"It rather proceeds from a certain hopelessness of remedying excessive and organic ill. To a sensitive being, pity is not seldom pain. And when at last it is perceived that such pity cannot lead to effectual succor, common sense bids the soul be rid of it. What I saw that morning pursuaded me that scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder. I might give alms to his body; but his body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I could not reach." (Melville n.p.)
Melville, Herman "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-street". 1853.
In "Bartleby, the scrivener", a man who works on wall street discusses his challenges and thoughts relating to his work. The above passage shows some of the signs of the depressive and emotionless state the man is in. It was almost like Bartleby became an empty mechanical man going through the every day motions of his job and life which seem to be the same in one. Throughout the story, Bartleby becomes more reclusive and drowns himself in his solitude and emptiness; becoming unwilling to do certain tasks, which is represented by numerous responses from Bartleby saying that he would "prefer not to". (Melville n.p.) Therefore, I believe that the passage that I have referenced above is of great importance because it represents that Bartleby is drained of life and doesn't seem to have the strength or desire to go on.
Good evening Nathan,
ReplyDeleteIt is clean your seeing how ill Bartleby is and what would an employer do in those days? There were no Equal Opportunity Rights. I feel like Mr. Melville didn't want this man on his conscious but he ended up being there otherwise why would he have written this story. I don't know if they had a diagnosis of depression then? Thanks for your view.
Alexanderia Schaalman