Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Electronics essays
Electronics essays This project requires us to design and build a circuit that generates specified functions on the oscilloscope, as given on the project description. Also, we were required to design a means of selecting different frequencies and different amplitudes. This was especially difficult because the selection had to be made directly from the breadboard. For the final part of the lab, we were to draw the graphs we obtained to show how the various functions were generated digitally. The results we got were very sound. We were able to generate all of the minimum requirements (a square wave and ramp wave). Also, we were able to generate the waves that would give us extra credit (a triangle wave and approximations to a sine wave). We also discovered a way to easily vary frequency and amplitude. This experiment uses four operational amplifiers (opamps) to deliver these waveforms in the 6 Hz to 7000 Hz range. The sine wave is a pseudo sine wave produces by a very simple wave shaping circuit. A digital counter can be used along with a DAC to generate analog voltage functions of time such as square wave and ramp wave. In this lab, we were to design and build a circuit that generates an analog square wave and a saw-tooth (ramp) wave of voltage, using a counter and DAC/. While working on this project, we thought of alternatives that would increase efficiency. An alternative we considered was to switch to a different project. This was thought about when we were having trouble with the implementation of the circuit. However, we decided to stick with this project. We decided this because we had already put in much thought and work into this particular project. Also, we decided to use flip-flops to simplify the circuit. Square, sine and triangle waves are produced using an LM348 and passive components. The LM348 is a quad operational amplifier IC package; that is, it contains four separate opamps all in the one IC. They are marked A, B, C & D in the...
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Product Safety and Product Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Product Safety and Product Liability - Essay Example The creation and development of a legal regulatory environment conducive to business and e-business is central to the improvement of trade among the E.U members. Currently, the Lisbon Agenda of ââ¬Å"making the E.U the worldââ¬â¢s most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy by 2010â⬠was already under threat because trade barriers to the development of general business and e-business had not been effectively removed. Because of this, many of the European Unionââ¬â¢s businesses operate within an e-business environment that is full of legal uncertainties and legal impediments to the take up of e-business. Central to these legal uncertainties is the product liability directives enshrined in the Rome II regulations. The Rome II regulations, though credited for opening up trans-border trade, have also been a source of criticism for the uncertainties they have caused in respect to the choice of law applicable in trans-border product liability cases. The dominant view in this argument is that the Rome II regulations on product liabilities invade the ââ¬Å"country of originâ⬠principle that was more customized to allow the growth of business. Instead, the Rome II Regulation adopt the ââ¬Å"country of receptionâ⬠principle which is damaging to the security of business in the E.U. this paper will therefore look at the problems producers and businesses may face in respect of the Rome II regulations and their impacts on the businesses across the E.U members.
Friday, November 1, 2019
International Sustainable Tourism Management 2 Essay
International Sustainable Tourism Management 2 - Essay Example Current paper focuses on a particular form of tourism, the community based tourism as developed in countries internationally. Agencies and the local communities have extensively supported the particular type of tourism; however, its effectiveness is often doubted. The level of effectiveness of community-based tourism worldwide is the main subject of this paper; reference is also made to issues related to the above subject ââ¬â as the types and the scope of community based tourism but also the challenges that this form of tourism faces in countries globally. 