Communism versus Capitalism: changing notions of the American work ethic in Herman Melvilles Bartleby the Scrivener an!

"avi! Mamets Glengarry Glen Ross# American life is intertwined with a strong work ethic1. On those shores, to work is to be somebody; you are largely defined by your occupation. If you do not work, it is as though your identity is not secure. This attitude relates back to the colonisation of the United tates. The !uritans, when they landed in "ew #ngland, belie$ed simply that if you worked hard, you would succeed%. !ioneers on the frontiers also laid claim to that kind of mantra, as they fought to clear land and mo$e west to seek their fortunes. Indeed, throughout America&s history, immigrants ha$e enriched the working population; during the height of industrialisation in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, foreign workers were key parts of factories and plants'. The American work ethic is characterised by determination and strength (be it physical or mental) inspired by the desire to achie$e the American *ream+. *rawing on this, the protagonist in ,el$ille&s Bartleby the Scrivener is an anomaly in terms of his attitude towards work; he is a rebellious figure. -e is not interested in the promises of the so.called land of opportunity and plenty. At the beginning of the te/t, he is a downtrodden worker and a $ictim of capitalism, copying night and day to reproduce a great number of scripts. -owe$er, he soon mounts a protest and reclaims his right to indi$iduality and choice; pro0ecting lines of strong political thought that manifest themsel$es in his actions. In this essay, his character will be read as an upholder of socialist

-. Applebaum, The American Work Ethic and the Changing Work Force: An Historical Perspective (1estport, 2T3 4reenwood !ress, 1556), p. /. % -. Applebaum, The American Work Ethic and the Changing Work Force: An Historical Perspective, p. /i. ' -. Applebaum, The American Work Ethic and the Changing Work Force: An Historical Perspective, p. /i. + In this essay, the American *ream will refer to the ability to achie$e prosperity through hard work, despite class structure.

% $alues, deri$ed from thinkers like 7arl ,ar/8, and one who has faith in the practice of peaceful ci$il disobedience, as demarcated by Thoreau9. These $alues are interconnected to form :artleby&s essential belief system; throughout the essay, basic ,ar/ist concepts will be discussed in relation to the te/t, while ci$il disobedience will be linked with socialism in the second section. To offer a seedy contrast to a man with such powerful beliefs, ;oma from *a$id ,amet&s lengarry len !oss will be e/amined. 2onse<uent to ;oma&s particular brand of the modern American work ethic, he is a representati$e of the capitalist system, the winners thri$ing o$er the losers. ,ar/ belie$ed in stages of organisation in ci$ilisation= and that socialism would e$entually o$ercome capitalism in the same way as the feudal system had been con<uered. The flaws of contemporary capitalism are e/posed by ;oma&s shady business practices; as a result, a ,ar/ist criti<ue of ;oma&s working life will be offered in this essay, as though put forward by a modern :artleby. To pro$ide focus for this e/ploration of American working life, aspects of the te/ts can be in$estigated, such as3 -ow do the characters feel about their respecti$e 0obs and duties> 1hat effect do their 0obs ha$e on their humanity> -ow do their wages affect their attitude towards work> 1hat does their producti$ity say about their thoughts in relation to their employment> -ow does language re$eal their thoughts relating to their 0obs> 1hat form do their working relationships take> And finally, do they aspire to the American *ream>

In fact, ,el$ille wrote this short story (168') fi$e years after The Comm"nist #ani$esto (16+6) was published. 9 According to #. Oli$er, ,el$ille had e$ery chance to be knowledgeable about Thoreau&s work as a result of his intimacy with -awthorne. A book called Aesthetic Papers, edited by -awthorne&s sister.in.law, contained Thoreau&s essay, ?;esistance to 2i$il 4o$ernment@ (16+5); if he did not himself ha$e a copy of it, he would ha$e been familiar with it because of its presence in the -awthorne household A #. . Oli$er, ?A econd Book at Bartleby@, 2ollege #nglish, ,ay 15+8, p. +''. = 7. ,ar/, ?The 4erman Ideology@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan (O/ford3 :lackwell !ublishing Btd., %EE+), p. 98+.989.

