A Changed Man: The Lawyer

     It can be hard to see if people have actually changed or not. How many times have you met up with someone after a while and you are curious to see if they are the same? We can ask ourselves the same question about the Lawyer in Bartleby. Has he changed at all?

    I would argue that he has changed. It can be seen at the end of the book that the lawyer takes time to check in with Bartleby, telling the grub-man "...to give particular attention to my friend here..." (Melville 185). He is also spending money in doing so, which is not in line with the original characterization of a man who only cares for money and the easiest way to get it. He also is helping a man who know longer works for him, which shows just how much Bartleby changed the lawyer. 

    In the beginning of the piece, it is said that his "...business hurried him..." (Melville 165). This shows how the lawyer was not able to stop and help in the beginning of the story, but he changed and made sure to lend a hand at the end. It might not be the biggest change, but it is certainly there. When you compare the two side by side the change is very evident. I think that the final few pages is what makes the Lawyer a dynamic character, and not static. If he had not stopped to help he would be a static character who had no interest to Bartleby once he was not working for him.