Married Life Imagery
To convince Podkoliosin to get married, Kochkariov evokes several images of Podkoliosin as a comfortable married man. He uses many appealing images of interior decoration, wife, and children to do so, likening his family to a family of dogs and his children to drops of water to appeal to Podkoliosin's vanity and pride.
Podkoliosin's Clothes
In the opening scene of the play, Podkoliosin is harassing his servant, Stepan, to ensure that all of his items of clothing have been properly repaired, tailored, and polished. These clothes, it seems, appear to Podkoliosin to be representative of a well-tailored life; he accordingly uses this imagery to accentuate his own dignity (in his own eyes as well as those of others) as he is contemplating marriage.
Imagery of Agafya
Throughout the novel, the principal female character, Agafya, is described using various kinds of imagery to either praise or criticize her appearance. Fiokla describes her to Podkoliosin as being "like sugar candy," pink and white in an appealing manner. In other instances, she is said to be "plump" and "long-nosed," depending on the intention of the man speaking.
Mirror Imagery
In the first scene of the play, Fiokla accuses Podkoliosin of not knowing himself - especially by not knowing that he has gray hair. He immediately goes off in search of a mirror to settle the dispute. When he finds it, he immediately collides with Kochkariov, who causes the mirror to shatter, further ensuring that Podkoliosin does not have a clear picture of himself, literally or figuratively. He doesn't realize that he has gray hair or a flighty, fickle character.