' Firstly, the nature of the characters& occupations must be dealt with; in order to appraise their attitudes towards work, their status as workers and the e/tent of their daily duties should be e/amined. :artleby can be interpreted as a member of the landless proletariat, who is locked in class struggle with his property.owning boss, who is part of the bourgeoisie. At the beginning of the short story he has not begun his uni<ue programme of antagonism and so is a casualty of this class struggle. As the new scri$ener, he copies a great number of papers but is clearly dissatisfied with his 0ob; he does not write in a cheerful way, but Gsilently, palely, mechanically.&6 In this position, he is alienated by the repetiti$eness of his tasks, essentially forming part of a 1all treet factory line. -e has no relationship with what he is writing, like the factory workers who only ha$e contact with one part of a whole product. -is boss merely sees him as useful body parts and not as a whole man, as the factory bosses see workers as Ghands&5; he is a pair of eyes, ears and a writing hand3 GI resol$ed to assign :artleby a corner by the folding doors, but on my side of them, so as to ha$e HIhimJ within easy call, in case any trifling thing was to be done.&1E In this way, he is dehumanised by his occupation. In contrast, ;oma embodies the modern American work ethic of the cut.throat sales world. -e fully buys into the ideology of the American *ream and the tenets of capitalism such as pri$ate property, the free market and self.interest11; in fact, his position as a real estate agent keeps the pri$ate property sector afloat. In the 156Es, ;oma would ha$e been seen as part of the petty.bourgeoisie, the upwardly mobile lower middle.class. -owe$er, speaking about American business life, the playwright, ,amet, remarks3
6

-. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, ed. C. ;eidhead (Bondon3 1. 1. "orton D 2o. Btd., %EE=), p. %'96. 5 !. :arry, Beginning Theory: An 'ntrod"ction to %iterary and C"lt"ral Theory (,anchester3 ,anchester Uni$ersity !ress, %EE%), p. 18=. 1E -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'96. 11 "icholas K. 4ianaris, #odern Capitalism: Privati(ation) Employee *+nership) and 'nd"strial ,emocracy (1estport3 !raeger !ublishing, 1559), p. 1.

+ There&s really no difference between the l"mpenproletariat and stockbrokers and corporate lawyers who are the lackeys of businessI!art of the American myth is that a difference e/ists, that at a certain point $iciousness becomes laudable.1% #ssentially, it is the capitalist system that ;oma embraces that has transformed him into a money.hungry indi$idual. -e is a swindler, selling people useless land they cannot afford so as to amass personal fortune. Although he makes more money than :artleby, he can be placed in a lower social bracket than the scri$ener because he is essentially a man without ethics, a representati$e of today&s white.collar mob, or lumpenproletariat. In the third scene of act one, he uses his shady business skills on Cames Bingk, for whom ;oma embodies e$erything he admires3 I&m glad to meet you, Cames. HPa"se-J I want to show you something. HPa"se-J I 1hat is that> Florida. 4lengarry -ighlands. Florida. ?Florida. B"llshit.@ And maybe that&s true; and that&s what ' said3 but look here3 what is this> This is a piece of land. Bisten to what I&m going to tell you now.1' Unlike :artleby, he does not rail against his occupation. In fact, he seems to delight in it; all he desires is to be the best in the salesroom, and win the 2adillac. ;oma is also dehumanised by employment, but not in the same way as the scri$ener as he is more acti$ely responsible in the process. 1ith e$ery sale, it seems that ;oma slips further into sa$agery and primal instincts, losing the de$eloped part of the self concerned with 0ustice and liberty. In this way, he is selling himself to the company. The high.minded ideals of capitalism and the Amendments of the constitution are $iolated by ;oma in e/ploiting his fellow man. -e slips into the murky waters of the modern capitalist system, taking away
1%

Luoted in ;ichard 4ottlieb, ?The #ngine that *ri$es !laywright *a$id ,amet@, &e+ .ork Times, 18 Can 15=6, section %, p. 1. From *ennis 2arroll, ,avid #amet (Bondon3 ,acmillan !ublishers Btd., 156=), p.8E. 1' *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, ed. C. ;eidhead (Bondon3 1. 1. "orton D 2o. Btd., %EE=), p. 'E88.

