Bartleby The Scrivener Research Paper

Freedom and Free Will
Freewill is defined as the power of doing as one pleases, while freedom is the absence of constraints. An individual with free will and freedom is a person who adheres to his or her life choices. Free will also enables people to control their actions. “Bartleby the Scrivener” is a story of Bartleby, an individual who always aims to do according to his will. He is hired by a lawyer to reduce workload in the office. During the first two days, Bartleby skillfully executes his job and wins the confidence of his employer. After a while, he starts showing signs of mental deterioration. For example, he refuses to proofread and copy his assignments. “Bartleby the Scrivener” illustrates imprisonment in the workplace. It shows the …show more content…
His abnormality is seen when he refuses to leave the workplace, but completely stops working. He is later thrown into captivity (prison) due to his mental condition and his refusal to leave the law office. The same condition that has initially given him some form of freedom now confines him in prison. A prison is a structure that encloses, holds back, and fortifies. There are two types of captivity in the story: the physical boundaries that prevent Bartleby from going back to his initial workplace and the psychological imprisonment that Bartleby intentionally puts himself into prevent him from dealing with change. While having a conversation with his employer, he states that he dislikes any change and prefers to be stationery. Bartleby is contented with staying in one place. He gets a sense of identity from the walls that surround him and feels secure. There is a strong relationship between the inner and outer walls that surrounds him; his physical environment depicts his mental barricades. Bartleby’s space resembles a set of boxes immersed inside each other. The character is confined in the smallest box; he values his privacy and “prefers to keep others out” (Melville, n.d., p. 49). His desire for privacy is also seen when he refuses to allow his employer enter his own offices. Bartleby’s story illustrates that it is impossible to imprison a one’s mind and will. He struggles to free himself despite the odds he

Show More

Related Documents: Bartleby The Scrivener Research Paper

Bartleby The Scrivener Research Paper

Literature and Class Writing Exercises Essay