Lord Bartleby, The Scrivener A Tale Of Wall Street

Resistance in Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street by Herman Melville is best summarized by an Ernest Hemingway quote which states: â€Å"The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.† Bartleby contrasts both his coworkers and the lawyer by boldly exercising his own free will and asserting his identity. Bartleby’s transformation from a mild-mannered worker to challenging the conformity of his environment proves to be his ruination. By refusing to forfeit his power of choice, Bartleby’s final choice was to not be part of a world that compromised his identity. Even in death, Bartleby demonstrated the value of free will. Bartleby provides exemplary work at first. However, traces of his resistance are evident from the start. The law yer describes, â€Å"He ran a day and night line, copying by sun-light and by candle-light. I should have been quite delighted with his application, had he been cheerfully industrious. But he wrote on silently, palely, mechanically† (861). Bartleby refused to feign enjoyment, which in itself, is a form of passive resistance. He exercised his will by showing his discontent. While this is not outright defiance, Bartleby proves to be a contrast to his environment by silently demonstrating his displeasure. The AmericanShow MoreRelated Comparing Religious Archetypes in Moby Dick, Billy Budd, and Bartleby the Scrivener2226 Words   |  9 PagesReligious Archetypes in Moby Dick, Billy Budd, and Bartleby the Scrivener        Ã‚   Herman Melvilles use of Biblical overtones gives extra dimensions to his works.   Themes in his stories parallel those in the Bible to teach about good and evil.   Melville emphasizes his characters qualities by drawing allusions, and in doing so makes them appear larger than life.   In the same way that the Bible teaches lessons about life, Herman Melvilles stories teach lessons about the light and dark sidesRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 Pages2) lose the support or sympathy Synonyms for alienate, verb, estrange, divide, distance, put at a distance, isolate, cut off, set against, turn away, drive apart, disunite, set at odds/variance, drive a wedge between. Waverley Library 32 Denison Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022 Phone 9386 7733 www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/library 1 From the 2009 - 2012 Prescriptions document: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/english-prescription-09-12.pdf Context plays a role in the perception