The lawyer in Bartley case
Many immediately believe that the Lawyer failed after reading parts of Bartleby’s story. They think that he did not listen to Bartleby or try to help him and that he did not take the necessary measures to keep the man alive. He was thirsty for knowledge to solve the strange secret of Bartleby’s life. Isn’t learning also a way to show your attention? The Lawyer seems to be doing all of these things to help Bartleby, even if his efforts continue to fail. The Lawyer cares about Bartleby as he continues to read the text, but Bartleby was a lost lawsuit.
The behavior of the Lawyer is the subject of much critical discussion of the story. The Lawyer initially presented Bartleby with a particularly interesting “copy” of his collection of stories about foreign writers. It seems to be a very arrogant attitude as if Bartleby was nothing more than a rare insect or seal. Throughout the story, the Lawyer seems to have a growing sympathy for him. But in the end, the Lawyer leaves Bartleby, who later dies. The question is whether the Lawyer’s inability to help Bartleby is due to the Lawyer’s selfishness or confusion of how to assist Bartleby.
After the Lawyer hired Bartleby as a writer, Bartleby worked hard and overnight to copy. However, on one occasion, the Lawyer asked Bartleby for help in verifying a document, a few days after Bartleby was hired; the Lawyer is surprised to hear Bartleby reply: “I would prefer not to” (1489). It would be just one of the several times that Bartleby said those words, when asked to do something related to the job assessment, or when requested to perform a certain type of task. The Lawyer, still annoyed, though he and Bartleby might get along. If he rejects him, he risks meeting a less tolerant employer, being brutally treated and possibly being treated miserably to starvation (1492). The attorney did extra as any other employer in the same situation would have done. The Lawyer was compassionate and kind to Bartleby, although he was disappointed by Bartleby’s behavior, by allowing him to continue working. He wanted Bartleby not to be inappropriately treated or unable to look after himself. The attorney seems to understand the situation Bartleby is in. He tries to help Bartleby in every way possible and shows that he is understanding and kind to Bartleby.
The attorney continues to provide assistance to Bartleby, even following everything. He does everything he is able to do to keep him employed. The Lawyer then had no choice but to make a hard decision, because Bartleby had under no circumstances chosen to do whichever job. The attorney made a decision that Bartleby will not resign from his firm; Bartleby’s Lawyer moved from his office (1504). The attorney gets a different office and leaves behind Bartleby. On the other hand, the Lawyer keeps on being kind and compassionate in implementing that choice. The Lawyer presented Bartleby additional income to help him with leaving. However, Bartleby declines to “leave the building” (1505) for another occupant. As soon as new tenants were upset with Bartleby’s trouble, the Lawyer comes to Bartleby to provide him with a guide to find another job and place of residence. The Lawyer starts a conversation with Bartleby. The Lawyer tries to help Bartleby and asks, “What kind of business do you want to get involved in now?” (1505) Bartleby, however, did not have interest in running a business. Also, the Lawyer attempts to persuade Bartleby to take a trip or find another place to seek shelter. However, as in business, Bartleby does not have an interest in taking a trip or seeking refuge at another building. The attorney is settled on not quitting and asks Bartleby, “will you go home with me now—not to my office, but my home—and remain there till we can conclude upon some convenient arrangement for you at our leisure” (1506). The legal representative offers shelter to Bartleby and requests him to stay with him until another agreement is found. The Lawyer didn’t wish to see any prejudice or cruelty towards Bartleby. Lawyer tries in every possible way to help and show that he is kind and understanding to Bartleby.
Although Bartleby decides to refuse any help from the Lawyer, the legal representative is always kind and sympathetic to Bartleby. The Lawyer also persuades others to be helpful to Bartleby. As soon as Bartleby was fired from the old law firm and limited to “tombs” (1507), the attorney visited and spoke to a representative. The Lawyer explained to the representative: that “Bartleby was an absolutely honest and very compassionate man, but inexplicably strange” (1507). The Lawyer wanted to ensure that Bartleby is treated and cared for with humanity, even in the most difficult environments. The Lawyer had a choice not to worry about him since there was no bond between them anymore because he was no longer his employee. Still, the Lawyer loved Bartleby and was determined to ensure that he is treated with nobility and gentleness. He even tells other workers of the “tombs” to Pay special attention to his friend and to make him the most excellent feast one can get. He also asks the employee to be courteous with Bartleby (1507). The Lawyer tries to help Bartleby in all the possible ways and shows that he is sympathetic and understanding towards Bartleby.
Also, at the time the Lawyer directs the general discussion about his business, his firm, and his employees, it shows again that he cares. He gives us more regarding what happened before Bartleby’s time; He tells us the “norm” of his life. Note how the moment Bartleby enters into the picture; the life of the Lawyer is in confusion and cannot live as usual. It wouldn’t have had a significant effect on the Lawyer’s “comfortable” and “easy” life if he didn’t care. It would be one more surrounded by “the set of unique men”. Because it is not, it is evident that it stands out, and it’s still in the mind of the narrator.
How the Lawyer describes the workers keeps on to show that he cares for him. This might be Melville warming up his literary muscles when he explains very few characters in the story, but it illustrates that the Lawyer is alert to details. He knows his employees very well. After all, one can talk about Turkey and Nippers- the Lawyer knows what they do and the way they work. He also worries about his problems: he mentions Turkey’s “very pleasant” age and may need to cut his job, and also recognizes Nippers’ lousy temper and digestive disorders. Does that leave him uncaring? In no case; it just promotes the relationship with Bartleby. Because he is under no circumstances able to understand and know Bartleby, he is hungry for only one kind of reason.
The Lawyer finds Bartleby dead, as the story ends. The Lawyer tapped him, and a tingle ran down his arm and down to his backbone to his foot. Does the Lawyer, at last, feel the connection he has with him? Perhaps he can, in the end, feel his mind “turning away” from him? One would think that the narrator would be satisfied with Bartleby’s death and freedom.
On the contrary, that is not how he feels. “…and then – strange to say – I tore myself from him, who I had so longed to be rid of,” he said. The text stresses the narrator’s interest and is linked to Bartleby. Although he made his mistakes along the way, the narrator did his best. He enquired and did his best, but Bartleby was lost. Bartleby could not be saved.
Any typical lawyer would be angry at the response Bartleby gave because it is his employee who refuses to do what he is asked to do. The narrator, although upset, is not angry enough to fire Bartleby, but begging and asking why he doesn’t wish to do minor things, and instead of being remorseful, he repeats the same statement.
To summarize, the Lawyer is entirely amazed by this behavior and, at the same time, wholly fascinated and obsessed with Bartleby. Where does it come from? Why never leave the office? Instead of paying attention to his other employees and saying goodbye to Bartleby, you are saying goodbye to the office move. The narrator does this because he can’t stand Bartleby badly, because he doesn’t intend to do something depressing against him. He also attempts to bribe Bartleby with additional money to go away instead of sacking him. The narrator treats Bartleby not as a member of staff, although as a caring guardian at the time, he gets Bartleby at the office.
It is, therefore, evident that the Lawyer did everything possible to assist Bartleby, but he was not successful. He deals with Bartleby fairly, but the reason why he couldn’t help him is that he was not willing to be assisted.