Bartleby The Scrivener Research Paper

The film Bartleby represents the themes and characters of the story in numerous ways. Two major themes of the story include choices and morality. In regard to making choices, Bartleby continuously stated the phrase “I would prefer not to”, which shows that he took advantage of his right to make decisions even if they did not please everyone else. This theme was translated in the film because this is a phrase that Bartleby also stated countless times. The theme of mortality was displayed in the short story when the narrator had a difficult time deciding how long he should help Bartleby. Also, he wanted to decide if it would be right of him to give up on their work relationship. However, he did act immorally by firing Bartleby and moving offices

“Bartleby is blind but he sees. The lawyer has eyesight but he is blind. Unlike Bartleby, he does not know where he is. He is in prison without knowing it. He has learned nothing. He has gained no insight into himself or into his society, and he has gained no understanding of Bartleby’s rebellion. He has denied his own capacity to love. What remains is only the sentimentality that emerges in his final words of pity and self-pity. “Ah Bartleby! Ah Humanity!” (Melville, p. 45) (Shulman, p. 22)

The narrator of the story becomes shocked when he discovers that Bartleby, who only feeds on ginger nuts, has never left the office. This is actually the first time that the narrator experiences the spiritual power that Bartleby possesses. The narrator is so much business oriented that he only looks at the world in terms of profits. However, when he encounters this aspect of the spirit of Bartleby, his attitude towards life changes. He begins appreciating the fact that Bartleby deserves better treatment, not in the capitalist way. The narrator even sees what is a right, just as an asset, but this perception is later changed by Bartleby’s spirit: “What earthly right have you to stay here? Do you pay any rent? Do you pay my taxes? Or is this property yours?” (Melville, 41).

The secondary title for the novel, A Story of Wall-Street, sets the stage for what has become another moral dilemma of man — the importance of commerce placed over the importance of life. Melville plays with the role of commerce continuously throughout this work, which takes place inside of a Lawyer's office on Wall Street. The Lawyer states, very simply, that he is "a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best," revealing that at the very core of his being is an ideal that anything strenuous he may come across in his path should be quickly avoided, as to not cause any disturbance in his daily routine (Melville 1). This accurately sums up the general mindset of those on Wall Street at the time, and perhaps America as a whole -- that anything out of the ordinary was considered a nuisance to those focused entirely on the generation of wealth. The Lawyer recognizes this, and even considers himself a part of this crowd. However, he has taken the time to write this account of Bartleby, the Scrivener that arrives one day to fill a position in the office. While Bartleby may represent this "nuisance" exactly, the Lawyer finds himself drawn towards the mysterious quality he brings, unaware whether he will be beneficial to the firm or

Herman Melville’s short story “Bartleby, the Scrivener” reveals different themes such as isolation and human morality test. In the story, the narrator runs a law firm and has a new Scrivener [Bartleby] who the narrator describes as“ the strangest I ever saw or heard of” (661). For the first few days, Bartleby is seen to be working fine, however, one day Bartleby just responds with “I would prefer not to” when anyone assigns a task to Bartleby (674). The real problems start to arise when Bartleby sleeps and eats at the office while denying to work or leave. The narrator illustrates the two main themes of human morals and isolation throughout the story with the use of biblical references to Bartleby as a leper and shows symbolism of the

Herman Melville is an acclaimed author of the American Renaissance period and his most commendable works include “Bartleby, the Scrivener”. The story of “Bartleby” is not only a revelation of the business world of the mid-19th century but at the same time, it is also the manifestation of the emerging capitalistic lifestyle of perhaps New York’s most prominent street, Wall Street. Bartleby is a rather peculiar yet captivating figure. Bartleby’s life and death contribute to a sort of enigma for the reader and his employer. “Bartleby, the Scrivener” is a story that criticizes the monotonous day-to-day cycle that the modern working man is forcibly put in by society. With that being said, the death of Bartleby not only serves as a reflection

“Bartleby, The Scrivener” is a memorable story, by Herman Melville, that is able to keep its readers captivated from beginning to end. How does the author successfully grab the attention of his readers? The author utilized his masterful command of the English language to convey the characters, setting, and plot effectively; and in the midst of all the detailed descriptions Melville have used food and the action of eating as powerful symbols. In the story three of the characters have names that are associated with food, and the main character of study, Bartleby, eventually dies of starvation by choice. Given the setting of the story was in the onset of the second industrial revolution, the coming of the big corporations where Wall

The character of Bartleby in Herman Melville’s novella “Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street” is a person who refuses to become an object in capitalistic society. Initially, he is the perfect example of the objectification and mechanization of humans in the workplace. In essence, Bartleby is a machine that continually produces. Ultimately, he begins to resist the mind numbing repetition of his tasks and the mechanization of his life. The other main character, the narrator, is a facilitator of the capitalistic machine. He dehumanizes his employees by ensuring that their free will is denied in the workplace using objectifying nicknames, providing a workplace devoid of human touch and connection,; and perpetuating mechanized, repetitive work. Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener” shows the dehumanizing effects of working in a capitalistic environment and ultimately suggests that one must conform to a standard way of life or will cease to exist.

