The delight of I. Ivanovitch’s speech (Simile)
The author adores this hero’s trait, not failing to always remind the reader about it: “Heavens! How he does speak!” He compares it to that feeling “…which you experience when someone combs your head or draws his finger softly across your heel”. I. Ivanovitch’s ability of speaking well shows that he must get along with people very well.
Ivans’ “fineness” (Metaphor)
Gogol metaphorically describes how nice and fine his protagonists are. He repeats these traits so often that the reader is fed up with this “fineness”. In such way the author wants to strengthen the contrast between “this fineness” and the real state of things, the real traits of the heroes: their stubbornness, stupidity and lack of common sense. Repeating the word “fine” for many times, the author, instead of admiration, achieves the opposite reaction. Thus, he metaphorically shows the protagonists’ bad traits.
Women’s influence (Simile)
The narrator does not understand why things are so arranged, “that women should seize us by the nose as deftly as they do the handle of a teapot.” Here the author assumes Agafya Fedosyevna’s influence on I. Nikiforovitch. It seems to the reader, that Gogol is angry with this woman of her intrusiveness into others’ business.
Absurdity in the court (Metaphor)
Reading about the “picturesque plaints” stolen by a sow, we see a vivid picture, which is comic and ludicrous and can’t be taken seriously. Probably, Gogol wanted to achieve exactly this reaction, thus he tried to clarify the “inadequacy” of the situation, because we understand that such things are not usual in court. And this one, which is out of the common, just clearly shows us how absurd the society is in its general essence.
