Topic title:

Social class structure in “The Overcoat”

Subject title: ENG201

Social class can be defined as hierarchical order of people. A process which differentiates

the people of a society based on economic condition, power, cultural norms and employment

status. It is a form of social stratification which influences on people’s lives either positively or

negatively. This originally creates class consciousness and conflict in people’s mind. "Social

class is commonly defined either as a stratum within society based upon a classification of

occupations or as a system based upon the distribution and ownership of property in

society"(Collins). This types of social stratification impacts on human nature and I can see that

higher class people always exploits lower class people of the society. When anyone thinks that

he belongs to higher class, he automatically switches his mind to be bourgeoisie class who are

the exploited class over lower class people in the society. Nikolai Gogol’s “The Overcoat”

depicts the social class structure by a coat. The protagonist Akaky works as a copier in Russian

government’s office of St. Petersburg. In this story, I can observe how higher class or bourgeois

dominates the proletariat or lower classes people of the society by dehumanizing. Class conflict,

false consciousness is one of the reasons for social stratification what Gogol tries to show in The

Overcoat. Here, I will analyze social class structure influences our society according to “The

Overcoat”

To begin with, Social life is based upon the conflicts of class between bourgeois and

proletariat which mainly points out the class exploitation. These two classes basically introduced
by Karl Marx. The relationship between these social classes is based upon class exploitation and

conflict. Gogol’s Russia was extremely bureaucratic country. Exploitation over people was

adjusted because of social class. Since, Akaky Akakivich is a government civil servant of Russia

and his job is simply to copy. As he is a low ranking official of the council, he will be the part of

proletariat. Here, we can see the bureaucratic hierarchy because Akaky is paid only 400 rubles

which is not enough to lead his life. When he loses his coat, he attempts to report the theft of his

prized overcoat. He has to survive to make the new coat as his earning is not up to the mark for

buying a new coat but he has to buy it to go for the party. However, His fellow clerk informs him

that it will be useless if he goes to the police instead, he says to go to “Important Person” because

police always works to please the superiors. Finally, Akaky seeks the help of “Important Person”

and there, he finds that Russian’s higher class people are more care about their appearance

instead of maintaining his government work. As Akaky directly communicates with “Important

Person” instead of going through the secretary, he breaks the rules of bureaucratic hierarchy’s

sense and immediately he throws Akaky out of his office. So, Akaky is completely neglected by

the system of a strict bureaucratic hierarchy.

Additionally, class conflict arises in every situation of the society which literally divided

by the class structure of that society and makes clash between social groups. Sometimes, false

consciousness of working class people makes them to be oppressed. Working class members are

falsely conscious of their true class position because they never think that they are actually being

oppressed. In The Overcoat, Akaky works for the whole day but never thinks that how he is

mistreated in his jobs because he only gets 400 Rubels in a year and he has to struggle for a new

an overcoat which price is 80 Rubels. Besides, that the way the prominent personage treated him

is wrong and he does not think that he is being oppressed by the superior of the society and does
not imagine about his true class consciousness. When Akaky Akakievich goes to the assistant’s

chief’s party, he only comments that “The assistant chief lives in fine style” (Gogol). Akaky is

not consciously aware of the mistreatment shown towards him and his class but the bullying

appears when prominent personage is totally arrogance and showing attitude in front of his

friend. Prominent person’s behavior toward those of similar rank and the behavior toward those

of low rank is totally different which actually comes from the class conflict and show how they

are being dehumanized in the society who are lower class in the society and for that reason social

bond are being reduced.

Moreover, I search out that how one’s appearance dictates one’s social status. In “The

Overcoat”, the overcoat is a symbol for Akaky Akakievitch's social status. He is a poor man who

has to save up money for changing his lifestyle or directly I can say that to change coat. In

Russia, a coat is not just used for luxurious commodity but an essential one because it represents

social class. Akaky is ridiculed and ignored for having an old coat. So, old coat depicts a symbol

of his lower class. Besides, he is being neglected for being a part of that class. Though he is

excellent at his work, he is disrespected because of his appearance. I believe that the comparison

that Gogol tries to make with the old coat and new coat is the social stratification of a person in

the society is literally based on his appearance.

In “The Overcoat”, Nikolai Gogol tries to exhibits the social class structure of a Russian

society. He shows that how class exploits the people in our society. Besides, Class conflict is one

of the major themes in this story. We all come from the same society by divided by social class

structure. Here, we also see that appearance becomes the main factor of social class which truly

depicted by a coat. If anyone is well-dressed, he will belong to upper position of the society. On
the other hand, if he does not wear proper dress instead wear old dress, he will not be treated

well in the society because he belongs to lower position in the society.