The setting in Melville’s “<em>Bartleby the Scrivener</em>” is a crucial element in the story. The extended title, “<em>A Story of Wall-Street</em>”, provides the specific setting as regards place. At that time, Wall Street had become an important financial center in America. As regards the year of publication, the work was first published in 1953 which was a time of rapid development in American economy.
The story takes place in a law office in Manhattan. The office presents an <u>unfriendly environment</u> that resembles the <u>business-based atmosphere of Wall Street</u>. The space is described as “<em>entirely unhallowed by humanizing domestic associations</em>” (p.36). In that way, the author describes the <u>impersonality of a business society</u>. In this context, the author does not provide the reader with any information about the characters apart from their particular behavior in the office. Also, the word “walls” is repeated many times throughout the story and they refer to the barriers between employer and employee.
It is important because this is what pulls everything all together. This is where the main character is introduced and the character that is telling him an important story is introduced as well
1.) In the Victorian era, drinking water was very contaminated. The water was contaminated with raw sewage that would get into the drinking water. This made thousands of people catch diseases, such as cholera, and pass away. The correct answer is A.
2.) The antonym for the word earnest will be frivolous. An antonym is when the word is the complete opposite of another word. For example, pretty and ugly. The correct answer is A.
3.) Algernon finds that Mary Farquhar is indecent because she flirted with her own husband at dinner. Algernon did not want to sit beside of her in the first place because it was a common occurrence for her flirt with her own husband across the tables. In that era, it was not common to show feelings in front of others. The correct answer is B.
4.) There were not any cucumber sandwiches for Lady Bracknell because Algernon had absentmindedly eaten the sandwiches while waiting for the guests to arrive. His butler told the guests there was not any cucumbers in the market that morning and was unable to make the sandwiches. The correct answer is A.
