Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener is a
short story written in the mid 1850’s. This story has an underlying theme that
has implications that affect the people of today as much as the time it was
written. In this story Bartleby represents a new consumer or leisure class.
Bartleby presents a lax attitude towards work, in contrast to the narrator who
clearly embodies the Protestant Ethic of work and charity. Through these
characters, Melville shows the deterioration of society, as this new class has
no respect for the old ways.
Bartleby
comes into the narrators employ and in the beginning he is a very productive
employee. Bartleby spends the entire day focused on his work. “At first
Bartleby did an extraordinary quantity of writing. As if long famishing for
something to copy, he seemed to gorge himself on my documents. There was no
pause for digestion. He ran a day and night line, copying by sun-light and by
candle-light” (par.18). He
never even takes time to leave for lunch.” I observed that he never went
to dinner; indeed that he never went any where” (par. 51). This is how most people begin their
working career. They are focused hard working and enjoy the fruits of the
labor. People get pleasure from performing well and getting recognition for
their effort. This is something that separates man from animals. The need to be
appreciated for who you are and what you do, is a desire that drives most and
has moved the human species to progress forward to advance with technology, literature,
relationships, and much more from the time man was placed on this earth.
Another
trait that separates man from animal is a sense of charity. Besides the
optimistic feeling one gets from working hard and succeeding, is having the
ability to help those that are less fortunate. This rewarding feeling comes
from lending a hand to those that truly deserve this charity. Yes, people want
to assist those who deserve it but there is also a feeling of accomplishment
that one gets for providing the charity that may spur them to do these good
deeds.
Hard
work and charity are two traits that the narrator, in Bartleby, the Scrivener,
possesses. He has built a successful scrivener business on honesty and his work
ethic. His clients are wealthy people who are very particular about whom they
trust with their legal documents. This trust is something that is not just
given to a person, it is earned. It is earned by hard work and accountability. The
narrator has built his office to a size where he requires the assistance of
employees. Unfortunately, his employees do not share his same work ethic.
Regarding Turkey
he said “in the afternoon he was disposed, upon provocation, to be
slightly rash with his tongue, in fact, insolent.”(par.6). Regarding Nippers he states”
The indigestion seemed betokened in an occasional nervous testiness and
grinning irritability, causing the teeth to audibly grind together over
mistakes committed in copying; unnecessary maledictions, hissed, rather than
spoken, in the heat of business; and especially by a continual discontent with
the height of the table where he worked.” (par. 11) The narrator shows his compassion and charity for
his fellow man by allowing them to stay in his employ. He also shows his
charity by employing a young boy whose fathers had passed. “Ginger Nut,
the third on my list, was a lad some twelve years old. His father was a carman,
ambitious of seeing his son on the bench instead of a cart, before he died. So
he sent him to my office as student at law, errand boy, and cleaner and
sweeper, at the rate of one dollar a week” (par.14).
Mr.
Melville uses an employee of the narrator, Bartleby, as a representation of
what has gone wrong with society. The sense of hard work and charity has gone
away. Bartleby comes into the narrator’s life and after initially earning his
trust and compassion, begins to take advantage of the man who has looked out
for his best interest. “Bartleby,” said I, “are you aware that you
are the cause of great tribulation to me, by persisting in occupying the entry
after being dismissed from the office?” (par.193) It is this sense of entitlement that has plagued
societies who try to incorporate charity and welfare towards its people. It is
not all of those that receive charity that fall into this category but the ones
that do make it difficult for those who do and more expensive for those who pay
into it. These people believe that they are entitled to handouts from those who
are more fortunate, or better said as those who work harder and benefit from
their labor. “Now one of two things
must take place. Either you must do something, or something must be done to
you. Now what sort of business would you like to engage in? Would you like to
re-engage in copying for some one?” “No; I would prefer not to make any
change.” (par. 197)
For
a society to prosper there is a need for charity. This charity must be for
those that are in real need of the assistance. Those who are physically or
mentally disabled and those who may need help for a short time to get back on
their feet. But to allow people who are able to work and provide for themselves
to take advantage of this welfare is a crime and will lead to the death of the
society and its charity, like it killed Bartleby. “Ah Bartleby! Ah
humanity!” (par 251).
