The Overcoat Summary

Akaky Akakievich is assigned as a clerk in a certain department of the government. The narrator feels it would not be appropriate to name that department. His main job is copying documents. When he is given anything more difficult, he becomes sweaty and nervous. The other clerks all make fun of him—how he looks, his clothes, everything about him. Akaky cares little for his appearance. There is always some foreign objects on his clothes or hat that he does brush away. Akaky is obsessed with his job and pays little attention to anything else, even a fly in his soup. He brings home documents to copy at night.

The cold winter wind in Petersburg blows right through Akaky's threadbare overcoat. He decides to take it to the one-eyed tailor, Petrovich, for repair. Petrovich is often drunk and charges too...