Essays on the Scrivener by Melville Bartleby and the Rise of Modern Cities

The narrator finds Bartleby to be strange and weird. In his introductory part, the narrator says that no biography can describe him satisfactorily.CITATION Melville616 \l 1033 (Melville) The narrator finds Bartleby to be neat when he appears in his office. He describes his character at first as that of a mouse timid as it is pitifully respectable. He has admiration for Bartleby because compared to his other employee that is Turkey, Ginger-nut, and Nippers. He did good work, and the narrator is impressed at first. However, after some time, he notices that Bartleby was industrious but was not cheerful busy. According to the narrator, he did his work like a machine, silently palely and mechanically. The narrator being the boss feels compelled to indulge the new employee in a conversation by offering to share his workload with him. Having placed Bartleby at a position convenient for him to call on him anytime he expects Bartleby to be as pitiful respectful and that he will dominate over him since his effort to fire his incompetent employee Turkey is futile. He is surprised because Bartleby turns him down calmly by stating that he would prefer not to. The narrator out of the urge to feel in control tries calling upon Bartleby to check over copies with his other colleagues. He refuses passively and calmly, and this aggravates the narrator.

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The narrator after accidentally running into Bartleby, he feels pitiful for him when he discovers that he lives in the room. He is consumed with melancholy and is earlier anger dies down, and he tries to have another conversation with Bartleby trying to know about his background. His efforts prove futile. The narrator tries to show Bartleby that he is friendly towards him. The narrator informs Bartleby that he is not interested with his history and tries to get him promise that he is going to comply as far as maybe with the usages of the company. Bartleby replies that he would prefer not to and this behavior rings a bell that he is stubborn.CITATION Frye \p 629 \l 1033 (Fryep. 629) The narrator is worried that Bartleby had gotten to his head because he would find himself using the word prefer involuntarilyCITATION Frye \p 629 \l 1033 (Fryep. 629) .The narrator feels compelled to ask Bartleby to vacate office unconditionally within six days. At the expiration of the notice, the narrator is surprised to find Bartleby still standing in his office. He is compelled to give Bartleby money and tells him that he must go, but he replies that he would prefer not to. The narrator is filled with despair as even after he refuses to pay Bartleby, he still sticks around. He is cold to clients, and soon people start to ask questions.

The narrator being calm man starts to feel insecure because he does not know what intentions Bartleby. The narrator says This worries me very much. And as the idea came upon me of his possibly turning out a long-lived man, and keep occupying my chambers, and denying my authority; perplexing my visitors; and scandalizing my professional reputation; and possibly outlive me and take possession of my office.CITATION Frye \p "634, 635" \l 1033 (Fryepp. 634, 635) Bartleby latter seems confined and not accommodative of any change. The narrator concludes this when he finds Bartleby has his savings money locked up in his desk. The narrator feels desperate and blurters carelessly that he will change the location of his law firm and leave him. The narrator leaves Nippers in charge for a few days, and when he enters the office, he finds that Bartleby is gone. He partly feels guilty when Bartleby is arrested and taken to the tomb. He fears that Bartleby will not copy with the prison life and feels guilty when Bartleby openly points out that he suspects the narrator is the reason he is locked up. The narrator feels compelled to bribe a grub-man to grant Bartleby special favors such as good food.

The Rise of Modern Cities

Modern cities have grown mainly because of increase in population in the urban areas. The majority of the world's population mostly lives in the urban areas and not in the countryside like before. In cities, there is mass production of goods and services, availability of a marketplace for people's products and services and diversity of social, cultural and ethnic groups. Modernization in cities is not uniform. Africa and Asia are the least urbanized parts in the world. Despite these statistic's, it is likely that most of the population growth will occur in developing countries. Modernization in cities can lead to economic development. However, poor management of these modern cities can cause poor housing conditions and lack of clean water. Modern towns have developed fast. The government finds it hard to provide decent housing and adequate water. Poor planning leads to most of the people living poorly in slums. The slums have taken up huge parts of the city.

The industrial revolution has more negative impacts than positive impacts on individuals. One would assume that with industrial evolution the standard of people in a country is likely to be raised. However, research shows that in early phases of industrial revolution companies had to re-invest most of their profits into the business for it to be successful. These lead to poor wages for their workers. They were constantly overworked and given minimum breaks. The living conditions also increased as the poor salaries these workers got from was not enough to cater for health care and other needs. Children had to drop out of school and were victims of child labor. Industrialization leads to people living in houses too close to one another. These houses poorly ventilated and lack toilets and good sewage drainage systems. Due to inadequate drainage systems, water sources such as wells and rivers become contaminated making the water not safe for drinking.

The narrator, Imprimis, did not behave appropriately toward Bartleby. The narrator should have been a little bit more patient with Bartleby other than forcing him into adapting quickly to the way things operate in the office. In my point of view, Bartleby seems to be from a rural background. He has no savings account and prefers keeping his money locked up in his desk and using none of it. He also has no place to live. The latter is enough proof that he came to the city to look for a means to earn a living and has a problem adjusting. The narrator should have educated him on things that were new to him and be patient the transition for uncivilized citizens to civilization is gradual.

Work Cited

Herman Melville, Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street

The Industrial Revolution and Its Impact on European Society http://web1.infrotrac.college.comThe Rise of Modern Cities, the Dawn of an Urban World

Theodore Kaczynski, Industrial Society and its future,1995