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AP English Essay: Bartleby; We Are But Human

Though the lawyer in “Bartleby, the Scrivener” initially presents himself — through his own narration — as an emotionally-detached and analytical individual, Melville involves this character emotionally and directly in the conflict as the plot progresses. The development of the narrator’s character reveals the significance of the human spirit in a social context.

At first, the lawyer introduces himself as a detached, analytical narrator. He states that the nature of his “avocations” has brought him into “more than ordinary” contact with a somewhat “singular” set of men known as “scriveners”. His elevated diction and voice present him as an emotionally-detached individual. He makes the lengthy, scientific-like introduction for his scriveners in an analytical manner as if he were writing a scientific research paper. In this way, the narrator attempts to distinguish himself from his scriveners and establish a sense of authority.

Melville, the author, develops the narrator’s character — in contrast to the narrator’s own presented views — as the story progresses. After doing everything in the narrator’s ability to try to persuade Bartleby to leave the law office — including offering Bartleby twenty extra dollars and a good reference, Bartleby continues to camp lifelessly inside the office. Frustrated, the narrator describes himself as being “thunderstruck” by Bartleby’s polite, yet stubborn defiance. In a sharp contrast to the narrator’s earlier attempt to establish his superiority and authority in his narration, the narrator has become powerless even to his scrivener.

To further contrast his initial narrative image and show his inability in dealing with Bartleby, the narrator becomes emotionally involved in the conflict. The narrator feels a “charitable prompting” to visit “poor Bartleby” after relocating his office. We see a continued change in the narrator’s character — further contrasting his own narrative image — as he pities and becomes emotionally-attached to Bartleby.

Melville develops the narrator and shows the progression in character in this story to reveal, in a social context, the significance of the human spirit. Although the narrator attempts to portray himself as a superior individual, reality shows that he does not hold absolute authority over the “singular” set of men known as “scriveners”. Reality shows that he, too, has emotions. Reality shows that after all, he is, and we are all but human, that it is inevitable to find the human spirit in all of us.