2. Community based tourism ââ¬â main aspects In order to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of community based tourism it would be necessary to understand primarily the context of this form of tourism ââ¬â a form that is standardized internationally. In accordance with a relevant report, the community-based tourism can be characterized as ââ¬Ëthe form of tourism in which local residents (often rural, poor and e conomically marginalised) invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodationââ¬â¢ (Responsible Travel, 2011). ... rily separately for each visitor, a community-based telephone would be adequate) but also an accommodation that has certain standards (meaning the conditions of living that do not put the health of the visitors in risk), c) travelers need to be aware of the challenges of the particular form of tourism; in the context of community-based tourism visitors are expected to support people in the local community; it is meant that visitors will be possibly asked to be involved in tasks related to ââ¬Ëthe protection of the environment or of the cultural heritageââ¬â¢ (Sustainable Tourism, 2001). The relationship between the community-based tourism and specific social obligations, mostly the protection of the environment is emphasized in the study of Byrd (2007) who noted that ââ¬Ësustainability has become an important topic and concept in relation to tourism planning and developmentââ¬â¢ (Byrd 2007, 6); however, the participation of the stakeholders in the relevant projects is set by Byrd as a prerequisite for their success (Byrd 2007). The concept of the community-based tourism is explained in the literature using various approaches; in accordance with Beeton (2006) the community-based tourism focuses on ââ¬Ëthe creation of a more sustainable tourism industry, focusing on the host community in terms of planning and maintaining tourism developmentââ¬â¢ (Beeton 3006, 50). On the other hand, Spenceley (2008) refers to the community ââ¬â based tourism as a tool for promoting sustainability but also ââ¬Ëfor achieving various socio-economic benefitsââ¬â¢ (Spenceley 2008, 310) ââ¬â it is assumed that reference is made to the economic developing of the local communities that support the relevant activities. From another point of view, Moscardo (2008) note that the development of the community-based
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
A Synthesis of Current Literacy Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
A Synthesis of Current Literacy Theories - Essay Example As a result, many scholars have different views on the concept of literacy, which leaves the common person more confused. Indeed, although the term ââ¬Ëliteracyââ¬â¢ is seemingly easier to understand by everybody, it has unfortunately proved to be complex and dynamic concept to interpret or even define. As such, we have many educational theorists, scholars, and newspaper editors defining the concept literacy. In the ancient times, literacy only referred to the ability of a person to read and write at an adequate level of proficiency that would enable them to communicate with others (TakingITGlobal, 2012). However, in the recent times, there is no mutually satisfactory measure of what adequate literacy means. As such, this paper will refer to various scholarly sources in addressing the various theories of literature, the issues that relate to literacy, and an analysis of literacy. Additionally, the paper will elaborate, synthesise, and analyse various perspectives on literacy. F urthermore, the paper will discuss the implications of the application of these perspectives to learning in vocational education and training centres. More so, the paper will analyse the various ways that teachers and trainers can apply the concept of literacy to learning in vocational education and training. Some scholars refer to literacy, as the quality or state of being literate or simply being able to read and write. On the other hand, others associate literacy with creative writing or just having knowledge or competence. Moreover, other educational theorists introduce the aspect of visual literacy in understanding the concept of literacy. As such, they relate visual literacy to the ability to recognize and understand ideas conveyed through visible actions or images. However, according to the National Institute for Literacy, The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 defines literacy as ââ¬Å"an individual's ability to read, write, speak in English, compute, and solve problems at le vels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual and in societyâ⬠à (Valenzuela,2002). Additionally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization thinks there is more to literacy than just being a set of technical skills of reading, writing, and calculating (United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe, 2012). We may need to consider the factors that influence the multiple understandings of this concept. Notably, academic research, institutional agendas, national context, cultural values, and personal experiences influence individuals understanding on the concept of literacy. Indeed, there are four discrete understandings of literacy that include literacy as an autonomous set of skills, literacy as text, literacy as a learning process, and literacy as applied, practised and situated (Education for All Global Monitoring Report, 2006).The four understandings significantly incorporate almost all theore tical understandings of literacy. However, the most common understanding of literacy is as a set of cognitive skills that involve reading, writing, and oral skills. However, it is worth noting that despite the multiple definition of literacy, the literacy levels vary between the developed and developing nations. Indeed, the rate of literacy in the developed nations is much higher than in the developing nations. Nevertheless, there is a worldwide mission to eradicate illiteracy in the world.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Racial Discrimination from Police Essay Example for Free
Racial Discrimination from Police Essay Racial discrimination in the United States is as old as America itself. The United States motto deduces that, although America is a single country, it is made up of people of all walks from all the corners of the world, but some as slaves, especially from Africa. The American population is diverse both culturally and racially thus the name Melting Point. Racial discrimination is the act of subordinating an individual due to the color of the skin or race. Discrimination against people of color began long ago while slavery still existed, and it took a Civil War between the Northern and Southern states to end slavery. In history, racist violence, police brutality, has been used to suppress the racial blacks and to preserve power and privileges for the white race. This was done for five primary purposes. First, it has forced black people into slavery or low wage situations. Secondly, to steal land and other resources. A third was to maintain social control. A fourth purpose was to eliminate conflict in politics, social life, and employment. Lastly, the fifth purpose was to unite white people across the ethnic, class, and gender boundaries. It is not really different of what we see nowadays through every day in the street. It is just getting a little bit smoother , cover up by law that a certain category of people make to protect themselves and the ones who as the privilege to use it. Most of the times, they do not been treated as the minority whenever they do the same mistakes by the justice in this country. The following grounds for suspicion of criminality are among the many reasons that African American motorists are pulled over: Driving a luxury automobile (e. . , Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, etc. ), driving in a car with other black men, driving early in the morning or late at night, driving in a low-income neighborhood, known for its drug traffic, driving in a neighborhood where there have been recent burglaries,â⬠¦ Although the above list may in fact be the reason that a prejudice officers attention is obtained, none of the reasons listed can be filed as a probable cause in the police report. I have so many bad exp eriences with the police that I think, it is just getting worst. We all know, minority people, that they use theses bunch of â⬠lawsâ⬠to still keep us down because they still, and for more of the ââ¬Å"white peopleâ⬠,think that they are a ââ¬Å"superior raceâ⬠. One day, I was with my dad driving around a nice neighborhood with some friend to go pick up one our friend to go at the club. It was late around 11 pm that night. From nowhere the police pull us over and start actin really at their defensive. They asked us to get out of the car, after checking if the car has the proper paper (insurance driver license). They asked us what we were doing there and we answered without stress that we are going to pick up a friend of us to go at the club. One of us asked us, straight up on our face, if we were not here for other illegal purpose in the neighborhood. We were still acting cool, at the same moment two others police cars pulled over. We were surprise by the number of units just for 3 people. They start searching us with some brutality and still asking stupid questions. The car also has been check. They brought a K-9 dog to search the car. We did not know what they were looking for and even if they have a warrant on us. After some so long minutes, they let us go. The think that really made us feel that we were inferior was the fact that one of the cars was following us through the neighborhood until we got out. That experience was the most shameful one I ever been into. I really hate cops since this experience. Being a minority and particularly black is not a crime. I totally presume that most of the police are like that. Racial bias and discrimination are existent in the minds of many individuals, some of whom may have, if it is at all possible, a justification for such thoughts. But when it comes to the protection and justice of a society, race