Good transition to Walter Johnson's On Agency - between the world and the black body needs to exist some rage to express their oppression. If the black man (or woman) doesn't subscribe their agency when they are trapped in a rageful place - they aren't "reclaiming their agency" - this (forcing black folks to expose their souls for the benefit of letting their pain be known) is a form of good intentioned white supremacy.

Up until this point Bartleby has said nothing. I would like to make it clear that this where I will be changing the story and adding my own creativity. Of course we know that Marx is not a character in this novella, but for the sake of my theme I have included him. I have included this move for Bartleby; implying that it was Marx's statements that sparked his refusal to work.

I have intentionally left Bartleby speechless for this section. Melville's novella does not give Bartleby any words and it has proven right to do so. If all he does is work, no speaking and no eating, it will be more dramatic when he refuses to work.

I'd like to know exactly where he gets this thought from. There are plenty of games that are used to target external purposes. His statement then makes me question what does he mean by external purposes. Trivia games, LIfe replica games: SIMS, and even r playing games have benefits outside of the game.

The racial dimension of "humane satisfaction" makes me deeply uncomfortable, understandably.

What's interesting about the usage of "Black Friars" is not just for the literal, racial sense, but also because of the deeper meaning that "Black Friars" has. The Black Friars referred to The Order of Preachers (an order founded by Saint Dominic de Guzman) and they received that name because they wear a black cloak over their white habits. One of their mottos, was Veritas or "truth." The significance of this is the fact that the mutineers are out in the open, playing this "white" role that normally perplexes the common captain at the time, but aren't afraid to show their true colors and not afraid to be black and hold power.

a Spanish robe worn by women that covers all but the face.

Interesting. I think that people's notes or annotations of certain texts might actually provide insight into their psychology. But I think that this would only be true within certain parameters: I wouldnt think much personal info can be inferred from someone's notes on a technical manual or something of that sort; also, I think the reader would have to be reading in an un-manipulated way--notes for the sake of commenting to one's self, not for the sake of a specific assignment, for example.

It could be fascinating to essentially experience a text through someone else's mind; see how differently a text can be experienced. However, this seems like an activity of leisure for someone with an abundance of leisure-time.