Sympathetic? Realistic? What's the function of the story's minor characters?)
Dynamic / Static-Who changes? Who stays the same? Is the story about growth or change? Round / Flat-Who is the round character? Who are the flat characters?
In Bartleby the Scrivener, I feel that the protagonist is the boss, seeing as though all he wants is a reliable employee where as Bartleby is the antagonist because all he does is nothing really. The boss has to deal with a defiant, stubborn man named Bartebly. In the beginning, Bartelby did the work that was asked of him, as long as it involved him sitting down copying papers. But as the story progressed, we saw that Bartebly was doing less than what his initial work load was. It came to a point where he wasnt doing much of anything but sleeping in the bosses office and saying, "I prefer not to" to any request asked of him. I dont know if Bartelby represents a force beyond himself as an individual but there is definitely something not right with that man. The major characters in this story are the Boss and Bartelby, that leaves the minor characters to be Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. As stated above, the major characters are the ones who really set the whole tone and mood for the story. The boss is the one who runs the office and makes final decisions on employees and work stuff. Bartelby is an employee who is very disobedient, yet the boss cant seem to phathom being mean or rude to him. In my opinion, the boss is likeable but the rest of the characters are questionable. However, the minor characters are more realistic when it comes to Bartelby than their own boss is. The minor characters main function is to be instigators. They do not mix well with Bartelby and call him out on his wrongdoings. I feel that the only person who changed in this story was Bartelby, he did work in the beginning, and then he did nothing but become a nuisance. Throughout the story, the boss was always sympathetic to Bartleby, allowing him to do as he pleases. Even being nice enough to move his office and all his employees because he did not want to forcibly remove him or call the police. I do not necessarily believe that the story is about growth or change. Bartleby comes into this man's life, makes him look at things in a different perspective, and then dies. It is never told why he never did anything, or accepted anything, or listened to anyone. He just dies. I believe that there aren't really any flat characters. Almost all are round characters. Being that they are necessary to the story and help make it better.
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