Characterization in Books

Nea is the main character in Saving Sourdi by Lee Chai. Throughout the book, the author has presented her as a character who strives to save her sister. “Bartleby The Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street” by Herman Melville is a story revolving around a lawyer. Surprisingly, the author gives the lawyer the lead role of becoming the narrator. The lawyer explains the story of a man who he thinks is strange. In both books, the authors present the main characters as people of unique personalities. This is mainly due to the thoughts and experiences that both of them go through in their lives. However, as much as some of the actions that the two have are admirable they do not seem to be motivated by selfless intentions. It is some of the actions that the two main characters do, that call for more sympathy than admiration from the reader.

The author avoids mentioning the lawyer as the narrator of the story. The lawyer is an owner of a firm in Wall Street. He is around sixty years old and is an industrious man. He employs Bartleby in his firm, which at firm seems like a reasonable prospect due to the hardworking nature of his new employee (Melville, 150). However, this changes real fast as Bartleby gets into the habit of avoiding most of the work offered. The last straw is when Bartleby prefers to do nothing at all. The lawyer is unable to kick him out and instead he leaves. The lawyer can be seen to have genuine intentions although his main intention is to buy conscience (Melville, 150). Living in El Salvador, I can relate to this story because my father is an employer. He tries to assist the poor employees but just like Bartleby, they prefer not to listen to his advice.

“Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai is a story whose main character is Sourdi’s controlling younger sister is Nea. Nea wants to take total control over her sister, and she wants things to be like in their younger years. However, her conception changes after the accident with a knife in the restaurant and the organized marriage of Sourdi to the wealthy Mr. Chhay by their mother. With her whole life being centered in America, she does not understand why her mother seeks a wife for Sourdi. As much Nea loves her sister, I do not sympathize with her actions. When I was in 6th grade, my brother was a college student in Switzerland. However, I wanted everything to be just like in our younger days when I was a bother to him. All this has changed and now my emotions are based on my brother’s personal needs.

Conclusively, it is perceivable that both the lawyer and Nea undergo changes in the story. The lawyer changes the story in the way he looks at his employees especially Bartleby. Both characters have unique characteristics but Bartleby has more effect. The lawyer helps Bartleby although he has ulterior motives of self-approval. Nea also changes her perception on the world. This is because she is unable to understand why the world seems unfair. However, in spite of assistance to her sister, most of her actions were under the influence of jealousy and selfishness. It is only with time that she starts to accept things as they are.

Works cited

Chai, May-Lee. “Saving Sourdi”. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed.   Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2011. . Print

Melville, Herman. “Bartleby, The Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street”. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2011. 150. Print

Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 125 – 126. Print