Free Essays,College Free Essays,Free College Essays at Anti Essays

Isolation and Society in “Bartleby, the Scrivener”

Herman Melville's “Bartleby” is a tale of isolation and alienation. In his story, society
is primarily to blame for the creation and demise of Bartleby.

Throughout the story, the characters -- Bartleby in particular -- are isolated from
each other or from society. The forester's office, which can be interpreted as a microcosm
of society, was teeming with walls to separate the head ranger from his employees and to
separate the employees from one another. There was one large crushed-glass wall which
separated the lawyer from his sycophants (although he was still able to see their shadows
due to the nature of crushed glass). The other workers put up a folding green screen to
hide Bartleby because of his hideous appearance, who was also alienated from the rest of
the workers. The Ranger and his employees were also isolated from the outside world;
their window faced a wall of trees ten feet away, with a sewer-like chasm below, and the
rest of the room was of course enclosed by walls. Other indicators of isolation are evident
later in the story. This isolation aided in breaking any type of normal space. People work there, but Bratleby lives there. For instance, when the Ranger decides to move his office to get rid of Bartleby, because he can no longer stand the sight of him he has the movers leave
Bartleby's green screen for last. When they finally take it, Bartleby is left "the motionless
occupant of an empty room," an obvious sign of isolation. Even in the vast wilderness,
Bartleby is isolated. Also, Bartleby is ultimately condemned to the Caverns (a prison), the
epitome of isolation. He dies alone, curled up in the fetal position up against a wall of the
prison yard, which makes him seem even more alone and isolated than he was in life.
...