Bartleby, in his story “The Scrivener” and Stephen Crane, in his book “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Summary” aim at ensuring that they capture the attention of their audience based on their literary works. The two authors have structured their stories in such a way that their beginnings are flat but with time get entertaining. On the flip side, contrast exists on some of the themes that are applied to both stories. In this paper, an assessment of the similarities and contrasts that exists between the two stories will be highlighted.
Theme: one of the primary goals of literary works is to ensure that the audience’s attention is captured and that it is able to derive suitable information by reading the stories.
Body
In the short stories by Bartleby and Stephen, conflict is a central point that is addressed. The authors use repetition of writing in addressing the divisions that exist among the characters. Bartleby, for instance, focuses on the confrontations that are evident in his workplace. As a lawyer, it is hard for anyone to understand his thought process. He keeps staring out of the window and this hardly gets down well with his boss who expects him to deliver to improve his performance (Melville 3). Later own, the conflict escalates when he is thrown out of the building that not only served as his office but home. Stephen also provides a clear picture of the theme of conflict in his story. Scratchy was one of those characters in the story that would fight with anyone when they had a bottle or two of whiskey. When he gets at Jack Potter’s house, he asks him for a fight, but this is met with conflict (Crane 14). The authors use conflict as the central theme for their stories with the aim of ensuring that their audience gets an understanding of the various events that unfold.
As the events unfold in their stories, change is an aspect that is also evident. In any society, change happens because people either want a good life or are tired of the happenings in their lives. The authors make the audience believe that change has a major impact on any society. When Bartleby joins the law firm, he displays skills and knowledge in his work that he gains confidence from his boss. However, things change when he starts experiencing mental imbalances that negatively impacts his roles in the company. He is later arrested for vagrancy and taken to the tombs (Melville 6). Stephen, in his story, states that societies were rigid and they were founded on rules and regulations that had been implemented by their previous generations. The decision by Potter to marry aims at bringing change to the community that felt people could marry anyone that they wanted. By bringing his bride to the hometown of Yellow Sky, he displays to the society that an individual need to marry irrespective of the pressure and regulations that may be implemented (Crane 17). According to the authors, civilization, and change is one and the same thing. They make readers believe that change is something that happens gradually and may either be for a positive or negative cause.
Isolation is also an aspect that is addressed by the two authors. Bartleby was always isolated and despite the confidence that the boss had gained towards him at the workplace, it eroded when he experienced mental imbalance. His presence at the tombs also symbolizes the lonely life that he had to face away from the world. When his boss visits him at the tombs, he sympathizes with all humankind. The theme is also highlighted by Stephen in his short story. According to him, Potter serves as a symbol of isolation. After getting married, he wanted to get home and hide his bride from the public for the fear of being judged (Crane 17). The community was structured in such a way that an individual would marry any time that he or she wanted. Nevertheless, Potter goes against the grail and he stands out from the rest. Isolation is applied by the two authors to help the audience connect the chain of events from the start to the end of the stories.
On the flip side, there are various contrasts that are evident between the two stories. Firstly, unlike Bartleby, Stephen uses iron as a literary form of writing with the aim of emphasis. As Jack Potter rides on train with his bride back home, rather than being happy, he is engrossed in deep thoughts on how he will hide her away before the public finds out. It is ironical that instead of a bridegroom being excited and happy about the step he had made in life by getting a wife is marked with self-pity and lack of joy (Crane 18). Had Bartleby used irony in his story, interpretation of the story by the audience would have been made complex.
Another difference that is evident in the two stories is their endings. Bartleby’s narration ends in a low and sad tone. By visiting the tomb, Bartleby’s boss understands that human kinds are faced with various challenges and this was after his employees’ vagrancy that forced him to a life of isolation. He is filled with pity for humanity and probably changes his views on life. Stephen’s story, on the flip side, ends with a high tone that is marred with optimism. The society was confined in a rigid way of thought but this was changed when Jack Potter went against community norms and came back home with a bride (Crane 17). The ending of any story is essential in that it serves as a climax for the audience.
The settings and contexts of the stories also vary. Bartleby’s story is centered on Wall Street at a law firm. It focuses on a lawyer that is geared to impress his boss with skills and experience but ends up isolated in a state of mental imbalance (Melville 5). Stephen’s story, on the flip side, dwells on the Yellow Sky, Potter’s hometown and mainly focuses on the impact that bride’s arrival in the area brought to the community. The setting in any story is aimed at capturing the imaginative part of an audience, thus promoting their understanding.
Conclusion
Literary works play an integral role in capturing the attention of the readers through various elements and styles of writings. Based on the two stories, it is evident that change can either come along with positive or negative influence. Readers need to focus on the various literary styles and elements that the authors use in deriving information and sharpening their interpretations of the stories.
Work Cited
Crane, Stephen. The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky. 1997. Print.
Melville, Herman. Bartleby The Scrivener. 2001. Print.
