Read “The Overcoat,” and respond to the following questions.
1. How does Akaky the man differ from Akaky the ghost?
2. In “In Russia, the Ultimate Scary Story Is About Losing Your Coat,” Wilson states, “Gogol’s story, at its heart, is a frightening tale of poverty and social isolation. It is also a testament to the power of hauntings that take place on a larger scale, where ghosts seek to collect debts not for individual transgressions but for the failings of an entire society” .
How does Akaky’s ghost “collect debts for the failings of an entire society”? Please note: Wilson’s “In Russia, the Ultimate Scary Story Is About Losing Your Coat” can be found in the Homework section of the Week 8 folder.
3. Satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize the faults of individuals, groups, institutions, or society in general. How does Gogol use satire in this short story?
