What is Kindness Essay Example

There is a saying in China: "Man on earth, good at birth." This sentence means that when everyone is born, the temperament itself is kind. Between heaven and earth, among all things, only kindness is eternal power. Kindness, like the spring rain, can make the heart of the heart moist, can make the tree of the heart grow stronger, can make the flower of human nature bloom, and even cause the heart to become like a flowery, beautiful and colorful world! Today, the protagonist in this composition is such a kind person. However, he is not a completely kind person.

After analyzing Bartleby, the Scrivener, I am going to explain in this composition that prompt three because I think this part is the most sublimated part of the story, and the narrator's attitude towards Bartleby runs through the whole story. State this prompt to express my thoughts about this story and explain the good nature of the narrator's humanity.

I think the narrator's attitude towards Bartleby is mainly divided into three stages. First, the narrator expressed great dissatisfaction with Bartleby's repeated refusal of work arrangements. Second, when the narrator found that Bartleby thought the office was home, the narrator sympathized with Bartleby. Finally, when Bartleby was put in jail, the narrator gave money to the grab-men and rice, so that Bartleby could live a better life in prison. In my composition, I will elaborate on my views with these three aspects as the center.

There are seven sections in the article that show the narrator's three changes to Bartleby's attitude. First of all, when the narrator first saw Bartleby, he liked the quiet character of Bartleby. "After a little smothering, I engaged him, glad to have among my corps of copyists a man so singularly sedate an aspect, which I Of Nippers" (Melville 15). This part shows that although the narrator saw "pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn" (Melville 14) when he first met Bartleby, the narrator appreciated Bartleby's stability after talking to Bartleby. All in all, the narrator's first impression of Bartleby is excellent. 

Moreover, then, when the narrator had just begun to arrange work for Bartleby but was rejected by B., the narrator did not show a palpable resentment to Bartleby, tolerated him and because of his business hurried him. "[he] concluded to forget the Matter for the present, reserving it for [his] future leisure" (Melville 25) At this time, although the narrator did not understand Bartleby's rejection of the work task, he even thought that "[his] ears had deceived [him], or Bartleby had exactly misunderstood [his] meaning." (Melville 22), he is still not bored with Bartleby. From here, we can see that the narrator is very kind. It is a pity that Bartleby cannot understand his kindness and even misunderstood and complained.

Besides, when Bartleby repeatedly refused the work of the narrator, instead of "[having] flown outright into a dreadful passion, scorned all further words, and thrust him ignominiously from my presence" (Melville 35), the narrator sat with Bartleby and talked to him and also asked other partners, such as Turkey , whether his behavior is okay. Also, the narrator began to understand Bartleby's actions and practices, and "for the most part, [he] devoted Bartleby and his ways" (Melville 53), though, the narrator admitted that he would still be irritated because of Bartleby's passive. It shows that the narrator is not blindly forgiving Bartleby; he just tried to control it until one afternoon. Later, when the narrator asked about the attitude of Turkey and Nippers, Turkey even wanted "just step behind his screen, and black his eyes for him" (Melville 61)! In my opinion, compared to Turkey's cruelty and numbness, the narrator's kindness and sympathy even if only the moment is precious.

Narrator’s Position

What's more, even if the narrator is incomprehensible and even angry because Bartleby's quirks when he saw Bartleby in his office on Sunday, the narrator still persuaded himself not to think that Bartleby was an immoral person and even told himself "Bartleby was an eminently decorous person" (Melville 87).It shows the narrator's recognition and approval of Bartleby's character. It was also on this day that the narrator found enough evidence in the office to prove that Bartleby had the office as his home. (Melville 87), thus sympathizing with his loneliness. When the narrator saw Bartleby thought of the office as home, he began to feel sympathy for Bartleby's solitude. This section reflects the narrator's deep respect and understanding of Bartleby and also proves that the narrator still has such a soft and a delicate place in his heart.

Last but not least, the narrator thought of some more peaceful ways to indirectly advise Bartleby to leave. When he found that B. did not leave, he was very angry with him (Melville 160). This sentence shows some quirks for Bartleby, and the narrator arrived at an unacceptable level of inability to continue to be tolerant. In this part, although the narrator is very sympathetic to Bartleby, and is very tolerant of Bartleby's behaviors. He still cannot fully understand Bartleby's behavior, and even cannot wholly sympathize with Bartleby's life and situation.

Finally, when the police arrested Bartleby for being a tramp, the narrator who had already left his working relationship went to the court to visit Bartleby, and "relieved the functionary that Bartleby was a perfectly honest man, and greatly to be compassionate, however unaccountably eccentric." (Melville 217). It shows that although the narrator is incomprehensible to Bartleby's quirks, he still has a very high rating for Bartleby's character. Finally, the narrator is as careful as possible for Bartleby in prison. "Slipping some silver into the grub-man's hands'' (Melville 230) also illustrates the narrator's recognition and approval of Bartleby. The narrator can pay for Bartleby in prison and can spend time visiting and helping Bartleby when "[his] business hurried [him]" (Melville 25). I think these all indicate the narrator's kindness and conscience have not yet been annihilated, but the narrator is powerless because he is only an ordinary worker on Wall Street. For the narrator, it may already be the limitation he can do for Bartleby.

From these seven episodes, we can feel that the narrator is a very kind person, even if Bartleby refuses many times for the task that the narrator has arranged for him. The narrator still does his best to help and understand Bartleby. I believe that the narrator's kindness and sympathy for Bartleby must have touched Bartleby, even for a moment. So from this point of view, each of us should learn the tolerance and compassion of the narrator, even in the face of people and things that we do not like and do not accept. However, unfortunately, the narrator did not show all his kindness and sympathy to Bartleby's situation. Finally, the narrator still desperately drove Bartleby and became an indirect murderer to kill Bartleby. However, at the same time, I want to call for more people to respect others and respect the work they get. Because if Bartleby can do this, then Bartleby and the narrator will undoubtedly maintain a good relationship, and may even be a good friend.

Work Cited

Melville, Herman. “Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street.” Melville, Herman. 1853. Bartleby, the Scrivener, www.bartleby.com/129/.