I am sorry I could not get it to you by yesterday but thank you for the extention
Mathieu
Rivoal
ENG104
Essay Assignment #2
Bartleby the Scrivener
In Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener we are introduced into the life of the narrator, a lawyer. This is the tale he tells about of the strangest scrivener he had come to hire. This story is set around the characteristics of Bartleby's behavior. He was a scrivener or copyist for the narrator, who starts out as a very good employe. He does not say much but later comes to express his verbal preference not to do something, till eventually he is not doing any work at the office. He is later on put into prison after refusing to leave the premisses of the narrator's old office, which Bartleby…show more content… In contrast to his two scriveners, who relieve each other on their attitudes according to the hour of the day, the narrator appears controlled yet rather tolerant and easy going. In short, the narrator appears to live a work life that is cool and collected. Bartleby starts out as an exemplary employe. But soon after Bartleby continuously challenges the narrator's authority, yet the narrator fails to get rid of Bartleby every time. When Bartleby “would prefer not to"(Melville 21) complete his work, the narrator rationalizes his decision not to fire him by reasoning that he can help Bartleby and he that can help the…show more content… Yet after this point the narrator is in some ways burdened with Bartleby through the fact that he sees himself reflected in Bartleby. The main reason for this being that no history is provided about Bartleby until the end of the story. This provides a empty vessel for the narrator to project himself onto as he starts to identify with Bartleby. In this sense there is also the burden the narrator casts upon Bartleby. He alternates between lashing out at Bartleby and providing him with a safe environment. Another reason the narrator has not to get rid of Bartleby is that the narrator is rather easy going. When the narrator discovers that Bartleby lives in his office, without his permission, the narrator is unable to ask him to leave. The narrator comments on the loneliness of Wall Street on nights and weekends and therefore the loneliness Bartleby must suffer. Yet as time goes on he becomes more and more of a burden to the narrator. Starting with the first I prefer not to following with the temporary pause in writing and then the full quitting of writing all together. After this point the narrator finally started to realize how much of a burden. “In plain fact, he had now become a millstone to me, not only useless as a necklace, but afflictive to bear.” (Melville 136) Thereafter, the narrator would once again embrace Bartleby. But the narrator would eventually see the need to