How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #7
He returned home in the most happy frame of mind, threw off his coat, and hung it carefully on the wall, admiring afresh the cloth and the lining; and then he brought out his old, worn-out coat, for comparison. He looked at it, and laughed, so vast was the difference. And long after dinner he laughed again when the condition of the "mantle" recurred to his mind. (69)
We are going to guess that this is the kind of laugh grown-ups do when they look at pictures of themselves as teenagers and realized how horribly they were dressed. It's kind of like a "Thank goodness I don't suck that much now" laugh.
Quote #8
He halted out of curiosity before the lighted window of a shop, to look at a picture representing a handsome woman, who had thrown off her shoe, thereby baring her whole foot in a very pretty way; and behind her the head of a man with side- whiskers and a handsome mustache peeped from the door of another room. Akaky Akakievich shook his head, and laughed, and then went on his way. Why did he laugh? Because he had met with a thing utterly unknown, but for which every one cherishes, nevertheless, some sort of feeling; or else he thought, like many officials, as follows: "Well, those French! What is to be said? If they like anything of that sort, then, in fact, that" ... But possibly he did not think that. For it is impossible to enter a man's mind, and know all that he thinks. (72)
When Akaky goes out to the party in the fancy part of town, he makes a different kind of laugh. He laughs because he sees something that he barely even understands, but he still wants it, even though he wouldn't dare admit it. Those are some complicated desires that he's starting to experience, and he's only had the coat for one day.
Quote #9
"But of course the coat is mine!" said one of them in a loud voice, seizing hold of the collar. Akaky Akakievich was about to shout for the watch, when the second man thrust a fist into his mouth, about the size of an official's head, muttering, "Now scream!" (79)
Imagine that you have been dreaming about getting a new coat for months. Imagine that it is as important to you as getting married or having a baby. Now imagine that someone steals your coat after you have only worn it for one day. Can you guess how Akaky feels?