Because I don't feel like using Word

What am I going to write about? I liked Bareltby, The Scrivener because, yes he refused to change, but ultimately, that was his downfall, same for Emily, same for Abner. None changed, and when I think about it, Emily and Abner were the only two that were clueless how to change. Bartelby was the only one with enough consciousness, which he freely relinquished, but enough none the less to change, though he became a victim of his working conditions.

I suppose what I'm saying up there is that it took a change in Bartelby so that he may reach his demise whereas Emily and Abner were doomed from the start. Why? Abner had no smarts, no intellect, no idea that he needed to change, no formal education, no scholarly background what so ever. Emily, she had the best in the south, here family was wealthy, but because of her father's stern vigil, she being kept in the back, hidden from the world, why, because, according to her father, the world was not good enough for her.

If I narrowed the topic down to Bartelby and Abner or Bartelby and Emily I could focus more on what changed, the people or the places, but I can't do this as a compare and contrast piece; it has to be subjective, with whatever elements of psychology, history, I think, some other fields, but I can clear that up on Tuesday.

I would like to talk about the atmosphere around them; bring in other characters who emphasize the worlds they live in, both characters.

And then there's Krebs.

The war changed him, and he could not return to his small town roots. In fact he came to despise his people, and even himself. It seemed he was going the path of Bartelby, only he actually did things. Rather than starving himself he stuck with routine, and that alone is death.

Narrowing down: 1.The living elements 2.What changed them. 3. What didn't change(?)

Bartelby: Worked in the dead letter office. All of those unheard prayers he was forced to burn turned him inside out, shutting him down, throwing himself into self-alienation.

Krebs: The war broke him down. When he returned home he had no hero's welcome, no grand parade, and his father still used the mother to wear Krebs down. Krebs was no longer connected to anyone in his home, but he still loved his young sisters, the last remaining innocence in his life.

I'd still like to stick Abner Snopes in there somewhere, but I don't want to weigh down the paper. It needs to stay simple, too much and I'm in over my head.

Thesis:Bartelby and Krebs were both victims of their social constructs, forced into self-alienation (or something like that).

IT'S A FREAKIN' START, DAMMITT!!!