Nikolai Gogol was a Russian of Ukrainian origin who wrote novels, short-stories, and plays in the mid-nineteenth century. He routinely used grotesque elements in his works, and is also known for mastering defamiliarization, the technique that presents common things in strange ways. It can even be said Gogol made up a whole new genre—what would later be called magical realism. Gogol’s lines burst with wit and whimsy but also suggest an ominous darkness at their core. His work was so unique in style that in Russia, Gogol’s name is as important as Shakespeare’s, for his influence transformed Russian art just as Shakespeare’s writing changed the face of English drama and language.

Of all Gogol's stories, The Nose, published in 1836, is regarded as the most difficult to interpret. It seems to be nothing more than a delightful piece of nonsense, but always there is a nagging sense it is much more than that. The story tricks us, for it seems to make logical sense, then it does not, until it reverses back to reality when once again the story seems to make logical sense. And so on and on as the story proceeds. These constantly confusing and non-confusing episodes in The Nose, along with similar material in his other works, have led some literary critics to label Gogol an absurdist due to his penchant for suggesting that we live in a world without meaning. Others, however, call him a realist for showing readers that everday life is packed with perceptive illusions that deceive us, and it’s only the human ability to adapt to illusion that saves us from being in a constant state of confusion. The Nose established the type of writing Gogol would specialize in for the rest of his working life: funny satire with a surreal or supernatural twist.

Who nose? Either conclusion works well for me, and a ‘either one or the other or both’ conundrum is likely what Gogol intended. But be that as it may, and no matter anyway, my decision to adapt The Nose had everything to do with the story being a profoundly funny satire (it’s one of the few stories I have ever read that caused me to laugh-out-loud multiple times as the story unfolded) that could be modernized to satirize one major character who is fomenting the ongoing troubles that plague our world, and the USA specifically, and the citizens of my home—Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota—most specifically. But to adapt the story in this way, I had to violate at least two ‘Adapted Classics’ principles: first, I extensively, not lightly, modified it, plus I am also attempting to appeal to an overall audience rather than middle school readers, which is the audience I primarily try to attract. 

So here goes. To honor of the brave citizens of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul, who are united in their resistance to the uncivil and unlawful actions of the Federal agents who are in their midst this winter of 2026, I dedicate this story to them. I hope my adaptation of the stunningly good short story,The Nose by Nikolai Gogol, might, in some strange way, encourage other citizens to follow their courageous example. Please follow this link to find a modernized version of The Nose. I hope you enjoy it.