The Meaning of Fantasy on Gogol's The Overcoat - Essay Example

The search for justice, which Akakiy Akakievitch Bashmatchkin cannot find during his life was triumphantly achieved after the character’s death. The Bashmatchkin’s ghost drags the coats “without regard to rank or calling” from people’s shoulders (Gogol 12).   The meeting of Bashmatchkin’s ghost with “the important personage” brings a special meaning to the story’s ending (14). On his way home, the official feels that someone clutches him by the collar of his coat, surprised and terrified, “the important personage” recognizes Akakiy Akakievitch (14). The dead man starts yelling at the office claiming that he wants his coat and finally he can get it.

Gogol, in his story, wants to emphasize that there are moments in life when even a humiliated and insignificant human being can become a person at some point. Dragging the coats of the rich, important, and recognized officials, Bashmatchkin becomes an important person and hero in the eyes of humiliated people. Besides he becomes a hero in his own eyes. Akakiy Akakievitch finally reaches the point when he can protect himself, though not in this life.

I think Gogol includes mystical events in his work to show the inhumanity and injustice of this world. Gogol wants to prove that only the appearance of the otherworldly and supernatural forces can change the unfairness in life.

It is worth mentioning that the last meeting of Akakiy Akakievitch with the “important” official becomes significant not only to Bashmatchkin but to the official as well. The appearance of the ghost makes a deep impression on the personage and changes him. The narrator mentions that “the important person” becomes more polite to people and thinks before saying something rude to them.

In his creation, Gogol shows society as cruel. I believe the writer wants the readers to look at unimportant people with understanding and compassion. There lies a philosophical context which is, in my opinion, the main purpose of the story. The conflict between an unnoticeable human being and society leads to the rebellion of the first. Gogol includes the mystical facts in his work and the appearance of the dead man not to show revenge, but to demonstrate that weak people can’t survive in a cruel society, where justice can be achieved only after death.

The writer feels sympathy for Bashmatchkin, thus he provides him with supernatural abilities after his death. Gogol wants to show all the difficulties of the life of a regular man, who cannot find support anywhere and stand for himself being too humble. Unfortunately, not everything can be changed in the real world, thus Gogol puts mystery into his work. The finale uncovers the main idea of the novel to depict a poor, humiliated person in order to show the unfairness of the Russian society, and arouse the feeling of contempt with the readers