Since he will not quit me, I must quit him. "Ah , Ah Humanity." (Page 140, Herman Melville) This is the key to , written by Herman Melville, for it indicates that stands as a symbol for humanity. This in turn functions as a commentary on society and the working world, for is a seemingly homeless, mentally disturbed scrivener who gives up on the prospect of living life. However, by doing so is attempting to exercise his freewill, for he would "prefer not to" work. His relationship to the narrator is thus significant, for ....