What is the significance of the wall?
Often in literature, there are numerous meanings that can be differently interpreted by the reader. "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville is a great example of how symbols and meaning can be interpreted differently as something metaphorical.
Herman Melville uses walls as a symbol representing the monotonous routine of the scrivener’s job, with no bright perspective in the future, no excitement. Author uses walls to show how they keep people isolated from each other, lonely and depressed. Our world is made out of the walls; they are a part of human society. Very often people hide behind the walls till their last day.
The story takes place in NY in the Wall Street. In my opinion, it is important to …show more content…
Windows should serve as a light source and let fresh air inside of the buildings. The walls block sunlight, and the airflow; they create a very gloomy and unventilated, probably smelly space. Not only Bartleby but also the whole office space was isolated from the world.
The walls build around narrator; Bartleby and the rest of the employees did not let them communicate with each other. Bartleby repeatedly says, “I would prefer not to” at any question that he is asked. It is really hard to tell who Bartleby really is because he is very secretive about his private life, his past and present. When lawyer asked Bartleby questions like: “Will you tell me, Bartleby, where were you born?” or “Will you tell me any thing about yourself?” Bartleby replies with “I would prefer not” (2). He rejects everybody out of his life, he doesn’t want to share his intimate world.
The novel ends with Bartleby in prison behind deep walls. “The surrounding walls, of amazing thickness, kept off all sounds behind them” (Melville). Bartleby was a prisoner of his own little world, and now he became actually a prisoner in physical
Often in literature, there are numerous meanings that can be differently interpreted by the reader. "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville is a great example of how symbols and meaning can be interpreted differently as something metaphorical.
Herman Melville uses walls as a symbol representing the monotonous routine of the scrivener’s job, with no bright perspective in the future, no excitement. Author uses walls to show how they keep people isolated from each other, lonely and depressed. Our world is made out of the walls; they are a part of human society. Very often people hide behind the walls till their last day.
The story takes place in NY in the Wall Street. In my opinion, it is important to …show more content…
Windows should serve as a light source and let fresh air inside of the buildings. The walls block sunlight, and the airflow; they create a very gloomy and unventilated, probably smelly space. Not only Bartleby but also the whole office space was isolated from the world.
The walls build around narrator; Bartleby and the rest of the employees did not let them communicate with each other. Bartleby repeatedly says, “I would prefer not to” at any question that he is asked. It is really hard to tell who Bartleby really is because he is very secretive about his private life, his past and present. When lawyer asked Bartleby questions like: “Will you tell me, Bartleby, where were you born?” or “Will you tell me any thing about yourself?” Bartleby replies with “I would prefer not” (2). He rejects everybody out of his life, he doesn’t want to share his intimate world.
The novel ends with Bartleby in prison behind deep walls. “The surrounding walls, of amazing thickness, kept off all sounds behind them” (Melville). Bartleby was a prisoner of his own little world, and now he became actually a prisoner in physical