"Poor fellow! thought I, he means no mischief; it is plain he intends no insolence; his aspect sufficiently evinces that his eccentricities are involuntary." (652)
For this blog, I will formally be answering question number eleven that goes with "Bartleby the Scrivener." The lawyer's attitude toward Bartleby changes a few times during the story. At first, the lawyer sees Bartleby as a valuable asset in his business because he is a quiet copier and very good at it. He works longer than anyone else. Soon, Bartleby begins prefering not to do anything. At this point, the lawyer begins to be taken aback and annoyed at his not doing anything. This only lasts a short while until the lawyer becomes curious and intrigued. He wants to know more about Bartleby and his past. He does a little snooping and discovers some things about Bartleby. He begins to understand more about what Bartleby is doing in the office. He needs a place to stay, so he lives in the office. The lawyer still remains perturbed by Bartleby's constant presence and lack of doing anything, so he forces himself to move on. However, he becomes sympathetic toward Bartleby and offers to allow him to stay with him in his home. This shows that Bartleby is growing on him, but the lawyer can only do so much to help someone who doesn't want help.
No comments:
Post a Comment