When I started reading Nicholas Gogol’s The Nose, I didn’t know what to expect because it began with a barber, Ivan Jakovlevitch, having a normal conversation with his wife, Prasskovna Ossipovna. The description of Ivan’s cheap and dirty clothing reminded me of a drunkard.

The story became strange when Ivan found a nose in his loaf of bread. I didn’t know what to think; I was shocked that the author chose to put a nose in a piece of bread.

The wife’s reaction was also strange because instead of supporting her husband, she called him a monster and a scoundrel. Ivan wanted desperately to get rid of the nose because he thought he might have accidentally cut it off while shaving Kovaloff. At this point, I was just confused as to how he wouldn’t have realized if he cut off someone’s nose.
Part II of The Nose transitions to Kovaloff’s part of the story. This part was even more ridiculous than the previous because Kovaloff woke up to find his nose missing and had no idea how it happened. This was just as unrealistic as Ivan “accidentally” shaving someone’s nose off. When Kovaloff says he saw his nose walk out of a carriage, I thought he must have been dreaming. He even has a conversation with the nose until it disappears.

I found it interesting that without his nose, no one recognized Kovaloff as a member of the Municipal Committee. The official of the advertisement office didn’t know of Kovaloff nor did he let him advertise for his missing nose. However, I have to agree with the official because posting an advertisement for a missing nose would be crazy. After endless attempts to get the official to place an advertisement, Kovaloff leaves the office angry. I got a sense that he strongly valued his nose after saying he would have rather lost an arm or a leg.

The story brightens up a bit when a police commissioner returns Kovaloff’s nose. However, Kovaloff’s disappoint returns when the doctor tells him there’s no hope of sticking the nose back on to his face. I didn’t understand why the doctor seemed so against helping Kovaloff. I think the doctor was being sneaky by refuting all of Kovaloff’s suggestions.

In part III of The Nose, Kovaloff goes back to his normal life because his nose reappears back on his face. This part was confusing because he thought his nose was on his face, but Ivan made it seem like Kovaloff still had an empty space. Kovaloff’s nose made his confidence level increase greatly because he began taking walks and going to plays again. I was surprised to find out that The Nose is actually entirely about the importance of social structure in society