Is the narrator in Bartleby reliable?
As a narrator, the lawyer is unreliable because the reader cannot always trust his interpretation of events. The lawyer, as he himself admits, is a man of “assumptions,” and his prejudices often prevent him from offering an accurate view of the situation.
What is the narrator like in Bartleby the Scrivener?
Prior to Bartleby’s entrance, the narrator describes himself as an experienced, self-possessed professional. He knows what he wants and he has acquired it. “I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best” (1).
What is Melville trying to say in Bartleby?
Like many artists, Melville felt constrained to choose between art and money. Like his letters, Melville’s style became tortuous and demanding; his themes questioned the nature of good and evil and what he perceived as upheaval in universal order. …
How does the narrator react when he finds out that Bartleby is living in his office?
When the narrator discovers that Bartleby is living in the office, he had been on his way to church. But he changes his mind and decides not to attend.
Is the narrator of Bartleby a selfish or an unselfish man?
The narrator of Bartleby is not a selfish man. Instead, he was the type of man who tried to do everything for someone who was in need.
Why does Bartleby say I would not like?
And Bartleby doesn’t say, “I will not leave,” he says, “I prefer not to.” Because he cannot get rid of Bartleby he moves out of his own office. But Bartleby won’t leave then either and the next people who rent the office have Bartleby hanging around on the stairs.
What does the name nippers refer to in Bartleby?
Nippers. Nippers is another scrivener, or law-copyist, employed by the Lawyer in “Bartleby the Scrivener.” Nipper is the opposite of his fellow scrivener Turkey; Nipper is young, and he works best in the afternoon. In the morning, he is troubled by stomach problems and a constant need to adjust the height of his desk.
What was Bartleby’s job?
A successful lawyer on Wall Street hires Bartleby, a scrivener, to relieve the load of work experienced by his law firm. For two days, Bartleby executes his job with skill and gains the owner’s confidence for his diligence.
What is the lawyer’s name in Bartleby the Scrivener?
Turkey
Story Details
| Characters/Themes | Explanations |
|---|---|
| The lawyer | the protagonist and narrator of the story |
| Turkey | an old scrivener who is the same general age as the lawyer, 60 |
| Nippers | an ambitious scrivener with a fiery personality. |
| Ginger-nut | a 12-year-old assistant who fetches cakes for Turkey and Nippers |
Why do you think the lawyer narrator does not terminate Bartleby?
Why does he never leave the office? Does he have any family? Rather than listening to his other employees and firing Bartleby, he basically fires himself by moving offices. The Narrator does this because he cannot bare to be mean to Bartleby, because he just does not have it in him to do anything negative towards him.
Why is Bartleby in Bartleby the Scrivener often referred to in ghost like terms?
The reason he has a ghostly nature is because he is not fulfilling is purpose in life and, without purpose, cannot be considered truly alive. Bartleby’s physical appearance in itself establishes him as a character with little life and vitality.
What is Bartleby and the Scrivener?
The Relationship of Bartleby and the Narrator Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby and the Scrivener,” has provided readers and critics with enough material to make you question Bartleby and his odd condition. The message the writer intends to send through the peculiar character makes you ponder the meaning of such a strange being.
What are some examples of unreliable narration in the lawyer?
The Lawyer provides the name of John Jacob Astor, a man who is never referenced again in the story, but fails to provide his own name, another example of unreliable (and unhelpful) narration. Also, the description of the office having a clear view of a brick wall feels like it should be a joke, but The Lawyer truly seems proud of it.
What does the lawyer give Bartleby at the end of the story?
The Lawyer gives Bartleby all the money the scrivener is owed, plus the 20-dollar bonus. He tells Bartleby that he wishes him well, and that if he can be of service to the scrivener, Bartleby shouldn’t hesitate to contact The Lawyer.
Is Bartleby a hero or a villain?
Although Bartleby and the narrator are seen as the main characters, Widmer does not identify a “hero” in the story between those two. In fact, it seems as though he paints the narrator to be more of an antagonist. He feels that the narrator “variously attempts to exorcise his wan demon of perverse will, his own walled-in humanity.”