FREE ESSAY ON BARTELBY

BARTELBY

To eat or not to eat is the dilemma which is reiterated throughout Bartleby the Scrivener:
A Story of Wall-Street. This same dilemma presents itself within the minds of the story's
characters as well. Settings and characters reinforce the theme of food and feasting.
Character's nicknames such as Turkey, Nippers, Mr. Cutlets, and Ginger-nut introduce this
theme of food and nurishment. 
Smell[ing] of eating-houses(p.1112) and having gentleness [from the] effects of
beer(p.1118), Turkey is descibed with metaphors of food. Food greatly affects the work
habits of Turkey. In the morning, Turkey copies efficiently. However, after his habitual
dinner drink and meal, he becomes drunk and blazed like a grate full of Christmas
coals(p.1110); reinforcing Melville's notion that food impacts his life and ability to
work. Food to shows the close juxtaposition between food or eating habits and work. For
instance, the narrator states, Of all the fiery afternoon blunders and flurried
rashnesses of Turkey, was his once moistening a ginger-cake between his lips, and
clapping it to a mortgage for a seal(p.1113). Here, Melville is playing on the
resemblance between these thin cookies and wax wafers used for sealing mortgages. 
Nippers is a character who is also described in part in terms of food. The narrator
deemed him the victim of two evil powers - ambition and indigestion...The indigestion
seemed betokened in an occasional nervous testiness and grinning irritability, causing
the teeth to audibly grind together over mistakes commited in copying(p.1111). Nippers'
work is affected by his eating habits. In fact, the schedule of the law office is
organized around the workers' eating habits. While Turkey works diligently in the
morning, Nippers suffers from indigestion and is unable to perform in the morning;
however, after lunch he recovers and completes his duties. 
Food and digestion are also important to the narrator and to Ginger-Nut. Ginger-Nut's
position in the office is primarily based around food. Obviously his name reflects his
interest or perhaps preocupation with foods such as nuts. If he is not consuming various
kinds of nuts, his duty is as cake and apple purveyor for Turkey and Nippers(p.1113).
Often, when business is dull, Ginger-Nut is sent out for a cake - one that is small,
flat, round, and very spicy; a ginger-cake, the very item which he was named after. Just
as the most important body part to Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger-Nut is their mouth, their
boss, the lawyer and the narrator of the story, is also a man who takes oral pleasure in
speaking with his mouth. He states that he was not unemployed in my profession by the
late John Jacob Astor; a name which, I admit, I love to repeat, for it hath a rounded and
orbicular sound to it and it rings like unto bullion(p.1109). Melvilles consistent focus
on the narrators preoccupation with speach supports the oral imagery included in the
story. When the reader becomes enveloped with descriptions relating to mouths, the
concept of food may enter his/her mind. 
The most unusual character in the story is Bartleby, a man of [such] singularly sedate an
aspect(p.1113). When Bartleby first arrives to work at the law firm, he [does] an
extraordinary quantity of writing. As if long famishing for something to copy, he seemed
to gorge himself on my documents. There was no pause for digestion(p.1114). Bartleby
uncontrollably consumes his duties showing his desperation and excessive thirst for work.
In fact, it is apparent that all the characters in the story have some hunger or craving.
Because there is a hunger, there must be a character to fulfill the needs of the others.
Such a role is occupied by the narrator/lawyer. All of the characters are living off of
the lawyer. But, in fact, the narrator too lives off the other workers in the office. For
Turkey and Nippers, the narrator feeds them full pay while they contribute only half of
the labor assigned to them. All of the realtionships in the story involve a give and
take. Not only is the give and take between Turkey and the lawyer based on Turkey's
acceptance of his un-earned salary but also on his acceptance of an old coat. Turkey can
not graciously accept the coat given to him by the lawyer without first reminding the
lawyer that he is only accepting the gift because he previously gave the lawyer
stationary. 
The lawyer refuses to take from others and acts, instead, as a primary caregiver. The
narrator supports Bartleby as he spoils him by attempting to give him extra money, a
place to live, and food through the grub-man. The lawyer begins to see that his purpose
is fulfilling Bartleby's needs. He becomes his frternal figure. He soon lives to benefit
Bartleby, and sheild him form rude persecution(pg.1131). Such immense attempts to protect
Bartleby show him that the narrator is posing as his brother. However, Bartleby begins to
deny his boss' requests. After all, a baby is not expected to have to work in order to be
fed by his mother. To punish the lawyer, Bartleby's nurturing sibling, Bartleby denies
himself food. Such a tactic inflames the narrator's or his brother's guilt. As Bartleby,
the son, is denied love and acceptance, he denies himself nourishment by refusing to eat.
When Bartleby finds no gratification in the world, he lies on his side, his head touching
the cold stone(p.1133) and dies alone in solitude.