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Meaningless Work with Words: The Literary Figure of the Scribe
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2019-11-22
Author(s)
Abstract
The literary figure of the scribe does meaningless work with meaningful words: 'good' modern scribes are required to reproduce texts in large quantities; in order to write efficiently, they must not heed the meaning of the words. In other words, scribes decouple the signifier from the signified, and by dismissing the referent, the signifier becomes its own signified. Such a “liquidation of referentials” with all its consequences is, according to Jean Baudrillard, a characteristic phenomenon of late capitalism and its logic of equivalences. When referents are abolished and signs are integrated into a system of signs which makes meaning more “malleable,” the duplication of referent-less signs has repercussions for the power of language with regard to comprehending, communication, and social bonding.
The most famous scribe in American literary history is Herman Melville’s scrivener Bartleby, who stands at the beginning of capitalist production methods in the USA. Amy Rowland’s The Transcriptionist of 2014 discusses the scribe’s plight from a contemporary perspective. While Bartleby, according to Deleuze, radicalizes referentless language and exemplifies its perverted power, Rowland’s transcriptionist sets out to retrieve lost referents. As such, the scrivener and the transcriptionist approach the dialectics of sign and referent from different ends of history, but both explore the pervasive thread of meaninglessness, despite their work with meaningful words.
The most famous scribe in American literary history is Herman Melville’s scrivener Bartleby, who stands at the beginning of capitalist production methods in the USA. Amy Rowland’s The Transcriptionist of 2014 discusses the scribe’s plight from a contemporary perspective. While Bartleby, according to Deleuze, radicalizes referentless language and exemplifies its perverted power, Rowland’s transcriptionist sets out to retrieve lost referents. As such, the scrivener and the transcriptionist approach the dialectics of sign and referent from different ends of history, but both explore the pervasive thread of meaninglessness, despite their work with meaningful words.
Language
English
Keywords
American literature
literary scriveners
sign
reference
Baudrillard
Melville
Rowland
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Event Title
3rd International Conference: "The Power of Language"
Event Location
University of Shkodra "Luigj Gurakuqi", Dept. of English, Albania
Event Date
22.-23.11.2019
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Contact Email Address
sixta.quassdorf@unisg.ch
References
Primary Literature:
Melville, Herman. (1984 [1853]). ”Bartleby, the Scrivener. A Story of Wall Street.” Herman Melville. Pierre, Israel Potter, The Piazza Tales, The Confidence-Man, Uncollected Prose, Billy Budd, Sailor. New York: The Library of America, 635-672.
Rowland, Amy (2014). The Transcriptionist. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books.
Secondary Literature:
Baudrillard, Jean (1994 [1981]). Simulacra and Simulation. Transl. Sheila Faria Glaser. Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press.
Berardi, Franco (2009). The Soul at Work: From Alienation to Autonomy. Los Angeles: Semiotext(e) Foreign Agents Series.
Deleuze, Gilles (1994). Bartleby oder die Formel. Berlin: Merve-Verlag.
Grice, Paul Herbert (1957). “Meaning.” The Philosophical Review vol. 66:3, pp. 377-88.
--- (1975). “Logic and Conversation.” Syntax and Semantics vol. 3, pp. 41–58.
Sperber, Dan and Deirdre Wilson (2007 [1995]). Relevance: Communication & Cognition. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Melville, Herman. (1984 [1853]). ”Bartleby, the Scrivener. A Story of Wall Street.” Herman Melville. Pierre, Israel Potter, The Piazza Tales, The Confidence-Man, Uncollected Prose, Billy Budd, Sailor. New York: The Library of America, 635-672.
Rowland, Amy (2014). The Transcriptionist. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books.
Secondary Literature:
Baudrillard, Jean (1994 [1981]). Simulacra and Simulation. Transl. Sheila Faria Glaser. Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press.
Berardi, Franco (2009). The Soul at Work: From Alienation to Autonomy. Los Angeles: Semiotext(e) Foreign Agents Series.
Deleuze, Gilles (1994). Bartleby oder die Formel. Berlin: Merve-Verlag.
Grice, Paul Herbert (1957). “Meaning.” The Philosophical Review vol. 66:3, pp. 377-88.
--- (1975). “Logic and Conversation.” Syntax and Semantics vol. 3, pp. 41–58.
Sperber, Dan and Deirdre Wilson (2007 [1995]). Relevance: Communication & Cognition. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Eprints ID
258466