Herman Melville examines the complexities of human character in his
             short story, "Bartleby the Scrivener." By using strong metaphors, Melville
             illustrates the difficulties we encounter when we attempt to communicate
             with someone. Additionally, Melville demonstrates how human beings can
             affect each other in ways through the narrator's experience with Bartleby.
             Melville uses many metaphors in this story. For instance, the use of
             walls is a predominant image that is used to describe the nature of the
             business world. We are told the narrator's office, "looked upon the white
             wall of the interior of a spacious sky-light shaft" (Melville 992) and "the
             other end of his office viewed a "lofty brick wall" (992). We also know
             that there are "glass folding-doors" (996) that divided the narrator from
             his scriveners. In addition, we also know that the narrator placed an
             "high green folding screen" (997) between him and Bartleby. This entire
             setting provides us with the image of the office and working conditions as
             well as the narrator's mindset toward his workers. The walls represent the
             stagnant, dead-end nature of the work that the scriveners performed and the
             glass doors and screen signify the narrator's desire to control situations.
             Additionally, the narrator is a metaphor for capitalist society and the
             law and order that exists in such circumstances. Bartleby can be seen as a
             metaphor for a nonconformist attitude. Melville does an excellent job in
             portraying both characters in contrast to each other in the story. In many
             ways, we feel sympathy for the mysterious Bartleby and an irritation toward
             However, it is Bartleby's behavior that has a direct affect on the
             narrator. Because Melville is telling this story from the narrator's
             perspective, we are allowed to witness his transformation. We know from
             the beginning of the story that he lacks ambition and seeks nothing abov...