Month: November 2018

0:30 – 2:54

The scrivener, Bartleby not only rises the astonishing turbulence in the mind of Lawyer, but also in the readers. “I would prefer not to” in the materialistic society, although we all have the rights to refuse the assigned tasks, there are more reasons for us to accept and complete the tasks rather than simply refusing. It seems like nothing matters to Bartleby, there is no attachment, bonds with human and the community as he is a melancholy, lonely existence. More and more of the short story reveal first-person inner struggle of the Lawyer.

The video I selected present the scenes resemble closely the envision of Bartleby, The Scrivener. What I found to be the irony of the story is the fact a “passive” existence, Bartleby, causes the billows in tranquility within lawyer’s conscious mind, while the impatient or anxious people do not.

From the social standpoint, unlike the Gregor in metamorphosis, who tried hard to conform the society and other’s expectation, Bartleby disobey the mainstream behaviors by expressing famous line “I would prefer not to.” On the opposing side, the lawyer, who is regarded as a kind and rational man tried to help Bartleby, still stands with social conformity and other’s expectation.

The point to which Lawyer decides to reallocate his office is when Bartleby’s existence start to influence his reputation and business in a weird, awkward way. And the point to which Lawyer feel responsible to Bartleby again is when people come to him and start complaining about Bartleby. His rationalization of the responsibility and destined tie are triggered by people’s expectation and his self-regard.

“The bond of a common humanity now drew me irresistibly to gloom. A fraternal melancholy! For both I and Bartleby were sons of Adam”

                          — Bartleby, The Scrivener

In the psychological standpoint, Bartleby’s behavior totally a disregard of Maslow’s hierarchy model, as if it seems like the society is so disappointing and nothing meaningful in life, not even the desire for food and shelter fulfill the meaning. His death might be a protest, a passive resistance.

“Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.”

                                                                                    — Bartleby, The Scrivener

 

 

 

0:21 – 2:53

The Metamorphosis is the story of absurdity about a salesman turned into a giant bug in his house and followed the radical changes of his family members. When I read this short novel, I couldn’t fully understand the suggested symbolism without knowing the author Franz Kafka and the industrialization period.

In the animated video created by TED-Ed, which brings the realization of the consistency in all Kafka’s literature work, introduces the term, “Kafkaesque,” to describe unnecessarily complicated and frustrating experiences for all the protagonists in Kafka’s stories. In Metamorphosis, Gregor has to experience the absurd physical transformation which entirely changes his life, his family attitudes toward him as a person are dramatically striking for me.

Why does family treat the once breadwinner of the family so horribly, considering the sacrifice Gregor has contributed to this family? After I watched this video, I realized that the psychological conflict for Gregor is the struggle between the collectivism and individualism. Meanwhile, he is also the prisoner of his ego, like the protagonist in “Poseidon,” believing all other family members were incapable of sharing the financial burden. Alternatively, perhaps, his ego is the motivation that kept him going from a mundane job in the system of arbitrary power.

“When it came to talking about this need to earn money, at first Gregor went away from the door and threw himself on the cool leather sofa beside the door, for he was quite hot from shame and sorrow.”

— The Metamorphosis (20)

Ironically, even without Gregor’s support, the Samsa family are quickly pulled from the desperate situation to busy and normal life in a month. However, all the frustration is taken on Gregor, the giant bug because of blame and stress they had to bear and cope with which they never had to deal with before. The Samsa family tried so hard to cope with the transformation of life that they don’t know to accept and positively deal with the problem understandingly. Therefore, when Gregor is gone, the family feel relief and hopeful again.

“Growing more silent and almost unconsciously understanding each other in their glances, they thought that the time was now at hand to seek out a good honest man for her. And it was something of a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at the end of their journey the daughter first lifted herself up and stretched her young body.”

— The Metamorphosis (41)

Poverty itself is not fearful, but the poor thought can never bring success. Even though Samsa family think they have to get rid of the “burden” but their methodology when confronting a problem, the individualism resides within them can again bring the same burden over again and again. The word, metamorphosis is defined as the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages. I think Kafka named the book not only to reflect on the story’s context but also to make us realize the fundamental power that each of us can have should not be limited by the rules of the society and others expectations.