The Story of N.V. Gogol's "Overcoat" was written in 1841 and saw the light of day in January 1843. This work was included in the Petersburg Stories by the author, which came out a little earlier. The well-known works “Nose”, “Nevsky Prospect”, “Arabesques” also entered there. All these stories are united by one place of action - St. Petersburg, and in all of them the problem of the “little man” is considered. In this story, this problem is a red, very distinctive thread.
(520 words) The story begins with the story of the birth of Bashmachkin Akaky Akakievich, the reason for such a strange choice of name is mentioned, and the story of his service continues.
Akaki Bashmachkin was gentle, neat, quiet - he never cursed with offenders, who were many, never asked for a raise at work, did not strive for a better life, since in his life he was completely happy with everything. Most of all he adored his work. He served as titular adviser, his job was only to rewrite papers. However, Bashmachkin liked this seemingly boring, routine work, he lived with it, dreamed about it when he returned home and went to bed. Sometimes he himself copied papers with an intricate address as if in addition.
His whole life was measured and calm, until it was interrupted by an unpleasant event. With the onset of cold weather, Bashmachkin noticed that his overcoat had been leaked in several places and it was necessary to carry it to the tailor, as he did immediately. But the tailor Petrovich refuses to take the overcoat for repair, so it is completely bad and you need to urgently buy a new one (the department even called it the “hood” - it was so unfit for wearing).
Bashmachkin needed to save 80 rubles for the coveted overcoat (despite the fact that he himself earns only 400 rubles a year), and this becomes his new meaning in life.
He decides to reduce his daily expenses: do not drink tea, do not light candles, do not give laundry to the laundry (he goes to his house in a bathrobe to avoid wearing a suit). Every month he visited Petrovich to talk about his greatcoat. He speaks of her with delight, holding his breath, just like a friend of life.
When the overcoat was ready, Bashmachkin immediately appeared in it in the department. There certainly could not help but notice the new acquisition of a poor titular adviser, who literally shone with happiness. Everyone praised his overcoat, questioned, were interested. Immediately they paid attention to Bashmachkin and even offered to set an evening in honor of such an acquisition. However, with Bashmachkin’s modesty and meekness, the hero refuses. And one of the officials, who became the birthday boy that day, called everyone to a tea party at his home (including our hero).
At evening, officials continued to praise the brand new overcoat. And although Bashmachkin was unusually embarrassed, he was very pleased and even flattered. The whole world seemed to him completely different: colorful, vibrant and attractive. Until then, he was pleased with himself that he allowed bold thoughts to approach the lady he liked, but his enthusiastic excitement gave way to fear when he, remembering the late hour, was going home. In the middle of a huge deserted square, some gang stops him (it is emphasized that these were people with a mustache) and they take away his overcoat from poor Bashmachkin.
Akaki Akakievich is doing everything possible to find his greatcoat. He is heartbroken and does not find joy even in his work, which he, incidentally, now has to go to in his old “hood”. He turned to all higher authorities and even to one “significant person”, but all his efforts sunk into oblivion. Everyone around him was indifferent to the suffering of Bashmachkin, no one wanted to help him. So, returning home after another attempt to seek his precious overcoat, he catches a cold and dies.
And many people, including the “significant person”, have long seen on that very unfortunate pavement seen the ghost of poor Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, who could not acquire real wealth in life.
