As you address James Twitchell's idea that consumerism has a transformative power in the context of Gogol's "The Overcoat," consider that the idea of "transformative" cuts both ways, that is, the transformation can be for the good and the bad.
Addressing this double-edged sword of consumer transformation is a good strategy because it addresses the complexities and contradictions of consumerism.
A sample thesis might look like this:
The lugubrious sad sack Akaky from Gogol's "The Overcoat" becomes through his deal with Satan the quintessential consumer who is transformed by the euphoria of his magical, at times demonic overcoat. Akaky's transformation can be characterized by ______________________, __________________________, _______________________, and __________________________.
A recommended research source that focuses on the story as an allegory can be found here:
McMahon Commentary for "The Overcoat" (qualifies as a research source)
Akaky's infatuation with a supernatural overcoat is an allegory of a man who rises from the dead through the "transformative power of consumerism." But this rise from the dead is rooted in the dangerous act of idolatry, esteeming material things as if they were divine. With the aid of the demonic tailor who is clearly Satan in the flesh, Akaky becomes a modern consumer who, tragically, uses materialism as a surrogate for a real identity, a sense of belonging, and a personal sense of distinction.
Living in a rut of intractable monotony and languishing in obscurity, loneliness and decrepitude, Akaky is ripe and susceptible to the Satanic Tailor, who seems to be the previous incarnation of Madison Avenue. Toying with Akaky's imagination, the tailor convinces Akaky that the acquisition of the overcoat will bring him acceptance, belonging, and self-discovery, qualities that we all want and that, sadly, we too often pursue through the amassing of consumer products.
One of the story's themes is that when we have no identity and do not really know ourselves it is dangerous to rely on an overcoat, a BMW, or a Rolex watch, for our sense of high esteem and belonging, for this sense of well-being is a delusion and that after our initial ebullient giddiness from getting the consumer product of our dreams, we are doomed to crash.
In other words, there is something bipolar about consumerism--the ecstasy followed by depression and the "consumer hangover." In Akaky's case, his reliance on his overcoat is so extreme that its absence results in his death--both spiritual and physical.
On a personal note, I too am more dependent on consumer luxuries than I once thought for recently I wanted to "go green" so I planned on selling my swarthy, masculine 2007 Nissan Maxima so that I could drive a very chic metro 2008 Honda Fit. But for the 4 days that I owned the Fit, I could not stand the unsettling sensation of having "moved downward," compromising the luxury and image that the Maxima afforded me. Specifically, I noticed that as I drove the diminutive Fit, people were cutting me off on the road. This never happens to me in the Maxima. In the tiny Fit, I felt like people weren't showing me "respect." I felt chafed beyond consolation and I returned the Fit to the Honda dealership.
As I write, I am happy that I have my own version of Akaky's overcoat, my precision gray 2007 Nissan Maxima.
Yes, I am a bloated smug consumer susceptible to Madison Avenue's temptations and in spite of my intellectual reservations, the Maxima gloriously remains luminescent and freshly polished in my pristine garage.
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