The characters in many poems, stories, and other works of art act as critiques or representations of the author's society. American writers Benjamin Franklin and Herman Melville both commented on their respective times using this method. Franklin uses poor Richard in “The Way to Wealth” to give voice to a new nation in the late 18th century. Similarly, Melville contemplates 19th-century industrialization and laissez-faire capitalism through an anonymous narrator in “Bartleby,” the Scrivener. The portraits of America illustrated by these two characters reveal a disparity between the two writers' visions of society. Franklin uses Poor Richard to inspire people to take advantage of the economic opportunities opened up by the new America, creating an optimistic view of society. In contrast, Melville's narrator, the Scrivener, is deeply disturbed by Bartleby, a social outcast, thereby criticizing the American capitalist ideal. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay To transform poor Richard into a glorifier of American ideals, Franklin presents him as a model citizen who arouses the admiration of his compatriots. Capitalist freedom of economic self-determination – although limited to white men – was becoming an American value in Franklin's time. Poor Richard's hard work and financial savvy reflect this ideology, and the social approval he achieves honors the American system. Franklin begins to shape poor Richard's image, giving him pop icon status. Richard is a writer who creates proverbs about economics for his readers to draw inspiration from. He says that while walking around town, “I have often heard one or other of my adages repeated with “as Richard says” at the end; this gave me some satisfaction, for it not only showed that my instructions were being followed, but I also discovered some respect for my authority” (517). Richard positions himself as an economic model, just like Steve Forbes or Bill Gates today. Franklin then illustrates the audience's indirect respect for Richard's economic methodology through the character of Father Abraham, a wise old man. In a scene where the townspeople complain about their financial difficulties, they turn to Father Abraham for advice, and he plays the role of the stereotypical village elder, quoting one of Poor Richard's adages: “If you had my opinion, I would give it to you in brief, for a word to the wise is enough, and many words will not fill a bushel, as poor Richard says” (517). Here, the word “wise” underlines the reliability of Father Abraham. This saying captivates the public and the locals clamor for it to continue, thus establishing their respect for Father Abraham. Since Father Abraham quotes poor Richard, this respect is actually addressed to poor Richard's wisdom. Father Abraham continues to quote poor Richard with a number of sayings that teach people how to manage their finances. The majority of these quotes advocate industry and frugality, values ​​in line with the freedoms of capitalism. For example, there is a saying: “Laziness makes all things difficult, but industry easy” (518). After the sermon, the audience expressed their approval of Father Abraham's advice. The locals' support for Poor Richard's words gives him the image of an American leader and fosters feelings of nationalism, as the people's faith in Poor Richard translates into a faith in American ideals. . It was without a doubtFranklin's intention, because poor Richard is actually an extension of himself. In “The Autobiography,” Franklin reveals his support for American social mobility and strives to be a financial advisor to his contemporaries, thus drawing parallels with poor Richard. For example, on the recommendation of his friends, Franklin agreed to write the final part of his autobiography as a guide to young Americans. Furthermore, two of the thirteen virtues that he advocates - and which are comparable to poor Richard's proverbs - are Industry and Frugality, two notions linked to capitalism (592). Since Franklin is one of the founding fathers of American independence, it is natural to attach patriotic and nationalist sentiments to his name. While poor Richard is a trustworthy and admirable character, whose confidence is bolstered by the support of his countrymen, Melville's narrator in "Bartleby", the Scrivener, becomes a confused and troubled man when his notions of society are shaken. The confusion and conflict that ensues leads the reader to question the authoritarian processes of American capitalism. Melville represents American capitalism through the narrator and his business, a law firm. The story's subtitle, "A Story of Wall-Street" (2330), creates an immediate image of American capitalism, since Wall Street is the economic powerhouse of the country. Before hiring Bartleby, the Scrivener had found good order in American affairs. To him, the authority relationships implicit in capitalism seemed entirely natural: they provided a stable and efficient way of getting things done. He feels very secure at the beginning of the story: “Everyone who knows me considers me an eminently secure man” (2330). However, knowledge of Bartleby destroys his sense of security. Bartleby's character is something of an enigma: he is a terrible worker, with no concept of business relationships or basic social processes. Whenever the narrator asks Bartleby to perform the tasks expected of him, he responds with the refrain "I would rather not do it" (2338), which perplexes the narrator. The narrator is then forced to confront the disparity between his faith in authority and American affairs, and his concern for Bartleby as another human being. On the one hand, the narrator blames Bartleby for causing trouble, while maintaining his faith in the rules of business. He considers Bartleby to be an “incurable despairer” (2335) and a “wanderer” (2349). On the other hand, the narrator wonders if he should forget their business relationship - which is about forgetting social expectations - and try to help Bartleby as a neighbor by keeping him employed and financially secure. Melville reveals the narrator's thoughts to illustrate the dilemma. An example of this internal struggle occurs when the narrator considers throwing Bartleby out on the street to fend for himself. Melville writes: What should I do? What must I do... Get rid of him, I must do it; leave, he will. But how? You will not push him, the poor pale and passive mortal - you will not push such a helpless creature from your door? you will not disgrace yourself by such cruelty? No, I won't, I can't do that (2349). The narrator's absurd solution to the problem – moving his entire office – only adds to the chaos. By distorting the narrator's schema of American capitalism, Melville reveals the dehumanizing aspects of the 19th-century American workplace. The narrator's awareness that he must choose between Bartleby's rules of productivity and well-being forces readers to question whether capitalism is a civilized and just system...