Oppressed, defenseless, lonely - such is the characteristic of Akaky Akakievich. It allows him to be attributed to a special type of literary characters. Bashmachkin is a "little man." This type of literary hero was created by Pushkin in the novel "Station Warden".
Titular Advisor
This is the rank of Akaky Akakievich. Gogol gives a description of his hero at the very beginning of the work. Such as Bashmachkin, called eternal titular advisers. The fact is that Akaki Akakievich is not destined to rise to the next step in the hierarchy of ranks and ranks. The timid man is so oppressed by his position that, it would seem, he does not pay any attention to the bullying of young officials.
“Wordless creature” - such an epithet is used by the author to complete the characteristics of Akaky Akakievich. The titular adviser meekly demolishes the ridicule of his colleagues. In the department, not even the watchman greets him. The main quality in the characteristic of Akaky Akakievich is invisibility.
Bashmachkin’s work is the most insignificant. Every day he rewrites various documents, papers. The titular adviser is so used to his miserable social role, he is so lonely that the monotonous, uninteresting occupation for him became the main thing in life. Bashmachkin is not interested in the meaning, content of the papers. One day, one of the bosses offered him a more difficult task, but he could not cope. “Let me rewrite something better.” - Bashmachkin asked compassionately. Since then, he was left alone. He has been copying papers in the department for so long that he seems to have been born - middle-aged, in uniform and with a bald head.
Why Akaki?
Gogol tells the story of the origin of the strange name of the hero. Why not Wet, not Sossy and Hozdazat? And such options were offered to the mother of the future titular adviser. The woman could not choose a name for her son and decided to name him in honor of her father. This reveals a thoughtless habit of following traditions, excessive conservatism. The image of Akaky Akakievich in the novel “The Overcoat” is complemented by his far from aristocratic surname. Gogol's character is of low origin.
Childhood, youth Akaky Akakievich passed unnoticed. He would have copied the papers to a very old age. But the tragic story with the greatcoat killed Akaky Akakievich. Quotes, witty and apt, from the work of Gogol, you can get a lot. At the beginning of the story, the author notes: “the disasters scattered on Bashmachkin’s life’s road are encountered not only by titular advisers, but even secret, real, outward and all kinds of advisers, even those who do not give anyone advice, nor take it from anyone yourself. "
Overcoat Akaky Akakievich
Severe St. Petersburg frosts came. Bashmachkin suddenly drew attention to his old Overcoat, which the department had long nicknamed the hood. And he had a goal. Akaki Akakievich dreamed of a new overcoat, which, of course, could not afford him. The titular adviser received a salary of four hundred rubles a year.
To purchase a new overcoat, Akaki Akakievich had to starve for several months, refuse tea, not light candles, walk carefully, so as not to spoil his boots. Oddly enough, such sacrifices inspired Bashmachkin. After all, he had a goal, and at the same time a gleam in his eyes, some confidence, firmness in his eyes. Another quote from the story: "Fire sometimes appeared in his eyes." This phrase is very important in the description of Akaky Akakievich.
New dress
For several months, almost every day, a titular adviser came to the tailor Petrovich in order to learn about the fate of his greatcoat. He thought about her for so long and often that she became for him not just a thing, but a “close friend”. And finally a happy day has come. Petrovich brought Bashmachkin an overcoat. Akaki Akakievich put on her and went to work. This was perhaps the only happy day in his life.
The overcoat Bashmachkina made a splash in the department. With a titular adviser, a small and inconspicuous person, they suddenly spoke kindly, with respect. One of the bosses even invited him to his name day. But the titular adviser was not destined to enjoy a happy life. That very evening the overcoat was stolen.
Crushing blow
A person can endure constant adversity only if he does not know what happiness is. Bashmachkin has grown accustomed over the years, and he was about fifty, to his miserable social position in society. The overcoat in Gogol’s work is not just a wardrobe item. This is an important image, symbolizing both happiness, and social status, respect for others. Bashmachkin suddenly found all this (after all, he had never been invited to a name day, or to any other celebration), but he immediately lost it. This was a crushing blow for him.
Significant face
The next day, Bashmachkin went to the department in his old overcoat, the very one that young officials nicknamed the hood. Many colleagues were imbued with compassion for Akaki Akakievich. He was advised to seek help from one of the bosses - a man who recently went on a promotion. Bashmachkin went to the "significant person." But here there was a case that predetermined the fate of the titular adviser.
The boss was a good person. However, the high rank did not allow him to demonstrate his positive qualities. The unfortunate, clogged Bashmachkin appeared in his office. The significant person, not even listening to the visitor, began to scream and stomp his feet. The little man lost consciousness briefly, came home and fell ill in a fever. A few days later he died.
Life after death
No one noticed the death of a small official. The department learned about his death only a few days after the funeral. By the way, the “significant person” changed her mind a little later and sent to the department to find out about the fate of the little official who lost consciousness in his office. But it was too late - Bashmachkin died.
Gogol decided to restore justice, which is not and never was in our world, at least in the pages of his story. He gave Bashmachkin a few days after death. For a while, rumors circulated among Petersburgers about the ghost of Bashmachkin, who was roaming the bridge in search of his greatcoat. The deceased official scared passers-by, tearing off their clothes. The dead man disappeared only after he met his offender, that same terrible "significant" boss. Tearing off his overcoat, he disappeared forever. So Bashmachkin avenged all humiliated and offended. And now a significant person did not scold subordinates, did not raise their voices.
The image of Akaky Akakievich in the story "The Overcoat" is very tragic. But the saddest thing is that Gogol created his hero on the basis of life experience. Bashmachkin is in every class, in every team. Bashmachkins are everywhere. Moreover, in each of us there is something of a Gogolian character.