Workers of the World : The Representation of Labor - Essay Example

Bartleby the Scrivener' by Melville Introduction Bartleby, the Scrivener" is a story about the physical and mental degeneration of a man, an alienation of an individual from his own humanity (Bergmann, 2). From this description, it is very clear that everybody gives special attention to time because it is non-refundable. In the same capacity, time is money. Every effort that a business puts while considering time factors determines the productivity at the end. In relation to labour, Melville’s book “Bartleby, the Scrivener” clearly brings out the issue of time management through the elderly lawyer who hires copyists who have unique ways of working. The narrator is the elderly lawyer. The story introduces as to the business carried out being sale of mortgages, deeds and bonds to very wealthy people. The story tells how this successful lawyer on Wall Street hires Bartleby, a scrivener, to relieve the load of work experienced by his law firm. For two days, Bartleby executes his job with skill and gains the owner's confidence for his diligence. (Bergmann, 3). It is rather interesting to realize how things can take a wrong turn. The copyist begins demonstrating signs of mental imbalance by refusing to proofread his work, finally refusing to copy altogether. Instead, he stares out the window at a blank wall. (Bergmann, 3). After making a discovery about Bartleby’s condition, the lawyer readily allows him to get some rest. This is because the mental imbalance is due to eyestrain. However, due to time being lost, the owner of the business is on the move to replace Bartleby because he finds him so reluctant. Bartleby however refuses to leave. A second stratagem, moving to another office and leaving Bartleby behind, results in outrage from the new tenants, who charge the lawyer with responsibility for Bartleby's eccentricities. (Robertson, 10). In line with time management, it is very clear the lawyer wants copyists who are very fast in handling the job. Interestingly, his new copyist, Bartleby is a person of his own speed. For instance, when the lawyer demands for some work from Bartleby, he hesitantly replies, “I would prefer not to.” (Melville 12); this is a form of passive resistance according to the lawyer and to him his business will lag behind. In the story, the narrator introduces some other characters; Turkey, Nippers and Ginger nut. It is very clear that none of the correlates with the character as a reader might think. From what the narrator says, Turkey works best in the morning while Nippers grumbles over a sour stomach and plays with his desk. On the other hand, Nippers gets to work quietly in the afternoon while Turkey is red-faced and angry, making blots on his copies. As the lawyer points out, they relieve each other like guards. They are the Tweedledee and Tweedledum of the Wall Street world. (Melville 17). This scenario demonstrates the issue of time in that not everybody can manage something at the same time. It is good to acknowledge somebody’s efforts. Just like Turkey and Nippers who have very contradicting times to handle their work so does everyone. Interestingly, it is evident how they support and understand each other well whenever their behavior changes when on work. In the process of time management, conflicts are very common. Bartleby’s character symbolizes reluctance of a society to change. As earlier quoted when he said, “I would prefer not to”, it is evident that employer and employee relations are at war. Since the employer is only after his business, he fails to understand what really causes the behavior change in Bartleby. From the story, the copyist at some point prefers to watch the wall rather than work or talk to anyone. Even when other characters show their willing to offer help, they change with time. This is because everyone distances himself from Bartleby as his mental degradation worsens. Due to this separation, Bartleby loses his humanity in that he cannot correlate with other people freely. The narrator sees his business as a very important aspect of life. For instance when he arrives at the church and realizes that the services was yet to begin, he finds it useful to maximize on the time in between before the beginning of the service to do something constructive in his office. This clearly illustrates how people always regard time as money to the extent of exchanging or replacing it with God. With the walk to the office, he wastes more time when he finds out that Bartleby had made the office his resting place at night. The narrator gets so involved in establishing issues that are out of hand forgetting that he had a schedule to follow. The narrator at some point decides to flee because Bartleby is the cause of frustration on the block. Most the tenants using the building are very unhappy about what goes on with his office. Since he does not want to lose out in the business, he sacrifices to leave Nipper in charge. Unfortunately, when he returns from the hideout, he finds out that his employee: Bartleby is under arrest with a directive from the property owner. As one of his employee who at some point helped him get money with his skills of copying, he has o find a way of getting him out though he had earlier fired him. This is because he fears that he might waste more time if the authority decides to arrest him as well in relation to the mistakes piled on Bartleby. The story ends on a very sad tone. The narrator realizes that Bartleby is dead but keeps saying that he is in a very deep sleep. He utters,” Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!” (Melville 251) at the end of the story. This is after he realizes the past of his employee from the rumors that he had earlier worked at the Dead Letter Office in charge of disposing off undeliverable mails. To him, this job might be the cause as to why Bartleby often had a poor character throughout his life. He however worries about humanity and the issue of undeliverable mails seems to affect him because he knows that such mails for the dead. Though it is very difficult to factor in any concept that relates to time, it can somehow make sense if the narrator’s fear gets a credit. With this, his fear will defy the time management principles and thus will fail to use it effectively in running his business. This is because, he is very old and the letter from his dead employee; Bartleby will reach him soon. Conclusion The story “Bartleby, the Scrivener” apart from issues that relate to time, clearly demonstrates how managers misuse their employees just because they need to make huge profits out of the business. The issues of time management in this story require the reader to be very keen because the author uses a very strong style when addressing these issues. However, the above thesis gives the major instances that relate to time and how they affect the lawyers business as well as the employees’ way of living either positively or negatively. Everyone can agree that the manner in which the story is in makes it difficult to get the picture directly because many stylistic devices are in use. The critics as well question as to why the author was so keen in using characters that do not really match with what really happens in the story. Probably, it is a style in itself. Work cited Bergmann, Hans. Analyzing a Melville Story.2003. History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web. 20 June 2007. Melville, Herman. Bartleby the Scrivener. New York: CreateSpace, 2013. Print. Robertson, Chris. Bartleby Unbound. 15 Apr 1998. Etsu.edu. 19 June 2007. Read More