The Prudent Samaritan, Essay Example

Comment on the actions of the lawyer. In commenting on the actions of the lawyer from the biblical perspective, which has been presented is to highlight that the biblical lawyer sincerely wanted to learn what it was he had to do to achieve a better way of life. Melville’s tried applying the same principle in resolving his case, whereby he resented an uncooperative Bartleby.  The principle encompassed loving the lord your God with your entire heart mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself. The actions following enactment of this principle/law would mean that the lawyer now had to love Bartleby inspite of his aggravating behavior. However, the difficulty the lawyer encounters is defining who his neighbor was and whether Bartleby qualified as his neighbor. It is my belief that this great question thereafter influenced the lawyer’s relationship with Bartleby and his actions were guided based on this assumption.

What was his obligation? Without any question the lawyer’s obligation based on the scripture guiding his actions was to love Bartleby.  Loving Bartleby was preconditioned by the lawyer loving the lord his god with all his heart and then his neighbor who could be Bartleby. This appears to be difficult for someone said if someone cannot love his neighbor who he/she sees how he/she can love God who cannot be seen.

Comment on West’s ideas about”Bartleby” and law: – Bartley and the law in summary of West’s analysis consisted of two journeys one of the Samaritan and the other the lawyer. He tries using the law to condemn Bartleby in ascribing punishment to wrong doing. It means that Bartleby’s suffering is directly related to some wrong doing or personal misappropriation. However, I do not agree with these ideas.