should not even be an issue. The criminal justice system of today fuels its flame of democracy with decisions influenced by a certain individuals race and stature in society, and allows these preconceptions to be the basis of such decisions. Whether it is the African American motorist being pulled over with no probable cause, or the racially spurred brutalizing by the police, racism prevails in the world of criminal justice. Most communities that suffer police discrimination and violence have little control of the economy, or political overseers of the police. Typically the people who do have these powers are the richer communities, with primarily white citizens. I do not think the community or even education can do something about it, it is already in their manners and nothing will change it, The only think that could make a minority person close to their tight circle is ââ¬Å"moneyâ⬠.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Comparing the Film and Novel Versions of Sam Hanna Bellââ¬â¢s December Brid
Comparing the Film and Novel Versions of Sam Hanna Bellââ¬â¢s December Bride If the movie based on Sam Hanna Bellââ¬â¢s novel December Bride is considered to be good, it is only because the novel itself is nothing short of great. Having viewed the movie on two separate occasions, some four months apart, this writer found herself to still be somewhat bewildered by a few of the events portrayed. The novel clears the Irish fog swirling around those events creating a much more solidly constructed story. In addition, the characters of Sarah and Frank are developed to a much deeper level. The great leap in years that occurs at the end of the movie is shortened in the novel and in consequence, the story flows more smoothly. Perhaps December Bride would have faired better as a TV mini-series with hours and hours at its disposal rather than being confined to the short span of time allotted the movie. Within the confines of the movie, before the reading of the novel, this writer found the following several elements of the story confusing: who is Fergus and how does he fit in; Sarahââ¬â¢s standing on the hill looking toward her motherââ¬â¢s house seems unfinished; why does the Reverend Sorleyson treat his wife, Victoria, with such distain; what is the significance of the meal in which Hamilton orders Sarah to cook the fish for the Catholic woman; why does Frank voice no objections at the marriage of Sarah and Hamilton? Read on and ye shall uncover the answers. The novel opens in Chapter One revealing the end of the story. Two elderly persons, Sarah and Hamilton, are being married by the young Reverend Isaac Sorleyson in a church that is nestled in a graveyard. People from the surrounding countryside are huddled among the gravestones brac... ...tride, promising to be at the church with Hamilton in the next week thus bequeathing the fatherââ¬â¢s name on both her children. Notes: [1] Small boat with oars. [2] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.22. [3] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.27. [4] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.48. [5] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.48. [6] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.41. [7] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.44. [8] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.125. [9] the residence of a Presbyterian clergyman (15th century) [10] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.68. [11] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.134. [12] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.138. [13] Bell, Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.149. [14] child [15] Bell Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.123. [16] Bell Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.179. [17] Bell Sam Hanna. December Bride. p.289.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Literary Analysis of Bartleby the Scrivener Essay
Bartleby the Scrivener could be described as a story about getting rid of its title character, about the narratorââ¬â¢s attempt to get rid of Bartleby, and Bartlebyââ¬â¢s tenacious capacity to be always there. It is the story of an unnamed lawyer and his employee, Bartleby, a copyist of law documents. Confronted not only with Bartlebyââ¬â¢s refusal to do work (first to ââ¬Å"readâ⬠copies against the original, then to copy altogether), but also with the contagious nature of the particular words of his refusal (Bartlebyââ¬â¢s peculiar ââ¬Å"I would prefer not toâ⬠), the narrator concludes that, before Bartleby ââ¬Å"turns the tonguesâ⬠any further of those with whom he comes into contact, he ââ¬Å"must get rid ofâ⬠Bartleby. At the same time Bartleby feels ââ¬Å"mobbed in his privacyâ⬠(27) when the other office workers crowd him behind his screen, they in turn are invaded by his idiosyncrasy