8 people&s pri$ate property to increase his own. In this way, ;oma, whose worth is subtly undermined by his 0ob, in turn dehumanises his customers1+. Bingk is merely seen as a contract, a way to get ;oma ?o$er the fucking top@18 in order to possess a new car. ;oma belie$es he is a free agent, but can be seen as merely a tool of the capitalist process. In the same way, they ha$e the appearance of autonomy in their office, with 1illiamson as an office manager, handing out their leads; they can arrange and choose to go out on their Gsits&. -owe$er, ,itch and ,urray and the men downtown are running the show19. In this way, according to left wing thought, he can be seen as a $ictim of interpellation1=. The way in which :artleby and ;oma are compensated for their time will be dealt with presently. According to ,ar/, workers such as :artleby sell their labour.power and not actual labour16. -e is significantly underpaid for the 0ob he does; he is merely gi$en Gfour cents a folio (one hundred words)&15. Bike the factory worker, whose boss sells their product for an inflated price, the difference between the cost of the ser$ices and what the lawyer charges his customers is the real cost of their labour%E. :artleby&s boss can charge a great deal for his ser$ices and ha$e many customers because of the work of his copyists. -owe$er, the proletariat scri$eners do not obtain a share of the commodity produced%1; their labour.power has already been paid for%%, and so the gap between wages and the
1+

:. "ightingale, ?4lengarry 4len ;oss@, The Cambridge Companion to lengarry len !oss, ed. 2. :igsby (2ambridge3 2ambridge Uni$ersity !ress, 1559), p. 5'. 18 *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E89. 19 ;oma belie$es he is an autonomous indi$idual, making his own choices. -owe$er, his actions are unconsciously controlled by ideology. Ideology controls through processes of naturalisation, historicisation and eternilisation. (The process can also be called interpellation). C. Bye, ?Ideology3 A :rief 4uide@, http3MMwww.brocku.caMenglishM0lyeMideology.html 1= B. Althusser, ?Ideology and Ideological tate Apparatuses@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan (O/ford3 :lackwell !ublishing Btd., %EE+), p. =E1. 16 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan, p. 985. 15 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'='. %E C ;i$kin D ,. ;yan, ?Introduction to ?1age Babor and 2apital@@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, p. 985. %1 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan, p. 99E. %% 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan, p. 99E.

9 charge for ser$ices functions as the lawyer&s profit; it is through the ensla$ement of the proletariat that all wealth is produced%'. :artleby soon re0ects this notion of the low e/change.$alue%+ of his labour.power, refusing to work altogether. -e refuses to engage in this continual e/change of labour.power for other commodities%8, such as food and housing; instead, he resides in the office, eating only a small number of ginger.nut cakes for sustenance. In contrast, ;oma is not paid in relation to the amount of labour in$ol$ed; the salesmen work for commission rather than a salary. Therefore, the money earned does not relate back to ,ar/&s formula that labour.power used by the company times a certain ratio e<uals the money earned%9. The modern capitalist system allows ;oma to obtain large amounts of commission in a short space of time, unlike the poorly paid copyist. As a result of ;oma&s twenty.four hour work commitment, he earns Gsi/ thousand dollars&%= during one drunken night with Bingk. 2onse<uently, he is generally satisfied with his position and a spirit of complacency is fostered within the salesman. -owe$er, the e/ample of Be$ene&s sale of eight units of ,ountain Kiew property shows that the salesmen are being duped by the capitalist system, 0ust like :artleby. Be$ene has earned eighty.two thousand dollars for the company and only ?twel$e grand in commission@%6. If the $alue of the almost useless land and o$erheads are detracted from the remaining se$enty thousand, the company stands to make forty thousand on the sale.

%' %+

http3MMwww.worldsocialism.orgMspgbMpdfMspe(15=8).pdf 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, http3MMwww.mar/ists.orgMarchi$eMmar/MworksM16+=Mwage. labourMchE%.htm Accessed %1 ,arch %EE6. %8 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, http3MMwww.mar/ists.orgMarchi$eMmar/MworksM16+=Mwage. labourMchE%.htm Accessed %1 ,arch %EE6. %9 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan, p. 985. %= *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E=E. %6 *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E85.

