Bartleby, the Hero in Herman Melville’s Short Story Bartleby the Scrivener

In both stories, after the characters are introduced, one begins to see situational changes within the characters. Bartleby, who once was a skillful, efficient worker and a valuable asset to the lawyer, has now ceased working and his superficial façade is none changing. He presents his employer with a constant and passive answer of “I would prefer not to” to all request and inquiries presented by the lawyer. He unwilling leaves the premises of his job and the lawyer try to put up with him but he finds his annoyance of Bartleby’s actions unbearable. Such as when he found that Bartleby was staying the office after all others had gone home and refusal to do any work and take any money from the lawyer and leave. Even the lawyer seems to be walled in by Bartleby and Bartleby’s

“Bartleby makes the lawyer question his own life, and eel very troubled, even ashamed, about it. Solitary young men, aloof and fastidious, are too much trouble “because of the extravagant demand they make in human nature.” (McCall, p. 7) (Emerson, p.

Herman Melville’s short story “Bartleby, the Scrivener” reveals different themes such as isolation and human morality test. In the story, the narrator runs a law firm and has a new Scrivener [Bartleby] who the narrator describes as“ the strangest I ever saw or heard of” (661). For the first few days, Bartleby is seen to be working fine, however, one day Bartleby just responds with “I would prefer not to” when anyone assigns a task to Bartleby (674). The real problems start to arise when Bartleby sleeps and eats at the office while denying to work or leave. The narrator illustrates the two main themes of human morals and isolation throughout the story with the use of biblical references to Bartleby as a leper and shows symbolism of the

Herman Melville is an acclaimed author of the American Renaissance period and his most commendable works include “Bartleby, the Scrivener”. The story of “Bartleby” is not only a revelation of the business world of the mid-19th century but at the same time, it is also the manifestation of the emerging capitalistic lifestyle of perhaps New York’s most prominent street, Wall Street. Bartleby is a rather peculiar yet captivating figure. Bartleby’s life and death contribute to a sort of enigma for the reader and his employer. “Bartleby, the Scrivener” is a story that criticizes the monotonous day-to-day cycle that the modern working man is forcibly put in by society. With that being said, the death of Bartleby not only serves as a reflection

The style of this story was not the greatest in the beginning, but got better the further into the story I got. As a reader, I found it very hard to concentrate on the first few pages because it had a very slow start to it. Once Bartleby was introduced, however, it was much easier to concentrate. The author created a great sense of mystery around Bartleby, and that is what pulled me into the story. I wanted to figure out who Bartleby was, where he came from, and why he behaved the

The author creates a sense of mystery, puzzle, which relentlessly attracts the reader through the whole work. When the author described Bartleby's character, he feels apologetic for his isolation and strange behavior. However, the author said that he depended on other people's judgments, Bartleby did not fit into the structure of established society. He would have to explain to every visitor why Bartleby violates someone invented the

“Bartleby, The Scrivener” is a memorable story, by Herman Melville, that is able to keep its readers captivated from beginning to end. How does the author successfully grab the attention of his readers? The author utilized his masterful command of the English language to convey the characters, setting, and plot effectively; and in the midst of all the detailed descriptions Melville have used food and the action of eating as powerful symbols. In the story three of the characters have names that are associated with food, and the main character of study, Bartleby, eventually dies of starvation by choice. Given the setting of the story was in the onset of the second industrial revolution, the coming of the big corporations where Wall

Why put so much focus on the narrator when there are so many questions to be answered about Bartleby. In “Bartleby,” the readers get to see the

The character of Bartleby in Herman Melville’s novella “Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street” is a person who refuses to become an object in capitalistic society. Initially, he is the perfect example of the objectification and mechanization of humans in the workplace. In essence, Bartleby is a machine that continually produces. Ultimately, he begins to resist the mind numbing repetition of his tasks and the mechanization of his life. The other main character, the narrator, is a facilitator of the capitalistic machine. He dehumanizes his employees by ensuring that their free will is denied in the workplace using objectifying nicknames, providing a workplace devoid of human touch and connection,; and perpetuating mechanized, repetitive work. Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener” shows the dehumanizing effects of working in a capitalistic environment and ultimately suggests that one must conform to a standard way of life or will cease to exist.

