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His ordinary converse with his inferiors smacked of sternness, and consisted chiefly of three phrases: “How dare you?” “Do you know whom you are speaking to?” “Do you realise who stands before you?”

This quote appears as Akakievitch meets with the prominent personage, and it is a telling character portrait. The three questions the prominent personage often poses to people are meant to frighten his inferiors. He is a bullying personality who does not approach the topic of a conversation. He only addresses the social standing of those involved. The prominent personage does not wish to engage in content and only wishes to destroy the confidence of those below him on the social ladder.

Otherwise he was a very kind-hearted man, good to his comrades, and ready to oblige; but the rank of general threw him completely off his balance. On receiving any one of that rank, he became confused, lost his way, as it were, and never knew what to do.

This quote appears in the prominent personage’s introduction. He is mean and strict to his inferiors, but he is amenable to his friends and those of his own rank. In an ironic turn, this overbearing man’s confidence is shaken by men above him on the social ladder. He becomes “confused” and does not know what to do when someone above him is in the room.

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