Direct Characterization In Bartleby The Scrivener

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In Bartleby the Scrivener, Herman Melville uses direct and indirect characterization to give a more powerful meaning to the characters and dialogue of the short story. Melville also uses appearances and names to get his descriptions across. In the story the narrator plays a key role in which he is not just the narrator but also a character. The narrator tells the story through indirect characterization. With indirect characterization it means the story is told while leaving out clear cut details. The author is making use of indirect characterization when he states “A short, pursy Englishman” when describing Turkey. There is no specific details given by the narrator only the characters dialogue. Melville uses nicknames in the story to define

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