Isolation

Isolation
“Bartleby The Scrivener” by Herman Melville, reveals an eccentric character who stands apart among the workers.   He is unwilling to complete his work that involves human contact.   Bartleby isolates himself throughout the story, which depicts that Bartleby is unable to exist together with society on Wall Street.   The environment of isolation clearly contributes to Bartleby’s demise.

Bartleby’s environment suspends him from nature and often, from other men.   The office, where Bartleby works, is the epitome of isolation.   Bartleby is completely isolated from his co-workers by walls: “I placed his desk close up to a small side-window in that part of the room, a window which originally had afforded lateral view of certain grimy back-yards and bricks, which commanded at present no view at all” (pg. 11).   Also, the Lawyer “procured a high green folding screen, which might entirely isolated Bartleby from his sight” (pg. 12). Other evidence of seclusion is apparent further in the story.   For example, the Lawyer discovers that Bartleby is living in the office: “It is evident enough that Bartleby has been making his home here” (Pg. 16).   Then he acknowledges that the sight of the office looks to be “miserable friendlessness and loneliness” and that his “poverty is great; but his solitude, how horrible” (Pg. 16).   It is evident that the environment of the office, is secluded from society, which ultimately leads to his death

Furthermore, through the perspective of the Lawyer, he realizes the Bartleby’s disruption from the isolation present in the settings.   At first, the Lawyer is depicted as a man who goes by society’s status quo: “I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never addresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause…all who know me, consider me an eminently safe man” (Pg. 9).   But, as the Lawyer spends time with Bartleby, the Lawyer is affected by isolation, in fact while trying to isolate Bartleby.   The Lawyer feels remorseful for...