Answer:
C. That appearance and power are closely related.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nikolai Gogol's short story The Nose revolves around the loss of the nose by a high ranking government official from the Russian administration. And through this loss of a facial feature, the man was unable to execute any of his normal work and even lost his confidence in dealing with matters.
Collegiate Assessor "Major" Kovalyov prides himself on his position. He would refer to himself as "Major" and also did not miss any chance to show off. His power also infused him with confidence that would lead to some 'gentlemanly' manner especially when in the company of a beautiful lady. But once the nose is lost, he lost all of that confidence. He felt powerless and hid in the most concealing manner, afraid to meet or talk to anyone who might recognize him. The approach of his nose in the church also shows his desire to be more powerful, demanding that it return to him for it is his personal property. His refusal to reveal his name to the advertising agency when he went to address his lost nose shows his embarrassment at being in that situation. And once the nose is returned, he felt back to his own self.
So, the representation of the nose can be seen as something where power and appearance are related. They appear side by side and allows the person to be what he wants to be. This shows that the Russian culture values appearance and power and they find them closely related to one another.