How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
Akaky Akakievich went on in a happy frame of mind: he even started to run, without knowing why, after some lady, who flew past like a flash of lightning, and whose whole body was endowed with an extraordinary amount of movement. But he stopped short, and went on very quietly as before, wondering whence he had got that gait. (77)
This is the first hint the narrator gives us that the story will soon become much more than a tale of the ordinary, if unfortunate, life of a low-ranking official.
Quote #2
Visions incessantly appeared to him, each stranger than the other: now he saw Petrovich, and ordered him to make a coat, with some traps for robbers, who seemed to him to be always under the bed; and he cried, every moment, to the landlady to pull one robber from under his coverlet: then he inquired why his old "mantle" hung before him when he had a new overcoat[...] (99)
Why do you think that Akaky has these visions? How does this foreshadow the rest of the story? How do you think Akaky wished the story had gone?
Quote #3
But who could have imagined that this was not the end of Akaky Akakievich—that he was destined to raise a commotion after death, as if in compensation for his utterly insignificant life? But so it happened, and our poor story unexpectedly gains a fantastic ending. (102)
We wouldn't have guessed. Did you? Do you think that Gogol intended to surprise us?
Quote #4
A rumor suddenly spread throughout Petersburg that a dead man had taken to appearing on the Kalinkin Bridge, and far beyond, at night, in the form of an official seeking a stolen coat, and that, under the pretext of its being the stolen coat, he dragged every one's coat from his shoulders without regard to rank or calling—cat—skin, beaver, wadded, fox, bear, raccoon coats; in a word, every sort of fur and skin which men adopted. (103)
This ghost is none other than Akaky Akakievich himself. It's interesting that in order for Akaky to be freed of the restraints of social status, he had to completely leave the world of the living. Does that mean that it's impossible for humans to not have social status? What does it mean that not having social status means that you're as good as dead?
Quote #5
One of the department employees saw the dead man with his own eyes, and immediately recognized in him Akaky Akakievich: nevertheless, this inspired him with such terror, that he started to run with all his might, and therefore could not examine thoroughly, and only saw how the latter threatened him from afar with his finger. (105)
Notice that the narrator says "nevertheless." Why nevertheless? Well, in real life no one would ever be afraid of Akaky. But when he's a ghost, he's terrifying. When you're a ghost it doesn't matter if you were low-ranking during your time on earth, you can wield power just like certain prominent personages.
Quote #6
But we have totally neglected that certain prominent personage, who may really be considered as the cause of the fantastic turn taken by this true history. (107)
Why is the prominent personage the cause of Akaky turning into a ghost? Are there other reasons to explain it?
Quote #7
But the horror of the important personage transcended all bounds when he saw the dead man's mouth open, and, with a terrible odor of the grave, utter the following remarks: "Ah, here you are at last! I have you, that ... by the collar! I need your coat. You took no trouble about mine, but reprimanded me; now give up your own. " (111)
When we read this sentence, we were struck by the words "with a terrible odor of the grave." We imagined the stench and how terrifying it must have been to have this decomposing corpse talking to you. If it weren't for this moment, it would be easy to imagine Akaky's ghost as a guy wearing a white sheet, but this takes it to Thriller-level scariness.
Quote #8
Brave as he was in the office and in the presence of inferiors generally, and although, at the sight of his manly form and appearance, every one said, "Ugh! how much character he has!" yet at this crisis, he, like many possessed of an heroic exterior, experienced such terror, that, not without cause, he began to fear an attack of illness. (112)
We know you're probably tired of us saying how Akaky's ghost messes with the social order, but it's kind of important. The prominent personage is a brave person when he's operating within his strict social hierarchy, but Akaky's ghost is completely outside of that system. So his reaction? Pee his pants.
Quote #9
But the most noteworthy point was, that from that day the apparition of the dead official quite ceased to be seen; evidently the general's overcoat just fitted his shoulders; at all events, no more instances of his dragging coats from people's shoulders were heard of. (115)
This is what happens after Akaky takes the prominent personage's coat. He was searching for something, and now he's got it. But what else might Akaky's ghost have wanted? Besides a coat, of course.
Quote #10
And, in fact, one watchman in Kolomna saw with his own eyes the apparition come from behind a house; [...] he dared not arrest him, but followed him in the dark, until, at length, the apparition looked round, paused, and inquired, "What do you want?" and showed such a fist as you never see on living men. The watchman said, "It's of no consequence," and turned back instantly. But the apparition was much too tall, wore huge mustaches, and, directing its steps apparently towards the Obukhoff Bridge, disappeared in the darkness of the night. (116)
Just in case you thought you had the story all figured out, here's a nice little curveball. Quick, someone call M. Night Shyamalan.