Essay two.

Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street, written by Herman Melville, is a dark humor story about a scrivener (one who copies legal documents. The setting is in the 1850's, New York and contains a series of characters that give the short story background and a overall perspective for the readers. First there's the narrator who hires and directs the four people working for here. Then there's Turky and Nippers who have changing moods from one another giving a pattern in behavior in the office, mostly mood, and Ginger Nut who holds a smaller part in the patten, getting food and being a small help. Of course there is also Bartleby, the star and reason of the story, who is a quiet person who first stuck to the rules, did his work without a word before becoming indifferent from everything. As he becomes indifferent the plot continues being led by curiosity, which also, in a sense, lead this writing to gain popularity among all literature. 

As mentioned before, the writer gave each character a specific purpose within the story to develop a setting of sorts. The one thing that the human mind is most use to is repeated routines and patterns in other's behaviors etc.. So by giving characters places to be and ways to act in their normal behaviors gave the reader a good sense of what was happening. As most of us know "…the adult behavior patterns in the workplace affect how you go about your daily business."(1:Bigelow) Thus that pattern was disturbed when Bartleby began to work out of place and generally stopped working at all, it disrupted the pattern proving some negative feed back from other workers-- Turky and Nippers. Bartleby then became what some would call "the slacker"(2) causing the others to be offended in some sorts and agitated. This then gives a violent sense of humor that some could find entertaining depending on how they view it.

After setting up a normal pattern, the plot begins to take place with the 21st paragraph; "In this very attitude did I sit when I called to him, rapidly stating what it was I wanted him to do—namely, to examine a small paper with me. Imagine my surprise, nay, my consternation, when without moving from his privacy, Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, 'I would prefer not to.' "(3:Melville) Here the pattern is disrupted for the first time but is only looked at with brief concern from the narrator. This brings about the human mind to associate his lack of participation with other things such as a bad day in personal life or simple health issues. The narrator lets it slide after taking in other's opinions then continues on with life with not enough curiosity to pressure the matter. However to the viewer this is obviously not the end of the story so we are left with a stronger curiosity. As the plot quickens on leaving Bartleby to crease doing things one by one disturbing routine with a larger gap, other employees start to agree that he should be left off leaving the narrator with the responsibility. But because of his higher status and need to 'protect and govern' the employees he hires he can only empathize just as the readers do. This also brings about many questions such as Bartleby's past or current situation that might be leaving him to stop activities. Levels of curiosity rise faster moving the plot along. Things of his life are found like when he was sleeping in the office rather than at home, never really leaving to go out to eat even when he had the money, etc… 

Even when he was asked to leave he would not only to make one want to attempt to befriend and ask on what was affecting his life. Sadly when the narrator tries to befriend it's clear that there is hesitation to do so because many people tend to gain negative feed back-- such as suspicion and distrust-- from another when wanting a friendship mainly based on curiosity and the need for information. I found it wise that the narrator only asked a few times before eventually letting off the subject and offering choices to Bartley by such as extra money as a donation and asking him politely to leave within a time period. This sign of empathy through affection was most genuine and would probably gotten positive feed back if Bartleby was more emotional. Bartleby seemed to have lost emotion and became empty from something in his life or a simple thought.

The story ends with Bartleby's death after being arrested for staying on property when the company moved. When the company moved there was only one emotion that Bartleby held which was anger towards the narrator believing that he had sent him behind bars. That emotion was short lived and soon he went back to his emotionless self. I conclude that the only sign of emotion was towards the fact he did not want to move and did not want to have things change around him. Some people could say he had Metathesiophobia(4) which is the fear of change, this phobia has a symptom of a lack of will to live but doesn't completely fit with the other symptoms ,such as panic, with his behavior. 

Everything that a reader might thing or analyze about the reading would dissolve once they find out that Bartleby died. The last few lines from 245 to 249 give the last question if he was sleeping.  “With kings and counsellors…" was last said leaving the audience with a emotional ending of simple death. All the questions would now never be answered. Yet the death was in some type of dramatic beauty that allows it all to be okay without answers. A sort of peace.

Overall I found the writing very well done but it a true story or not. The ending was well done and so was the rest such as setting up a stage and background with the majority of the characters. I found it rather lovely, although tragic, the death sounded

 peaceful. 

reference: 

1: Bigelow Lisa, Demanded Media. Web: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/adult-behavior-patterns-workplace-12249.html

2: Peer Power, Net Speed Learning Solutions. Web: http://www.netspeedlearning.com/peerpower/behaviors/

3: Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street, Herman Melvill. 1853. web: http://www.bartleby.com/129/

4: Wikipedia. Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Metathesiophobia

Bartleby, the Scrivener

In the writings of Bartleby, the Scrivener I would have to say that the most important phrase said through out the later half of the story is "I would prefer not to". Although it is a line that is most used and can be considered a cliche line to select for its importance, this line becomes the most significant line that I can point out and also has become the most popular sentence.

The main reason why I chose this line was because of it's importance to spark the curiosity of the narrator.  Curiosity is a thing that everyone has more than once in their life and especially at birth, its what drives our desire to learn which in turn helps us to survive on this mysterious planet. Bartleby was constantly asked questions after he began to say this phrase and thus it helped continue the plot. If he did not say this more than once then the plot would cease and there would be no story to read.

The answer "I would prefer not to," sparked the interest in the narrator in the beginning and continued to harnest that spark into a flame leaving us all in question and in a unsatisfied curiosity.  More questions were asked such as 'what was Bartleby's past' and many others. The only real information we later get out of Bartleby is the fact he did not want anything to change, which meant something in his life got to the point he found it perfect leading him to say these words. Although what was perfect and why the simplest tasks seemed to effect that perfection are only known to Bartleby which measly drove me insane with curiosity. Alas it drove him to his death leaving us all without knowing what it was that drove him to say "I would prefer not to."

Image source: [link]

Small video on curiosity: [link] 

Summary VS Analysis

If you have issues seeing the text a larger image is available here: [link]

I'm the artist.

"A Modest Proposal."

Dr. Jonathan Swift's proposal identifies one of the problems in his society which was the unwanted children of the poor. He points out the beggars who would have many children behind them looking for food, money, etc. Swift suggests a way to fix the problem of the population growth and the poor which is to sell the children off, feed them to a certain age then eat them. I don't really know if he was being serious or not, but because of his research and how he empathizes with the audience about people on the streets suggest that he was indeed serious. 

I would have to agree that his solution does indeed sound logical. His evidence of growing population, the way he calculated the numbers of children 'breeders' make and even how he pointed out a 'season' for when the most children were born. All of this support his solution greatly. Even if you add in todays population and the current resources being put to waste instead of being recycled his solution would be supported even more. However, because of culture and religion people will and probably will continue to not accept this proposal because of the value humans have on other human life (except in war).

I refer you to the novel "The Time Machine", written by H.G. Wells. In this novel/movie the future holds two different species of humans where one herd the other like cattle and eat them. I only mention this because culture can change towards Swifts proposal, but not within our life time.

More on The Time Machine:  [Link]

Image source: [Link]

How many babies are born in a day?