More Than Just A Wall St. Lawyer?

 Happy Easter Blog (this stories a real egg -winks- ),

In "Bartleby, the Scrivener," the lawyer is initially shown as a static character who follows the same routines, engages with the same staff members, brags about his work, and is quite direct—almost dismissive, well-organized, and very perceptive. The lawyer states, “ I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never addresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men’s bonds and mortgages and title deeds “ (158). Furthermore, through details the lawyer brings readers into his work, gives entail on employees and their work habits, and the overall environment at the office. Upon the arrival of Bartleby, the lawyer remains within these initial character traits until he realizes Bartleby is a more “sedate” employee unlike his others. The text states “ With any other man I should have flown outright into a dreadful passion, scorned all further words, and thrust him ignominiously from my presence. But there was something about Bartleby that not only strangely disarmed me, but in a wonderful manner touched and disconnected me” (165). The lawyers mere curiosity of Bartleby entails to readers of a new development of his that impacts his character. The lawyer wants to be able to read Bartleby and understand him like his other workers but when he’s left empty handed with nothing but a “I would prefer not to” he changes his tactics in getting to know his new odd employee but the lawyer struggles with doing this. The lawyer develops into a dynamic character in the text it states” Poor fellow! thought I, he means no mischief ; it is plain he intends no insolence; his aspect sufficiently evinces that his eccentricities are involuntary” (167). The  change undergoes in the attitude, behavior, and manners the lawyer now holds as a result of his interactions with Bartleby over the course of him working as a copyist. The lawyer now emanates the idea of sympathy when addressing or regarding Bartleby. Even further in the story we see further changes which impacts the initial perception of the lawyer making it now dynamic is when he becomes very hesitant when it comes to firing Bartleby taking in his newly revealed lively conditions  like living in the office, not having friends or family, not eating real meals. This change contradicts the lawyers originally static impression when we see the leniency when it comes to Bartleby especially when typically he’d just release a worker but the thought of firing Bartleby makes him feel bad. The lawyer states, “ But it dropped upon the floor, and then, — strange to say— I tore myself from him whom I had so longed to be rid of” (181). Even when the lawyer actually fires Bartleby he becomes worried for Bartleby a now unemployed worker that was once his, he feels a sense of responsibility for Bartleby the one he wanted to understand so badly. It is definitely safe to say with a character being static means there no change throughout the story readers can now classify the lawyer as a dynamic character.