= Their comparati$e producti$ity is a result their opposing $iews of wages and their relati$e positions within the system. :artleby&s output (or lack of it) represents his le$el of dissention with capitalism, while ;oma&s efficiency relates simply to his desire for money. In this way, :artleby&s production is largely associated with rebellion. The scri$ener breaks free from the influence of capitalist ideology%5 and the myth of the American *ream. *ue to his socialist beliefs, :artleby does not intend to merely comprehend the world; he means to change it'E. A contrast is created by ;oma, who wishes to understand the e$eryday so he can take ad$antage of the wealth of indi$iduals. 1hen :artleby&s employer calls to him check a document he e/pects Ginstant compliance&'1. -owe$er, he does not obtain what he desires from his clerk. :artleby refuses to become 0ust a pair of eyes to the lawyer, taking himself out of the realm of ser$itude and degradation, placing himself back into the realm of personal humanity. As an indi$idual, he uses his preference to determine the nature of his duties in the office. Thus begins his passi$e resistance. ?I would prefer not to@'% becomes a stand for the e/ploited nineteenth century worker. In ,ar/ist thought, progress can only be achie$ed through class struggle; :artleby engages himself in battle against the 1all treet bourgeoisie. The lawyer cannot dismiss him because he embodies a Gleanly composed&'' form of resistance, rather than that fuelled by anger or hatred. There is an ethereal form of righteousness associated with :artleby; the narrator remarks that3

%5 'E

C. Bye, ?Ideology3 A :rief 4uide@, http3MMwww.brocku.caMenglishM0lyeMideology.html !. :arry, Beginning Theory: An 'ntrod"ction to %iterary and C"lt"ral Theory, p. 18=. '1 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'95. '% -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'95. '' -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'95.

6 -ad there been the least uneasiness, angerI in his manner; in other words, had there been anything ordinarily human about him, doubtless I should ha$e $iolently dismissed him from the premises.'+ This is where ,ar/ist thought and Thoreau&s belief in ci$il disobedience intersect. According to Thoreau3 The tate ne$er intentionally confronts a man&s sense, intellectual or moral, but only his body, his senses. It is not armed with superior wit or honesty, but with superior physical strength. I was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion. Bet us see who is the strongest.'8 -is employer, with his !rotestant ethics, does not wish to use force in his dealings with :artleby; he will not Gthrust such a helpless creature out of HhisJ door&'9. In this appraisal, he significantly underestimates :artleby and is compelled to accept his protest as a result. -e e/empts the scri$ener from Ge/amining the work done by him& and an Gerrand of any sort&'=. -owe$er, :artleby&s <uest for e<uality does not end there. #$entually, his heightened producti$ity, blindly copying sheets, impairs the sight of the scri$ener; this can be interpreted as the crippling effect such a dis0ointed and repetiti$e 0ob has on the body and on the mind. As a result, he engages in Gdead.wall re$ery&'6 as a form of deep mental e/change. This time of contemplation allows him strength to free himself from his 1all treet bondage. At his employer&s pro$ocation, he declares3 ?I ha$e gi$en up copying@'5. -e will no longer ac<uiesce to be a cog in the wheel of the capitalist workforce. In this act, :artleby is transformed from a highly producti$e scri$ener to office
'+ '8

-. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'95. 1. ,c#lroy, ?-enry Thoreau and G2i$il *isobedience&@, http3MMthoreau.eser$er.orgMwendy.html Accessed %1 ,arch %EE6. '9 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'6'. '= -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'='. '6 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'=6. '5 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'=6.

5 philosopher and s<uatter. -is presence itself, becoming Gstill more of a fi/ture than before&+E, becomes an act of ci$il disobedience. -e will not be cowed by threats, bribes or niceties from his employer. ,aterial possessions are not any incenti$e to him, unlike ;oma3 ?I owe you some twel$e dollars on account; here are thirty.two; the odd twenty are yours A will you take it>@ and I handed the bills towards him. :ut he made no motion.+1 As pre$iously stated, ;oma&s producti$ity is linked with his underhanded pursuit of the American *ream; this belief in the *ream represents the con$entional inscribed $alues, or hegemony+%, that control a capitalist workforce. -is high status in the office is related to his dog.eat.dog style of operation. 2ompany regulations are merely complied with by the usually dominant ;oma so that he can earn money with relati$e ease. -e is the leader on the G2adillac board&+' and at the start of the play, has racked up nearly enough sales to become the owner of that e/pensi$e new car. As discussed, in his determination he succeeds in charming both the Bingks, pro$iding him with his $ictory. -owe$er, the real mark of his salesmanship and strength of mind is con$eyed when Cames Bingk arri$es to cancel the deal; he will not allow his producti$ity to go into decline. -e has clearly de$oted a great deal of time to honing his sales tactics and interpersonal skills in order to increase his efficiency; ;oma is sociopathic in his methods, telling his customers what they want to hear. -e attempts to allay the fears of the customer through role.play; Be$ene is cast as a *. ;ay ,orton, a head honcho at American #/press, who has bought ?fi$e waterfront
+E +1

-. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'=6. -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'=5. +% A. 4ramsci, ?-egemony@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan, p. 9='. +' *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E85.

