Bartleby, the Scrivener

                 Years ago I had a close friend who suffered from clinical depression after losing a job and a longtime girlfriend all in the same week. He answered those challenges by shutting himself into his apartment, drawing the drapes closed and answering neither the door nor the telephone. The situation went on for a whole week where he did not eat and remained secluded until those close to him began to worry about his welfare. He finally relented to open his door to his father only after it was a surety he would breach the bedroom window with the screwdriver he held. Thankfully he was able to receive the help he needed to mend his sense of loss and hopelessness toward his future. Many who suffer from mental illness are not as fortunate as my close friend leading to dire and sometimes fatal consequences. The main character in Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener”, although fictitious, is just one of those lonely souls who repel assistance and suffer a deteriorating existence as a result.

                                                  Photo taken from wikimedia commons  

              In the famous short story Bartleby is observed by those around him to be “…a little luny…”, and invoke emotions toward his condition which range from anger in one, to pity from the narrator. However he is perceived along the way he is steadfast in his desire to withdraw from all endeavors be they social or work related. This insolence toward aid shows a very common coping mechanism employed by those filled with melancholy.  Just as my friend had withdrawn from the world to his home Bartleby withdraws in the best way in which a homeless person can, socially. He seems not unlike a drone going through the paces but resolved to a fatalistic outlook toward his future.

The website WebMD list signs of depression which include appetite loss and loss of interest in activities once found pleasurable just as described by the author in the story.  In the end we are sadly enlightened to the fact that we are sometimes powerless to assist those who themselves don’t see the possibility that their situation can be improved upon.  If only poor Bartleby had a father equipped with compassion, tenacity and a screwdriver so to speak, maybe his death could have been prevented. I urge all who may read this to educate themselves as to the warning signs of depression and ask yourself if you might be witness to a silent cry for help. For more information on what to look for follow the following link : http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression