"The Overcoat" is a short story by the Russian writer Nikolai Gogol. The story follows Akaky Akakievich, a lowly but hardworking civil servant who lives a sad, lonely existence, ridiculed by his coworkers and mistreated by his superiors. Most embarrassing is his threadbare overcoat, so he begins to save up money to replace it. However, once the coat is made, the coat is stolen when he is mugged and Akaky soon dies. The story walks an uncanny line between fantasy and reality, satirizing Russian society and playing with sympathy.
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