Essay on Bartleby the Scrivener - 1515 Words

In Herman Melville’s â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener†, a story of â€Å"the strangest† law-copyist the narrator, a lawyer, has ever employed is told. The narrator experiences conflict with Bartleby when he â€Å"prefers not to† examine some law papers. Once Bartleby â€Å"prefers not to† once, he continues to repeat the statement on all request asked of him. This statement sends Bartleby into a state of tranquility, staying isolated in the cubical and refusing all assistance by any means. This state results in him going to jail, and eventually dying. This passive resistance Bartleby exhibits traps him physically and psychologically by surrounding him with â€Å"walls† the narrator symbolically describes numerous times. The idea of transcendentalism arises from†¦show more content†¦I think the idea from transcendentalism that there is no form of superior intelligence is the reason as to why Bartleby â€Å"prefers not to†(6) in all forms of requests. This is the moment in the story where Bartleby assumes the position of a transcendentalist. This point is where he breaks free of societal duties and refuses all help from the narrator, denying money and shelter from him. Although critiques such as Walter E. Anderson argue that Bartleby’s isolation shows â€Å"Christian-moral reading is the correct context† to assume, I disagree. There are allusions to biblical texts such as the narrator referring to himself and Bartleby as â€Å"sons of Adam†(11). But I think Bartleby is isolated to show how he is alone from everyone, living in a cubical, and being surrounded by walls. Although Christianity gives feelings of isolation with God, Bartleby is isolated with his spiritual self, saying he â€Å"would prefer to make no change at all†(21). Bartleby determines his fate by questioning himself and his societal roles. He does not look to Christ in any form, not believing in a higher intellectual form. Instead he finds serenity in his civil disobedience. Another form of symbolism important to Bartleby’s isolation is the imagery of â€Å"walls†. The story’s setting is on â€Å"Wall Street† and at the office the men work at â€Å"look upon a white wall† (1) and have an â€Å"unobstructed view of a lofty brick wall†(2). The walls represent society’s blocks on Bartleby and his progress in society.Show MoreRelatedBartleby the Scrivener Essay2334 Words   |  10 PagesBartleby’s Isolation and the Wall Introduction: â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener, A Story of Wall Street† is a short story by Herman Melville in which the narrator, a lawyer who runs a firm on Wall Street, tells the story of a rebellious scrivener who worked for him named Bartleby. One day, Bartleby simply states â€Å"I would prefer not to† when asked to do his normal copying duties as a scrivener (Melville). Soon Bartleby starts sleeping and eating at the office, refusing to leave. 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The narrator is a very methodical and prudent man and has learned patience by working with others, such as TurkeyRead MoreEssay on Herman Melvilles Bartleby the Scrivener1090 Words   |  5 PagesSince he will not quit me, I must quit him. amp;quot;Ah Bartleby, Ah Humanity.amp;quot; (Page 140, Herman Melville) This is the key to Bartleby, written by Herman Melville, for it indicates that Bartleby 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 disturbed scrivener who gives up on the prospect of living life. However, by doing so Bartleby is attempting to exercise his freewill, for he wouldRead MoreBartleby, the Hero in Herman Melville‚Äà ´s Short Story Bartleby the Scrivener1373 Words   |  6 PagesBartleby, The Hero in Herman Melville’s short Story Bartleby the Scrivener In Herman Melville’s short story Bartleby the Scrivener, Bartleby is the hero. The reasons as to why Bartleby is considered the hero of the story are that first, the character refuses to write in his job in the law office. He even starves himself to death by refusing to eat, but in the end, the spirit of Bartleby still remains alive and haunts the narrator. Throughout his life, the narrator remains haunted by the spiritual