The Barber’s Household Alarm

The Nose

This flow traces Ivan Yakovlevitch’s discovery, fear, attempted concealment, and eventual exposure in his household and beyond.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Breakfast Discovery Breakfast Discovery from "The Nose". Breakfast Discovery A Routine Interrupted Ivan Yakovlevitch cuts into a fresh roll and finds a nose.

Breakfast Discovery from "The Nose". Breakfast Discovery A Routine Interrupted Ivan Yakovlevitch cuts into a fresh roll and finds a nose.

Breakfast Discovery A Routine Interrupted Ivan Yakovlevitch cuts into a fresh roll and finds a nose. The ordinary meal becomes a scene of shock before he can understand what he is holding. A Familiar Feature He recognizes the nose as belonging to a regular customer. Recognition makes the discovery personally dangerous rather than merely grotesque.

His Wife’s Accusation His Wife’s Accusation from "The Nose". His Wife’s Accusation Blame at Home Ivan Yakovlevitch’s wife assumes that he has caused the injury.

His Wife’s Accusation from "The Nose". His Wife’s Accusation Blame at Home Ivan Yakovlevitch’s wife assumes that he has caused the injury.

His Wife’s Accusation Blame at Home Ivan Yakovlevitch’s wife assumes that he has caused the injury. Her anger draws on customers’ complaints about his rough handling during shaves. Reputation Becomes Risk The accusation makes his habits evidence against him. His domestic embarrassment quickly acquires the prospect of police consequences.

Fear of Arrest Fear of Arrest from "The Nose". Fear of Arrest Imagined Consequences Ivan Yakovlevitch worries that possession of the nose could lead to arrest.

Fear of Arrest from "The Nose". Fear of Arrest Imagined Consequences Ivan Yakovlevitch worries that possession of the nose could lead to arrest.

Fear of Arrest Imagined Consequences Ivan Yakovlevitch worries that possession of the nose could lead to arrest. He imagines official punishment before he has formed any credible explanation. A Guilty Conscience His uncertainty about the previous evening’s drinking compounds the fear. The impossible object activates a very ordinary anxiety about misconduct and authority.

A Timed Opportunity A Timed Opportunity from "The Nose". A Timed Opportunity The Crowded Streets Ivan tries to find a place to abandon the wrapped nose, but acquaintances and a sentry interrupt him.

A Timed Opportunity from "The Nose". A Timed Opportunity The Crowded Streets Ivan tries to find a place to abandon the wrapped nose, but acquaintances and a sentry interrupt him.

A Timed Opportunity The Crowded Streets Ivan tries to find a place to abandon the wrapped nose, but acquaintances and a sentry interrupt him. Each interruption turns concealment into a more public risk. Toward the River He finally goes to a bridge and drops the bundle into the Neva. The act gives him brief relief, but it cannot guarantee that the matter is over.

Police Custody Police Custody from "The Nose". Police Custody The Barber Is Named When the nose is returned, the police official identifies Ivan Yakovlevitch as the principal culprit and says he has been…

Police Custody from "The Nose". Police Custody The Barber Is Named When the nose is returned, the police official identifies Ivan Yakovlevitch as the principal culprit and says he has been…

Police Custody The Barber Is Named When the nose is returned, the police official identifies Ivan Yakovlevitch as the principal culprit and says he has been locked up. The report gives the official world a suspect without clarifying the mechanism. Consequences Without Explanation The barber’s private panic ends in custody. His fate is treated as a practical answer to an event that remains fundamentally inexplicable.

Morning of 25 March

Immediately after breakfast discovery

Later on 25 March

Morning of 25 March

Evening of 25 March