One of the themes expressed in Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Schrivner” is morality. Melville challenges the reader to think about the “right conduct” when it comes dealing with other human beings. Throughout the story, we see many instances in which the morals of the narrator, the Lawyer, have been tested.
The first instance was when the Lawyer discovered Bartleby in his chambers under dressed (307). After returning to his chambers, The Lawyer was astounded to find that Bartleby has eaten, dressed, and slept in his office without a plate, mirror or bed (307). It was at that point, that he realized that Bartleby was homeless and took great pity on him. The Lawyer was faced with the decision to either let Bartleby stay in his office, or get rid of him. He ultimately lets him stay.
The second instance occured when Bartleby was unable to do anymore writing because of his impaired vision (311). At first the Lawyer felt bad for Bartleby, but that turned into anger when Bartleby wouldn’t do anymore writing if his vision improved. As a result, the Laywer asked Bartleby to leaved and gave him the last of his pay (312). Surprisingly, the Laywer came back the next day that Bartleby was still in his office. He was placed with the decision of whether or not to get Bartleby thrown out of his law firm, but instead, chose to just move his law firm to another place since Bartleby was scaring the clients with his presence (315-316).
The last instance was when the Lawyer offered Bartleby a place to stay at his own home after he finds out that the new lawyer occupying his old space was going to “get rid of Bartleby” (317-318). After Bartleby refuses his offer, the Lawyer just leaves Bartleby to be removed from the space by the police.
Throughout all these instances, we see the Lawyer trying to do the right thing by giving Bartleby a place to stay rather than kicking him out on the streets. As we can see, it becomes harder and harder for the Lawyer as the situation becomes more difficult. Although there wasn’t much that the Lawyer could do, he still demonstrated a great care and concern for Bartleby.
I agree that morality acts as a theme in this narrative. Another instance I found is when the lawyer paid a visit to Tombs for Bartleby, the lawyer was asked by the grub-man whether Bartleby was his friend, the answer from him was “Yes”(319). He even gave the grub-man some silver to set some privilege on dinners for Bartleby, which showcases his concern and care towards Bartleby.
But i’d say that the lawyer had compassion towards Bartleby than simply just morality . It impressed me the most near the end of the narrative. The report came to the lawyer that Bartleby used to be “a subordinate clerk in the Dead Letter Office at Washington”(321). Regarding the undeliverable letters as dead men, he thought that a man, who was hopelessly tortured by misfortune, can best heighten the despair if his work was to deal these dead letters nonstop. Coincidentally, the so-called “Tombs”, or Hall of Justice, was the place where Bartleby ceased his life, just like a dead letter. The more tragic details the lawyer probed into, the more compassion he showed towards Bartleby. As he directly exclaims at the end: “Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity”(321), he concluded all of his feelings for Bartleby as the result of natural humanity, no matter it’s friendship, morality, or compassion.
I also agree that morality u mentioned. I also think that narrator want to show the failure of American individualism. The narrator tried to help Bartleby out in many ways such as allow him stay, eat and sleep in office as his “home.” He made decision to let him stay whenever he want after Bartleby state that he is going to do nothing. At the end, he thought Bartleby as his friend. However, Bartleby used this passive way “ I prefer not to” from beginning till the end to reject narrator’s help. I think he actually use this passive sentence to make his rejection from narrator’s help and the chance of communicate with others. Bartleby was disappointed of society, so he chose a quiet way to death in order to achieve his mind freedom. He closed him up, his words and his death affected narrator and made narrator think. That is why narrator didn’t express his thousands of words and only said at the end“Ah, Bartleby! Ah humanity!” Narrator made reader think.