“The Nose” can be construed as a quintessential tale of magic realism. Nikolai Gogol’s work is a fantastical and simultaneously ludicrous account about something relatively ordinary: a nose. Just as Gregor Samsa in “The Metamorphosis” awoke transformed into an enormous bug, Major Kovalev discovered his nose had decided to depart his face. As is the nature of magic realism, little explanation arises in the story, nor is it implied an explanation is even necessary. There exists an abrupt abolition of natural law, for no conceivable reason or purpose, only to be restored under similarly unclear circumstances. Gogol implores his audience to doubt the veracity of their visual perception, and to consider the deeper allegorical allusions created through the infamous nose of Major Kovalev. In magic realism, a bizarre or supernatural event transpires, creating a domino effect of very real consequences. Although there are definite elements of this in “The Nose,” it almost seems as if Gogol wants to invert this dynamic, making the fantastical an atmosphere…show more content… He writes, “to think of such an affair happening in our vast empire’s northern capital! Yet general opinion decided that the affair had about it much of the improbable.” Within this quote, Gogol writes a thinly veiled accusation that everything seems to be on its head within the very real city of St. Petersburg. This “northern capital” is endlessly perplexing, and as a result everything within the city limits seems to follow the same confusing state of dreamlike reality. Gogol pushes his audience to question the reliability of their visual perception, and to consider the deeper allegorical allusions created through the infamous nose of Major Kovalev. So, while Gogol’s “The Nose,” can easily be categorized as magic realism, the difference what is real, magic, or metaphor may not always be as easily