1E 4lengarry Farms.@++ Intentionally, he aligns Bingk with this supposedly important and masculine business man, ready to con<uer Florida, playing on Bingk&s insecurities and desires. This impro$ised charade seems second nature to slippery ;oma. Once again, he succeeds in bullying, bambooNling and e$entually befriending Bingk3 ;O,A3 The ?deal,@ $orget the deal. Forget the deal, you&$e got something on your mind, Cim, what is it> BI"47 HrisingJ3 ' can/t talk to yo") yo" met my wife, II HPa"se-J ;O,A3 1hat> HPa"se-J 1hat> HPa"se-J 1hat, Cim3 I tell you what, let&s go get out of hereIlet&s go get a drink.+8 ;oma does not care for this man; he merely wants to ensure his slice of the pie, so to speak. eemingly, he targets these weak.willed indi$iduals, as a shark would his prey. In contrast to :artleby whose determination is associated with ethics, ;oma is determined in relation to his own dubious business practices. -igh producti$ity merely lines his pocket, and earns capital for his bosses, while it physically and mentally impairs the scri$ener. Their attitudes to their respecti$e 0obs are not only represented by their efficiency, but by the language they use in the workplace, in relation to work. The state of the characters& working relationships is also suggested by the way in which they speak and act. :artleby&s passi$e but effecti$e resistance to the American work ethic is re$ealed by the way he e/presses himself. -is line of thought aligns with Thoreau&s in that he was Gnot born to be forced.&+9 As a result, his campaign for change is centred on the e<uality of all men; a scri$ener can lay claim to rights and preferences in the same way as a lawyer. As has already been discussed, :artleby&s dissent with his mode of employment increases until
++ +8

*. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E9+. *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E95. +9 1. ,c#lroy, ?-enry Thoreau and G2i$il *isobedience&@, http3MMthoreau.eser$er.orgMwendy.html Accessed %1 ,arch %EE6.

11 he officially renounces all the duties of a scri$ener. Furthermore, he takes possession of his own work space; upon the lawyer and Turkey&s intrusion, he declares that he ?would prefer to be left alone here@+=. In this way, :artleby refutes the notion of pri$ate ownership of property, as he does by the act of li$ing in the lawyer&s chambers, and later by s<uatting in the building. The scri$ener not only denies his boss the right to enter his personal office space+6, but through his use of careful speech he also refuses the lawyer&s entrance into his pri$ate mental space; he is not allowed access to :artleby&s personal history3 ?At present I prefer to gi$e no answer@+5. The great influence of his passi$e resistance is demonstrated by the fact that :artleby&s distinct manner of speaking is mirrored by the men in the office. Turkey, in attempting to find a solution for :artleby&s problem suggests that ?if he would prefer to take a <uart of good ale e$ery day, it would do much towards mending him I@8E #$en the lawyer, who has begun to detest the word Ghad got into the way of in$oluntarily using this word ?prefer@ I&81 -owe$er, it is not merely :artleby&s language that con$eys his message, but also his silence. After he frees himself from the shackles of the capitalist life, he Gsilently retireHsJ into his hermitage&8% at the mention of work. 1hen his boss announces his plans to mo$e premises, informing him that his ser$ices are no longer needed, Ghe made no reply&.8' It is this $ery passi$e but firm spoken language and body language that frightens the lawyer into action; after two failed attempts to rid himself of the socialist spectre, he is forced to mo$e to different chambers, handing o$er his offices to :artleby.
+= +6

-. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'=9. The lawyer arri$es one morning to his office, but :artleby will not allow him to enter; he must go for a walk around the block before the cri$ener lets him inside. +5 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'=9. 8E -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'==. 81 -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'==. 8% -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'61. 8' -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'6'.