ââ¬â his private idiom ââ¬Å"prefer. â⬠Bartlebyââ¬â¢s presence breaks down the clear distinctions between public and private, professional and domestic, between ââ¬Å"privacyâ⬠and ââ¬Å"the mob. â⬠By pinpointing Bartleby as the ââ¬Å"causeâ⬠of infectious language (language ââ¬Å"turnedâ⬠bad), the narrator wants to stop the course of a process (the ââ¬Å"turning of tonguesâ⬠) already in progress. But getting rid of Bartleby is as tricky as getting rid of a chronic condition; the narrator emphasizes a phrase which appears textually in italics: ââ¬Å"he was always thereâ⬠(20). Bartleby is, as the narrator calls him, a ââ¬Å"nuisanceâ⬠(40), an ââ¬Å"intolerable incubus. â⬠As a character in the story with a body, he moves very little, but the few words he speaks break out at unexpected moments in the office. Every attempt the narrator makes to control the passive Bartleby and his infectious language fails hilariously (Schehr 97). The narrator experiences a curious tension between the impossible imperative (on the level of the story) to get rid of the subject, and the impossibility (on the level of the narration) to write his complete biography (Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"historyâ⬠). Thus, Bartleby is also a fable about writing history or biography. In attempting to write what he thinks of as Bartlebyââ¬â¢s biography, the narrator merely misnames his writing project, or he emphasizes it from the wrong point of view. In search of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s origins, the narrator does not simply narrate (as he thinks) the history of Bartleby the Scrivener; he relates rather the story of his own anxiety vis-a-vis Bartleby. In particular, he relates his anxiety over the scrivenerââ¬â¢s silence ââ¬â and modes of breaking that silence; for we could say that, rather than speaking very little or in particular ways, Bartleby has particular ways of occasionally breaking silence. It is this violence in speech, this unexpected eruption, which the narrator fears. The narrator, whose acquaintances describe him as an ââ¬Å"eminently safe man,â⬠who likes nothing better than the ââ¬Å"cool tranquility of a snug retreatâ⬠(4), is thrown decidedly off kilter when faced with what he terms Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"passive resistanceâ⬠(17). Bartlebyââ¬â¢s weapon is his total indifference to truth, whereas the narrator seeks a second opinion on truth from the other office mates. Bartleby could be seen as the one solid block around which the narrator writes his own story about truth rather than the truth about the Bartleby story. Bartlebyââ¬â¢s passive resistance actually generates the story ââ¬â confronted with it, the narrator creates theories (his doctrine of assumptions, for instance), carries on debates with himself, and seeks the counsel of others ââ¬â all with the opaque Bartleby as the core. In reconstructing Bartlebyââ¬â¢s story, the narrator follows an implicit logic which he never directly states. It is the logic of cause and effect. (He is not deliberately hiding this logic, but because he takes its validity for granted, he never comments on it critically. ) Believing in the possibility of finding a specific, locatable, and nameable cause to Bartlebyââ¬â¢s condition (as he is able to do with the other office workers, Nippers and Turkey, whose moods vary according to their diets and the time of day), the narrator thinks that by eradicating the cause of the problem, he can alter the effects, the effects of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s speaking condition in the office space. McCall follows the same logic as the narrator in seeking causes of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s behavior. He mentions remark that when the narrator asks Bartleby to run an errand for him at the post office, ââ¬Å"that is probably the last place, if the rumor is correct, that Bartleby would ever want to go. â⬠(McCall 129). The narrator never considers that his line of reasoning might be faulty ââ¬â that Bartlebyââ¬â¢s condition may not be linked to a specific, locatable, nameable cause. We as readers may be placed in the same position as the narrator in that we never know either the origin of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s condition; we witness primarily its effects, or symptoms, in the story. These symptoms reside not only in Bartleby as individual character, but in the very way the narrator tells the story about that character. Rather than speaking about the cause of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s condition, one could more aptly speak about the ways in which its effects are spread to other characters within the text. When the narrator impatiently summons Bartleby to join and help the others in the scenario of group reading, Bartleby responds, ââ¬Å"I would prefer not toâ⬠(14). Hearing this response the narrator turns ââ¬Å"into a pillar of saltâ⬠(14). (Faced with Bartlebyââ¬â¢s responses and sheer presence, the narrator oftentimes evokes images of his losing, then waking to, consciousness. ) When he recovers his senses, he tries to reason with Bartleby, who in the meantime has retreated behind his screen. The narrator says: ââ¬Å"These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you, because one examination will answer for your four papers. It is common usage. Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. Is it not so? Will you not speak? Answer! â⬠(15) The narrator is exasperated when Bartleby does not respond immediately to the logic behind his work ethic. ââ¬Å"These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you. â⬠Examining or reading copy is a money saving activity, from which every member of the office profits (four documents for the price of one reading! ). ââ¬Å"Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. â⬠To the contract the lawyer emphatically demands from his employee, a bond based on an exchange of reading, Bartleby replies three times, gently, ââ¬Å"in a flutelike tone,â⬠ââ¬Å"I (would) prefer not toâ⬠(15). By refusing to read copy, Bartleby refuses to consent to the economy of the office. It is perhaps only to another type of reading, one not based on a system of exchange and profit, which Bartleby consents. Although the narrator says he has never seen Bartleby reading ââ¬â ââ¬Å"not even a newspaperâ⬠(24) ââ¬â he does often notice him staring outside the window of the office onto a brick wall. Staring at the dead brick wall (in what the narrator calls Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"dead-wall reveriesâ⬠) may be Bartlebyââ¬â¢s only form of reading, taking the place of the economy-based reading demanded of him in the process of verifying copies. About halfway through the story, the lawyer/narrator visits his office on a Sunday morning and, discovering a blanket, soap and towel, a few crumbs of ginger nuts and a morsel of cheese, deduces that the scrivener never leaves the office. Realizing the full impact of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s condition, he states, What I saw that morning persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder. (25) The narrator clearly locates the disorder in Bartleby. Seeing himself in the role of diagnostician and healer, he himself is faced with the ââ¬Å"hopelessness of remedying excessive and organic illâ⬠(24). The narratorââ¬â¢s concern about an individual medical cure should more aptly be a concern about an obsessively private rhetorical debate or a dangerously idiomatic group contagion (Perry 409). Despite his assumption that Bartleby is incurable, or perhaps precisely because he can effect no cure, the narrator beleaguers himself throughout the story with questions or commands to do something about Bartleby (McCall 9). If the private manââ¬â¢s disorder can be passed on to another (one) person, what happens when the condition is let loose out of close quarantine into the public space of the office? Bartleby walks a precarious tightrope between comedy and tragedy (Inge 25). The tragic dimension often resides in the narratorââ¬â¢s turning inward on himself (a sort of tragic compression), then putting himself on trial, an interior moment of accusation which eventually results in the collapse of the narrative in a single sigh or exclamation (ââ¬Å"Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity! â⬠46). The comic effects are often related to the authoritarian attempt (and failure) to contain the spread of idiom as contagion (Perry 412). If Bartleby has been a figure for tragedy in the lone meditation of the narrator, he becomes a figure for comedy in his contact with his office mates Nippers and Turkey. The more the narrator tries to regulate the contact between the three, the more hilarious ââ¬â and significantly out of control ââ¬â is Bartlebyââ¬â¢s influence. The effort to contain or control tends actually to promote the epidemic proportions of the narrative. It is the narrator himself who uses a vocabulary of contagion in relation to Bartleby. He says he has had ââ¬Å"more than ordinary contactâ⬠(3) with other scriveners he has known. Bartleby exceeds this already extraordinary contact ââ¬â he has been touched by ââ¬Å"handlingâ⬠dead letters (Schehr 99). Some critics reproduce the narratorââ¬â¢s language of contagion in talking about Bartleby. McCall, in his study on The Silence of Bartleby, describes ââ¬Å"ourâ⬠response, the collective readersââ¬â¢ response, to reading the tale: As we go through the story, we watch with a certain delight how Bartleby is ââ¬Å"catching. â⬠We root for the spread of the bug. (145) In a somewhat less delighted vein, Borges says, ââ¬Å"Bartlebyââ¬â¢s frank nihilism contaminates his companions and even the stolid man who tells Bartlebyââ¬â¢s story. â⬠(Borges 8) In the office scenes where the employees and boss come inevitably together, the ââ¬Å"bugâ⬠word is Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"prefer. â⬠Nippers uses it mockingly against the narrator as a transitive action verb when he overhears Bartlebyââ¬â¢s words of refusal to the narratorââ¬â¢s plea ââ¬Å"to be a little reasonable. â⬠Bartleby echoes, ââ¬Å"At present I would prefer not to be a little reasonableâ⬠(26). If Nippers is suffering from his own peculiar and chronic condition of indigestion, he takes on the symptoms of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s condition when he exclaims to the narrator, Prefer not, eh?