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bartelby

or and to Ginger-Nut. Ginger-Nuts position in the office is primarily based around food. Obviously his name reflects his interest or perhaps preocupation with foods such as nuts. If he is not consuming various kinds of nuts, "his duty is as cake and apple purveyor for Turkey and Nippers"(p.1113). Often, when business is dull, Ginger-Nut is sent out for a cake - one that is small, flat, round, and very spicy; a ginger-cake, the very item which he was named after. Just as the most important body part to Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger-Nut is their mouth, their boss, the lawyer and the narrator of the story, is also a man who takes oral pleasure in speaking with his mouth. He states that he "was not unemployed in my profession by the late John Jacob Astor; a name which, I admit, I love to repeat, for it hath a rounded and orbicular sound to it and it rings like unto bullion"(p.1109). Melvilles consistent focus on the narrators preoccupation with speach supports the oral imagery included in the story. When the reader becomes enveloped with descriptions relating to mouths, the concept of food may enter his/her mind. The most unusual character in the story is Bartleby, "a man of [such] singularly sedate an aspect"(p.1113). When Bartleby first arrives to work at the law firm, "he [does] an extraordinary quantity of writing. As if long famishing for something to copy, he seemed to gorge himself on my documents. There was no pause for digestion"(p.1114). Bartleby uncontrollably consumes his duties showing his desperation and excessive thirst for work. In fact, it is apparent that all the characters in the story have some hunger or craving. Because there is a hunger, there must be a character to fulfill the needs of the others. Such a role is occupied by the narrator/lawyer. All of the characters are living off of the lawyer. But, in fact, the narrator too lives off the other workers in the office. For Turkey and Nippers...

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