1% *espite threats that :artleby ?must do something, or something must be done to HhimJ@8+, he is adamant that he will not be further employed; he has e/empted himself from the commercial rat.race. Again, the effecti$eness of the scri$ener&s protest is confirmed, this time by a lawyer from the building :artleby&s boss has $acated3 ?#$erybody is concerned; clients are lea$ing the offices; some fears are entertained of a mobI@88 The $ulnerability of the capitalist regime is highlighted by the chaos that one man engaged in <uiet social demonstration can inspire. In contrast to the scri$ener&s <uiet and politically inclined attitude, the language that ;oma uses in the working world is aggressi$e and manipulati$e. -is dealings with customers are e/emplified by his e/perience with Bingk; he speaks authoritati$ely but nonsensically3 ?Iall train compartments smell $aguely of shit. It gets so you don&t mind it. That&s the worst thing that I can confess.@89 In comparison to :artleby&s $ery sparse interactions, ;oma practically monologues for se$eral minutes at a time, in$ol$ed in his own rhetoric. Unlike the scri$ener, he is ne$er silent. -e talks at customers like Bingk and subliminally suggests what they desire in order to make his sales pitch; he makes great use of the dramatic pause in order to ha$e a heightened effect on Bingk&s psyche3 ?There are these properties I&d like for you to see.@ 1hat does it mean> 1hat yo" want it to mean. HPa"se-J ,oney> HPa"se-J If that&s what it signifies to you. ecurity> HPa"se-J 2omfort> HPa"se-J8= -is smooth interactions with customers are 0u/taposed by his often $icious dealings with his co.workers. These confrontations are an intrinsic part of the modern capitalist business realm. Unlike :artleby, who is sedate around his boss and co.workers, ;oma is
8+ 88

-. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'68. -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'6+. 89 *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E8+. 8= *. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E88.

1' sub0ect to fits of rage. There is nothing passi$e in his e/changes with the office manager, 1illiamson, when the deal with Bingk is lost. The number of e/pleti$es used increases due to confrontation and his $oice is full of spite and hatred3 Oou 0ust cost me si0 tho"sand dollars. HPa"se-J HIJ And one 2adillac. That&s right. HIJ 1hat are you going to do about it, asshole. Oou fucking shit. 1here did you learn your trade. Oou stupid fucking c"nt. Oou idiot. 1hoe$er told you you could work with men>86 There is a process of humiliation to which ;oma sub0ects 1illiamson. Firstly, his mistake is braNenly in$oked, as ;oma highlights his personal loss at the hands of 1illiamson; his <ualifications are <uestioned; he is subse<uently dehumanised by ;oma as he engages in the act of rudely renaming 1illiamson; finally, he is emasculated. The almost inhuman element of the real estate market is con$eyed by ;oma&s dramatic reaction. -owe$er, 1illiamson&s act is a mere o$ersight in comparison to the wrong :artleby accuses his e/. employer of; he blames the lawyer for his imprisonment. The lawyer is not met with any act or word of aggression, :artleby merely in$okes his right to silence once more3 ?I know you HIJ and I want nothing to say to you.@85 :artleby&s attitude to work certainly does not typify that of an American in the mid. nineteenth century. In resisting employment, he <uestions the basic principles upon which the nation was founded. -owe$er, is it any wonder that the pioneering spirit has been lost in :artleby> The steady way of life of the pioneer and the farmer was being replaced by that of the pressurised industrial worker9E. As one of these workers, :artleby is not deluded enough to lay claim to the American *ream, recognising the stationary nature of his

86 85

*. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E=E. -. ,el$ille, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, p. %'69. 9E -. Applebaum, The American Work Ethic and the Changing Work Force: An Historical Perspective, p. 9'.

