While writing literature, there are often many similarities in characters even if they are from completely different stories. In order to recognize these similarities one must know and understand the specific characters. These characters often face challenges throughout the story. Some challenges not so different from a character in another story. Where the characters usually differ is in the way they react to the problem that has been placed in front of them. This is not always the case though, as one may find out. In the story Bartleby and the movie The Elephant Man there are two characters that face challenges that are strikingly similar to one another. The Narrator (Bartleby) and Dr. Treves (The Elephant Man) face very similar difficulties. Although their situations come about in completely different ways, they deal with these challenges in similar ways at times. Both the Narrator and Dr. Treves allow themselves to change according to the actions of other characters around them.
In both pieces the characters face similar challenges that came about in entirely different ways. Their challenges consisted of helping an outcast of society. The Narrator's challenge comes about by hiring Bartleby. Dr. Treves" challenge comes about by his curiosity about the Elephant Man. The Narrator hired Bartleby hoping that he would be a good worker. He needed someone to balance out his office. Bartleby was the man he needed for the job, for a while anyways. He then began refusing to work and that is where the Narrator's problems began. Dr. Treves" challenge began early. After the Elephant Man sideshow was shutdown before he got to see it, his curiosity escalated. He paid for a private showing of the Elephant Man and saw just how inhuman the Elephant man looked. He then realized he could make a name for himself by showing this to his colleagues and here began his problem because he began feeling sorry for the Elephant Man and started taking care of him.
