Saturday, 25 April 2009
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Leave Me Alone
Akaky seems to have an ability, without him realising it, to sum up very heavy and poingnant concepts.
Near the beginning of the story a colleague is making fun of Akaky. His response is simply 'Leave me alone.'. After this simple reply, the colleague is left with a deep sense of mans cruelty and how awful the world can be.
Self Confidence
In the beginning of the story, Akaky is a shy retiring man, usually unable to even speak in coherent sentences when anxious. Before even receiving the overcoat, the shear discipline and change of routine undergone to be able to afford it changed the way Akaky saw himself. He began to forget about what he was so content with and pursue new ambitions.
Importance of Clothes
Clothes seem to be of huge importance in Russia in this period, almost certainly due to the constant cold climate.
The degree to which you are clad seems to refer to your social rank, so a better overcoat means that you are higher in the Russian table of ranks.
Akaky is a titular councillor, this is the 9th of 14 ranks; quite low down in the table. As a result of this, his overcoat is tattered. hardly even considered an overcoat. You can see how the instant jump in social standing from a better overcoat would appeal.
Stoicism
Zeno of Citium
The Overcoat is in the style of a stoic philosopher.
Stoics believed that destructive emotions were the result of errors in judgement.
Akaky Akakievich was perfectly happy with his life, until he began buying into what others said about him and his cloak and developed an obsession with obtaining this new overcoat, which ultimately lead to his demise.
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