1+ occupation. In this way, :artleby&s low status and hassled producti$ity, along with the dehumanising aspect of his work foretell his socialist rebellion. -is protest works against the tropes of capitalism to which he will ne$er lay claim, such as pri$ate property and wealth. It is the abundance of this pri$ate wealth that the white.collared gangster, ;oma, wishes to e/ploit; the work ethic of the 156Es is embodied by him. Ironically, he portrays himself as a member of a ?dying breed@ of pioneer in a world full of ?clock watchers@ and ?bureaucrats@ 91. -e imagines himself to be a seeker of ad$enture and une/plored territory, as he pursues the American *ream. -owe$er, it is beca"se of corrupt businesses such as his real estate office that the ideals of the pioneers and their capitalist system ha$e been replaced by ruthless competiti$eness. ,odern capitalism, with business practices like those demonstrated by ;oma, does nothing to foster a sense of community, or shared hope in the United tates. In fact, :artleby&s form of socialism does more to that end. In this way, capitalism and the American work ethic are problematised by both ?:artleby the cri$ener@ and lengarry len !oss. One could ask3 where does the future of the pioneering spirit and the American *ream lie> 2an it be in either the idealistic communist or merciless capitalist A left wing or right> Or is the American *ream truly a myth> 1ord count3 ', 865. Bibliography Althusser, Bouis, ?Ideology and Ideological tate Apparatuses@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan (O/ford3 :lackwell !ublishing Btd., %EE+), p. 95'. =E%. Applebaum, -erbert, The American Work Ethic and the Changing Work Force: An Historical Perspective (1estport, 2T3 4reenwood !ress, 1556).
91

*. ,amet, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, p. 'E=+.

18 :arry, !eter, Beginning Theory: An 'ntrod"ction to %iterary and C"lt"ral Theory (,anchester3 ,anchester Uni$ersity !ress, %EE%). :igsby, 2. 1. #., ,avid #amet (Bondon3 ,ethuen, 1568). 2arroll, *ennis, ,avid #amet (Bondon3 ,acmillan !ublishers Btd., 156=). 2hase, ;ichard, ed., #elville: A Collection o$ Critical Essays ("ew Cersey3 !rentice -all, 159%). 4ianaris, "icholas K., #odern Capitalism: Privati(ation) Employee *+nership) and 'nd"strial ,emocracy (1estport3 !raeger !ublishing, 1559). 4ramsci, Antonio, ?-egemony@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan (O/ford3 :lackwell !ublishing Btd., %EE+), p. 9='. -ayes, 7e$in C., The Cambridge introd"ction to Herman #elville (2ambridge3 2ambridge Uni$ersity !ress, %EE=). 7ane, Beslie, ed., ,avid #amet1s lengarry len !oss: te0t and per$ormance (Bondon3 4arland !ublishing, 1559). Bee, ;obert A., ed., #elville: reassessments, Kol. III (Bondon3 Kision !ublishing, 156+). Bye, Cohn, ?Ideology3 A :rief 4uide@, http3MMwww.brocku.caMenglishM0lyeMideology.html Accessed %E ,arch %EE6. 7. ,ar/, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, http3MMwww.mar/ists.orgMarchi$eMmar/MworksM16+=Mwage.labourMchE%.htm ,arch %EE6. ,ar/, 7arl, ?The 4erman Ideology@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan (O/ford3 :lackwell !ublishing Btd., %EE+), p. 981.6. ,ar/, 7arl, ?1age Babor and 2apital@, %iterary Theory: An Anthology, ed. C. ;i$kin D ,. ;yan (O/ford3 :lackwell !ublishing Btd., %EE+), p. 985.9+. Accessed %1

19 ,amet, *a$id, lengarry len !oss) The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. #, ed. C. ;eidhead (Bondon3 1. 1. "orton D 2o. Btd., %EE=), p. 'E+%.=8. ,c#lroy, 1endy, ?-enry Thoreau and G2i$il *isobedience&@, http3MMthoreau.eser$er.orgMwendy.html Accessed %1 ,arch %EE6.

,el$ille, -erman, ?:artleby the cri$ener@, The &orton Anthology o$ American %iterat"re, $ol. :, ed. C. ;eidhead (Bondon3 1. 1. "orton D 2o. Btd., %EE=), p. %'9'.65. "ightingale, :enedict, ?4lengarry 4len ;oss@, The Cambridge Companion to lengarry len !oss, ed. 2. :igsby (2ambridge3 2ambridge Uni$ersity !ress, 1559) p. 65.1E%. Oli$er, #gbert ., ?A econd Book at Bartleby@, 2ollege #nglish, ,ay 15+8, p. +'1.5. http3MMwww.worldsocialism.orgMspgbMpdfMspe(15=8).pdf Accessed %1 ,arch %EE6.