Furthermore, like many members of the bourgeoisie, Bounderby tries to better himself at the expense of the proletarians. While Bounderby was a member of the lower class in his youth, he has completely turned his back on them. He treats the proletarians with contempt, and he believes that all the proletarians desire “to be fed on turtle soup and venison, with a gold spoon.” Dickens is creating an irony here. Bounderby believes that all the proletarians want to get rich without working, yet the proletarians are actually doing all the excruciating work in the society. However, the wealth is not going to the proletarians but to Bounderby himself.

Individuality is essential to expressing our desires, passions, and talents to those around us, and the lives of Turkey and Nippers, two of the lawyer’s other scriveners, possess none. For example, in describing Nippers, the narrator includes he suffers from “a certain impatience of the duties of a mere copyist, an unwarrantable usurpation of strictly professional affairs.” Since the characters never express themselves, they can never begin to understand each other, a process that is essential to forming meaningful relationships. Furthermore, the lives of Turkey and Nippers, are dictated by submission to the rules and expectations of the Lawyer. Turkey even begins any questions addressing the narrator with the preface, “with submission, sir.” Working in an environment requiring one to solely follow the orders of a superior inevitably initiates dissatisfaction with one’s inability to ever voice their opinion and feel they’re a meaningful part of their community. As a result, the breakdown of the office community, or the nonexistence of community altogether, is

Bartleby does not want to be a part of the world, he is used to changing into a more industrial world. He tries to refuse to fall into the trap that others have fallen into. Some would say that he is doing this because he may have a mental illness. There are all different kinds of mental illnesses and back then during the time of Bartleby they were not treated like they are today; many were not even diagnosed back then, society out cast these unfortunate people as being weird. A mental illness that makes him not want to be a part of society. Hannah Walser says, “an apparently “mind blind” character like Bartleby not only represents a pathological condition-autism or something like it- but constitutes a kind of textual pathology; a devotion from fiction evolutionary mandate” (Walser 313-314). Rereading this short story after hearing this quote; makes reader’s realize the signs that

“Since he will not quit me, I must quit him. Ah Bartleby, Ah Humanity.” (Melville 131) This is the key to Bartleby, for it indicates that he stands as a symbol for humanity. This in turn functions as a commentary on society and the working world, for Bartleby is a seemingly homeless, mentally scrivener who gives up on the prospect of living life, finally withdrawing himself from society. However, by doing so Bartleby is attempting to exercise his freewill, for he would “prefer not to” work. His relationship to the narrator (the Lawyer) and the normal progression of life. However, this

Working to “earn a living” help describe the work ethic of America as it simply implies that increased income will lead to success. While white men spearheaded the Puritan movement in the 1600s, their values have become integrated into American society today. Boys and girls are taught at a young age that their grades in school and grit in their jobs will lead to happiness, money and a feeling of purpose. In Bartleby Herman Melville, Bartleby complicates this idea as he refuses to do what the Narrator asks him to do, even though he is his boss. The office in the story serves as a challenge for the claim that earning money means good living. The Narrator does not punish Bartleby and more so exiles him. As the Narrator and Bartleby come to work

Melville’s short story Bartleby the scrivener, describes the narrator as an elderly old man that wishes to give details of the life of Bartleby the scrivener. Bartleby was a completely emotionless human being who refuses to interact with the world around him. These actions shape the short story, picking at its viewers mind as to why Bartleby is disconnected from society. Bartleby worked in the dead letters office this may have triggered his inability to relate to the world around him. This motionless docility covered his inner troubles that he withheld from the world. The narrator states “I have known very many of them, professionally and privately, and if I pleased, could relate divers histories, at which good-natured gentlemen might smile, and sentimental souls might weep.” (Melville’s). In this he means that many persons might choose to smile as they find pleasure in reading “Bartleby” as much as those who might weep because they find the short story to be discouraging. In the 1970’s adaptation is one of those sentimental souls that the narrator is talking about in that it weeps for Bartleby, however the narrator brings the humor to life as he becomes speechless to Bartleby preferring not to do his work.

When workers bring up their boss in conversation, words like intimidating or hard-nosed might be tossed around. Also, any good employee knows to look busy when their boss is around and to be on their best behavior. Bartleby, in Bartleby The Scrivener did not abide by these office rules many of us follow. Bartleby was a scrivener for a law office on Wall Street. In the beginning days of Bartleby’s new job as a copier, he exceled greatly surpassing his fellow co-workers. This inspirational work ethic soon turned sour when Bartleby refused to do any work at all around the office. Lack of discipline from the boss of the law office turned Bartleby’s “I would prefer not to” into a much larger problem. The boss being such a pushover