Akaky's overcoat allows him to become human instead of a merely bureaucratic tool. A Marxist reading of the text would interpret Akaky's material desire as granting him humanity. The story does not condemn private acquisition and materialism, but asserts that human beings can have fulfillment from attention to material goods. Material goods, in particular clothing, do not merely mask real human character, but can modify a person's identity in a positive and liberating way. Akaky's social alienation and belittlement give way to community inclusion and genuine respect. People are brought together by material goods.