â⬠¦ ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢d prefer him, if I were you sir, Iââ¬â¢d prefer him; Iââ¬â¢d give him preferences, the stubborn mule! What is it, sir, pray, that he prefers not to do now? (26) Whereas later in the story the narrator totally loses his critical skill to ââ¬Å"catchâ⬠himself in his speech, in this exchange he is still able to articulate the effect Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"wordâ⬠is having on him. He notes anxiously, Somehow, of late, I had got into the way of involuntarily using the word ââ¬Ëpreferââ¬â¢ upon all sorts of not exactly suitable occasions. (27) It is this qualifier ââ¬Å"not exactlyâ⬠which is of particular interest. Bartlebyââ¬â¢s use of words is ââ¬Å"not exactlyâ⬠wrong. ââ¬Å"Preferâ⬠is so insidious because it is only slightly askew, dislocated, idiosyncratic. As McCall accurately notes about the power of Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"I prefer not to,â⬠ââ¬Å"one must hear, in the little silence that follows it, how the line delivers two contradictory meanings, obstinacy and politeness. ââ¬Å"(152) The line calls just enough attention to itself so as to attract others to its ââ¬Å"profoundly mixed messageâ⬠(ââ¬Å"its perfect yes and noâ⬠) in an imitative way (McCall 152). ââ¬Å"Preferâ⬠is as inobtrusive, as contagious, and as revolutionary as a sneeze. The narrator lets it out of his mouth involuntarily. When Turkey enters the scene and uses the bug word without realizing it (without Nippersââ¬â¢ italicized parody or the narratorââ¬â¢s critical comments), the narrator says to him, in a ââ¬Å"slightly excitedâ⬠tone, ââ¬Å"So you have got the word, tooâ⬠(27). In this pivotal sentence, the verb ââ¬Å"getâ⬠implies ââ¬Å"to receiveâ⬠(as in ââ¬Å"to receive a word or messageâ⬠), but more strikingly for our discussion here, it implies the verb ââ¬Å"to catchâ⬠ââ¬â one ââ¬Å"catchesâ⬠the word as one would ââ¬Å"catchâ⬠a cold. The narrator attempts to monitor the contagion by naming the bug and pointing it out to the others. But the word mocks everyoneââ¬â¢s will to control it ââ¬Å"preferâ⬠pops up six times in the next half a page ââ¬â four times unconsciously in the speech of one of the employees, and twice consciously (modified by ââ¬Å"wordâ⬠) in the narration of the lawyer. Bartleby could be described as a story of the intimacy ââ¬â or anxiety ââ¬â a lawyer feels for the law-copyist he employs. The narrator arranges a screen in the corner of his office behind which Bartleby may work. Pleased with the arrangement of placing Bartleby behind the screen in near proximity to his own desk, the narrator states, ââ¬Å"Thus, in a manner, privacy and society were conjoinedâ⬠(12). The narrator idealizes the possibility of a perfect harmony between privacy and community in the work environment, but it is precisely the conflict between these two spatial ââ¬Å"conditionsâ⬠which generates the story, defining not only Bartlebyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"idiocy,â⬠but the narratorââ¬â¢s as well. The narrator most characteristically encounters Bartleby ââ¬Å"emerging from his retreatâ⬠(13) or ââ¬Å"retiring into his hermitageâ⬠(26). The screen isolates Bartleby from the view of the narrator, but not from his voice. Works Cited Borges, Jorge Luis. ââ¬Å"Prologue to Herman Melvilleââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËBartlebyâ⬠in Herman Melvilleââ¬â¢s Billy Budd, ââ¬Å"Benito Cereno,â⬠ââ¬Å"Bartleby the Scrivener,â⬠and Other Tales, ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987 Inge, Thomas M. , ed. Bartleby the Inscrutable. Hamden, CT: Archon Books, 1979. McCall, Dan. The Silence of Bartleby. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1989. Melville, Herman. ââ¬Å"Billy Buddâ⬠and Other Stories. New York: Penguin Books, 1986. Perry, Dennis R. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËAh, Humanityââ¬â¢: Compulsion Neuroses in Melvilleââ¬â¢s Bartleby. â⬠Studies in Short Fiction 23. 4 (fall 1987): 407-415. Schehr, Lawrence R. ââ¬Å"Dead Letters: Theories of Writing in Bartleby the Scrivenerâ⬠Enclitic vii. l (spring 1983): 96-103.
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