In “Diary of the Madman,” Gogol continues to critique the artificiality of Saint Petersburg society by drawing the narrative into the obscure. Although the ending is where the Mad Man narrator really spirals into insanity, the interactions between the narrator and the dog are particularly meaningful. We know from our historical readings that Saint Petersburg society at the time was based on a titular system, where each citizen had a set place within the social order. Gogol is comparing this system to the relationship of the director’s daughter and her dog to show through this parallel the damaging impact Saint Petersburg’s social structure can have on an individual.

The “superfluous man” narrator seems to have little impact on the society around him and in his workplace. In almost every way he is unnoticed. Similar to how an owner looks at a dog, he is not treated or addressed as an equal. This leads our Mad Man to elaborate on his feelings about dogs, “I’ve long suspected that dogs are far more intelligent than people; I was even convinced that they are able to speak but are only prevented from doing so by their great stubbornness” (164). The Mad Man is projecting his position within society onto the director’s daughter’s’ dog. Just as he writes, so does the dog! Although our Mad Man, as a person, has opinions and a voice to express them, within this absurd Saint Petersburg society he might as well be a not listened to animal.