The story Bartleby by Herman Melville shows the reader a crazy, but possible outcome for a person who has reached a dead end in life. In this case, Bartleby is the character that self-destructs, while the narrator or his supervisor witnesses it and struggles to resolve the issue. The narrator feels confused and repulsed by Bartleby’s unmotivated attitude towards his work, but later in the story changes his tone to a more charitable and understanding one. For example after many attempts of persuading Bartleby to leave the office, the narrator asks him, “will you go home with me now not to my office, but my dwelling and remain there till we can conclude upon some convenient arrangement for you at your leisure?” (15, Melville). This quote
…show more content…
The cause of this strange situation is likely to be from stress since his father, mother and sister depended solely on his income to support the family. In the beginning, Gregor’s mom, sister and father did not have jobs and rarely moved from the couch. When the metamorphosis occurred, the family’s lifestyle changed, but each member benefited from his transformation. For example, the mother became a seamstress, the sister a salesgirl and the father a bank attendant. Gregor’s father returned to a work devoted lifestyle and “persisted in keeping his uniform on even in the house; and he slept fully dressed where he sat” (Kafka, 17). He realizes that Gregor cannot not provide for the family anymore and steps in to support them. Compared to his previous lackadaisical state, Gregor’s father is now ready to work at any moment. Furthermore, Mr. Samsa takes the role of “man of the house” into his own hands. For example, Mr. Samsa shows great ambition in trying to return Gregor back into his room after his escape. Gregor is astonished by his father’s new drive and questions whether this is actually him (15, Kafka). Then, Mr. Samsa bombards Gregor with fruit and protects his daughter and wife. Just a couple of days ago, Mr. Samsa wouldn’t have taken the initiative to resolve a problem. Without Gregor, he has become the opposite of his former personality. Another instance where Gregor’s father displayed courage is when he kicked the boarders out. The family was emotionally distraught after the death of Gregor and Mr. Samsa could not tolerate the rude boarders. He sternly told them to leave the house immediately while the family mourned. In addition, their bond was strengthened through the decision to get rid of Gregor. Even though it was a tough decision, they all agreed that it was best for everyone. Also, the author makes a point of stating that “all
The cause of this strange situation is likely to be from stress since his father, mother and sister depended solely on his income to support the family. In the beginning, Gregor’s mom, sister and father did not have jobs and rarely moved from the couch. When the metamorphosis occurred, the family’s lifestyle changed, but each member benefited from his transformation. For example, the mother became a seamstress, the sister a salesgirl and the father a bank attendant. Gregor’s father returned to a work devoted lifestyle and “persisted in keeping his uniform on even in the house; and he slept fully dressed where he sat” (Kafka, 17). He realizes that Gregor cannot not provide for the family anymore and steps in to support them. Compared to his previous lackadaisical state, Gregor’s father is now ready to work at any moment. Furthermore, Mr. Samsa takes the role of “man of the house” into his own hands. For example, Mr. Samsa shows great ambition in trying to return Gregor back into his room after his escape. Gregor is astonished by his father’s new drive and questions whether this is actually him (15, Kafka). Then, Mr. Samsa bombards Gregor with fruit and protects his daughter and wife. Just a couple of days ago, Mr. Samsa wouldn’t have taken the initiative to resolve a problem. Without Gregor, he has become the opposite of his former personality. Another instance where Gregor’s father displayed courage is when he kicked the boarders out. The family was emotionally distraught after the death of Gregor and Mr. Samsa could not tolerate the rude boarders. He sternly told them to leave the house immediately while the family mourned. In addition, their bond was strengthened through the decision to get rid of Gregor. Even though it was a tough decision, they all agreed that it was best for everyone. Also, the author makes a point of stating that “all