Bartleby, The Failure :: essays research papers

Bartleby, the FailureIt is not rare, sometimes it is even common, that an author speaks virtually his orher self in their works. Herman Melvilles "Bartleby, the Scrivener" is oftenconsidered such a story. Many of the characters in the story and images createdallude to Melvilles writing career, which was generally deemed a failure. Themain character in the story john either be Bartleby or the cashier, scarce Melvillepartially embodies both of them. We are understanding towards the narrators reasoning for keeping Bartleby and for the sympathy he shows for Bartleby. Afterthe general failure of Moby Dick, at least in Melvilles time, he immediatelywrote Pierre, which was a deeply private novel. This self pity could have beencontinued in "Bartleby, the Scrivener". In addition, Bartleby seemed to feelthat continuing copying was worthless, possibly from spending many years in adead letter office. Melville probably felt this way, but needed to continuewriting to support his family. When Bartleby is in prison, he wastes awaywithout abruptly dying, a degeneration until the point no one notices hisabsence. Melville had reached the bill of his touristyity early in his career,so when he published Moby Dick, his career was already in decline. Hisdisappointment was only to increase as his career superfluous until his deathwhich was hardly noticed in the literary community. The narrator in like manner resemblesMelville, but in a different way. Melville uses the narrator to view his bearsituation from a 3rd person perspective. He attempts, and is somewhatsuccessful, in getting readers to feel sympathy for Bartleby, therefore,sympathy for him. On the contrary, the narrator as well as scorns Bartlebyspersistence after he stops copying "In ostensibly fact, he had now become amillstone to me"(1149). In this respect, the narrator also representsMelvilles literary critics. Behind the relationship between Melville, thenarrator, and Bartleby, one c an also see the relationship between the narratorand an ideal interview that Melville would have wanted. He probably wished thathis writing would be more popular among the readers, although he professed hisown demise with Bartlebys atrophy. His separate employees, Turkey, Nippers, andGinger Nut, were similar to other writers who inspired Melville, such as