This is probably one of the more enjoyable short stories I've read recently. Completely ridiculous, but good fun.
I like the idea that the narrator is the protagonist. That makes sense in terms of the long bit at the end, in which the narrator lets the reader know what they should take away from the story. It almost reads more like a modern movie than a 19th century story.
The thing that struck me about this story was the amount of time the protagonist spent trying to deal with the bureaucracies in order to get his nose back. His actions were completely wrapped up within the local political and social sphere, which creates an even greater level of absurdity. Truly, though, what could one be expected to do this situation?