What am I working on? Bartleby

I read the story of Bartleby before I realized there were going to be three thesis options to chose from to write our essay. After I read the story of Bartleby I looked over the thesis possibilities and none of them really spoke to me, but after some brainstorming and reflection, I ended up choosing the second thesis option:

"Bartleby's ghostly presence in the story is the result of the breakdown of the narrator's mind.  In fact, Bartleby does not exist at all as an actual scrivener, but instead represents a part of the narrator that he wishes to repress in order to become a more effective and industrious worker." 

I guess the interesting point on this thesis is when I first read the story, it never crossed my mind that Bartleby might not exist and could only exist in the mind of the narrator.  I guess the more I thought about this thesis, the more the ideas flowed.  I read the story of Bartleby a second time with this thesis in mind and was pretty excited about the possibilities for this essay.

Basically I wrote about the narrator being in a profession that did not fit his personality and desired peace.  So in time of breakdown or as a way of coping, his imagination creates this other person, Bartleby, who he wishes he could be more like in his everyday life.  Eventually the turbulent and aggressive profession kills off that peaceful part of the narrator, which is reflected in the death of Bartleby.

Overall a pretty interesting assignment. At first it did not engage me, but as I wrestled with the concept, it started to challenge me and exercise my imagination.  After some time Bartleby grew on me.