Bartelby the Scrivener - Essay Example

Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-street Who is the narrator and who is the protagonist in Bartleby? The Lawyer is the narrator of the story, who at the same time is the protagonist. 2) Who is the antagonist? Bartleby3) What kind of life does the narrator want to live and what does his use of language tell you about his personality. Give a quote to support your answer. “I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best.

Hence, though I belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous, even to turbulence, at times, yet nothing of that sort have I ever suffered to invade my peace. I am one of those ambitious lawyers without ambitions who never addresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause; but in the cool tranquillity of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men’s bonds and mortgages and title-deeds. All who know me consider me an eminently safe man.” From how the lawyer describes himself comes a picture that he is person of a quiet nature.

He likes keeping his profile low, living and working in peace. The way he speaks the entire story shows how an educated patient man his character is.4) The narrator seems to have a propensity to hire strange workers. Who are they, and what are their various quirks? Why does he put up with them? The lawyer has three hired workers which according to him have distinctively odd characters. First was Turkey, who he describes to be a man not far of his age who works tamely in the morning and has agitated and careless tendencies in the afternoon.

Second, was Nippers that he described to be a whiskered, sallow, and piratical-looking young man that he deemed to be the victim of two evil powers—ambition and indigestion. The ambition narrated as a certain impatience of the duties of a mere copyist. The indigestion was described by the lawyer as Nippers’ occasional nervous testiness and grinning irritability, causing the teeth to audibly grind together over mistakes committed in copying. Ginger Nut, the third young lad runs as the errand boy.

Though the lawyer describes his workers odd he also finds them very useful so he keeps them.5) What was it that he liked about Bartleby? The lawyer finds Bartleby quiet and industrious. From the story the lawyer describes Bartleby as someone who did an extraordinary quantity of writing as if long famishing for something to copy. He never sees him leave the place even to eat as his hunger was on the documents he works on, and most importantly for the lawyer is that he works silently.6) What is a "scrivener", and how does Bartleby deal with the demands of his job?

What was the phrase that began to haunt the narrator? A scrivener is a professional copyist or writer. Bartleby seemed to be a dedicated worker. He writes tremendously quiet and fast. Not until he refused to do whatever the lawyer asks him to by firmly replying “I would prefer not to.” 7) There are a lot of mentions of food and food imagery in the story. Please identify some of it as we are reading. The ginger nuts as it was described to be a peculiar cake—small, flat, round, and very spicy.8) What do you think is the purpose of all this food imagery?

Food imagery is used to give readers an actual picture of what is actually going in the story. And I think it somehow broadens our sense of imagination as we go along the story.9) Can you use it to characterize the narrator? The narrators character fits one of a nut, he is very firm and critical outside and yet very soft and rational inside.10) Does the food have literal or symbolic functions, or both? Both 11) There are also many Biblical allusions. What are they and again, what do you think is their purpose?

The story of Adam was mentioned in the story. It contemplated on the phrase of loving one another. Being referred to by the narrator as sons of Adam is a reminder that as descendants of good one must be a seeker of righteousness. The purpose of it is to instil in the minds of the readers the morale in the story.12) Do you recognize the workplace dynamics? Describe some of them The narrator describes his chamber to have a white wall of the interior from top to bottom with windows commanded an unobstructed view of a lofty brick wall, black by age and everlasting shade.

The typical working day of the scriveners are composed of the writing workload followed by verification by one reading the article and one verifying the other copy. 13) What do you think would happen if you responded to an order by saying "I prefer not to."? It will impose shock on the part of the commander until he finds out the reason of the resistance.14) Why do you think the narrator takes so long to get rid of Bartleby? Bartleby was useful to him at first, and in his true nature he feels pity for Bartleby’s condition. 15) Why does he characterize Bartlebys actions as "passive resistance"?

Because he never does anything he commands, passively resisting by not cooperating in the part he should be doing in the first place. He even mentioned that his resistance is involuntary.16) What are the context, meaning and significance of this quote? “He is useful to me.Here I can cheaply purchase a delicious self approval. To befriend Bartleby, to humour him in his strange wilfulness will cost me little or nothing; while I lay up in my soul will eventually prove a sweet morsel for my conscience.

What is he making an allusion to? Here he conveys that good begets good in return. By letting Bartleby stay under such unfavourable circumstances will only cost him less that his conscience need not to carry if he let him out of the office and be miserable. He is trying to save himself from guilt by being so humane and calm in dealing with Bartleby.17) What is the context and meaning of his quote? "What I saw that morning persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder.

I might give alms to his body; but his body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I could not reach. He then realized that Bartleby’s involuntary act of resistance was something with deeper cause and not just from the superficial needs of a person. It lies deep in him that he kept from everyone else by resisting saying anything. He then realized that even his thoughts of giving Bartleby help in many forms would not suffice since he is closed by refusal to do and say anything. 18) A new commandment give I unto you, that thy love one another.

What is the author alluding to? What did it stop him from doing? The author is referring to a Holy command that we should love other people as we love our selves. In a broader context this would mean doing well unto others is like doing well to our Creator. And by these words the thought of killing him was vanished from his thoughts.19) Is the narrator to blame for Bartelbys death? Is anyone to blame? What problem does someone like Bartleby pose for society? What kind of society is it? I think the lawyer doesn’t have anything to do with Bartleby’s death.

I think he owe his death to himself. The narrator tried to help him in every way he can but then he refuses. Even the mere saying of what seems to be the problem never slipped his tongue. He was a total stranger to him and yet he tried getting to the bottom of the problem.20) Melville subtitles Bartleby "A Story of Wall Street". What does he mean by "Wall Street" and do you think there are any echoes with the current "story of Wall Street?” Ultimately, who do you think is the more fully drawn and important character: Bartleby or the Narrator?

Are they both important, but "drawn" in different ways? Explain your answer. Wall Street here represents the fast paced society, that amongst its busyness it sometimes tends to be indifferent on some issues they are really faced- that amongst its busyness is solitude where the likes of Bartleby are bound. Bartleby for me represents the weak portion of the society who experienced disapproval and yet sinks themselves to it by not fighting. The Lawyer for me is the important character; he was the one who took me to every portion of the story especially in his dealings with Bartleby.

The importance of Bartleby in the story for me lies in his silent resistant nature that provokes the narrator to continue with his discovery of the latter. That in his dealings with him he was able to contemplate on circumstances and situations.ReferenceHerman, M. (1853). Bartleby, the Scrivene: A Story of Wall-Street. Putnams Monthly, II, 546-547.