to participate, the newest member of the department’s elite is persuaded into joining the festivities. Ecstatic with his new attire, Akakiy brings “his old, worn-out cloak, for comparison” and laughs at the vast difference between the two. I seems that blinded by the prerogatives of his afresh garment he has forgotten the great service his previous “cape” had served him, and how formerly adverse he was to it’s replacing. But Akakiy’s joy is cut short. On his way back from the unwanted party he is mugged and his beloved cloak is taken from him. Devastated by it the previously unmotivated man is compelled to talk to official to official in failed attempts to gain allies in his search for the adored item. After yet another visit Akakiy is left so discouraged that he walks in the streets without any sort of protection and is left sick by the weather, ultimately dying alone, without his overcoat.
This obstination with the cloak is what gave Akakiy purpose. Before finding something that motivated him, the man lived a mediocre life and had no goals, working as a copier and being happily stagnant in his job, like Ashoke was in India. Before being confronted with the chance of going away, Ashoke was happily destined to live out his days without seeing the world, but the emphatic incident in the train opened his eyes to a literal world of possibilities. After surviving the crash he named his son after his favorite author, Gogol, but that was not the reason why he thought the name to be worthy. “We all came from Gogol’s overcoat” not so that we become apathetic to our lives, but so that we actively look for new ways to interact with the world around us and pursue the things we wish for the most, regardless of what the outcome may be. So that we are able to pursue ‘everything that followed’