The lawyer, although an active member of society, alienates himself by forming walls from his own egotistical and materialistic character. The lawyer asserts, "All who know me consider me an eminently safe man" (Melville 131). The narrator is a very methodical and prudent man and has learned patience by working with others, such as Turkey, Ginger Nut, and Nippers. However, the lawyer's constant concern with his own self-approval cheapens his benevolence toward Bartleby. In fact, the lawyer is not able to see the desperate plight of Bartleby due to his unwavering concern of what the

“Bartleby, the Scrivener” is about a lawyer, the narrator, who prides himself in taking in employees who have quirky traits. At the beginning of the story, he employees three men, Turkey, Nippers, and Gingernut, are the names they are known as. Turkey is an older man who drinks heavily during his lunch break, Nippers is younger but described by the narrator as overly ambitious, and Gingernut, is a young boy who runs errands for the office. Turkey and Nippers are scriveners, and the man named Bartleby is hired as a third Scrivener. Bartleby is liked by the lawyer because he is very sedate and respectful. These scrivener’s run copies, and proofread documents for the lawyer, essentially, they do very mundane work daily, in a repetitive fashion. Bartleby begins rejecting his responsibilities at work, stating, “I would prefer not to.” The lawyer gives him a few days and tries again, with the same response, which he responded by trying to persuade his employee to do his work through reasonable reasons. Continuingly he refuses, and the narrator, is forced to slowly accept there is nothing he can do to help Bartleby. The lawyer begins taking him in as his responsibility, giving him multiple chances to do his job, and even accepts him living there, but when enough is enough he gives him six days to leave the office. At the end of his six days, the lawyer gives him his wages plus some extra cash to find somewhere to live. Eventually, his moral character won’t allow him to kick Bartleby out, to the point he picks up his business and moves. Still, Bartleby will not leave the prior office space. He hardly speaks, if he does it is to state something along the lines of, “I’d prefer not…” and he just sort of stares blankly with no

There are times in life when people become their own demons whilst there are other times that life is not fair to some people. When some people face problems in life, and they cry out for help, sometimes they get that help they need. On the other hand, some victims refuse the help offered to them. In “Bartleby the Scrivener,” written by Melville Herman, the narrator shouted, “Ah Bartleby! Ah Humanity!” when Bartleby died; an indication of devastation from him after attempts to help Bartleby, a scrivener in his office failed and let to his death. This shows the lawyer was caring, sympathetic, regretful, and devastated at the death of Bartleby.

Melville’s short story Bartleby the scrivener, describes the narrator as an elderly old man that wishes to give details of the life of Bartleby the scrivener. Bartleby was a completely emotionless human being who refuses to interact with the world around him. These actions shape the short story, picking at its viewers mind as to why Bartleby is disconnected from society. Bartleby worked in the dead letters office this may have triggered his inability to relate to the world around him. This motionless docility covered his inner troubles that he withheld from the world. The narrator states “I have known very many of them, professionally and privately, and if I pleased, could relate divers histories, at which good-natured gentlemen might smile, and sentimental souls might weep.” (Melville’s). In this he means that many persons might choose to smile as they find pleasure in reading “Bartleby” as much as those who might weep because they find the short story to be discouraging. In the 1970’s adaptation is one of those sentimental souls that the narrator is talking about in that it weeps for Bartleby, however the narrator brings the humor to life as he becomes speechless to Bartleby preferring not to do his work.

One can only help those who want to be helped and make an effort to fix the problems in their life. An unnamed lawyer, the narrator of Herman Melville’s tale Bartleby, found this out this out the hard way when a young man named Bartleby came to work for him. At first Bartleby was an excellent worker, but after a while, he began to lose his eyesight and was unable to work. Despite the lawyer’s offers of help, Bartleby did not want to do anything and made no effort to find a new line of work. Do to his encounters with Bartleby, the lawyer creates a theory which is that, the hearts of people naturally want to sympathize with those who are suffering, but when the suffering is so great that no matter what happens, nothing can be done to help them, common sense tells the soul to rid itself from the person in order to save themselves. This theory is relevant to all people, not just the lawyer. It also suggests that everyone has obligations to their neighbors as well as their fellow citizens.

Sometimes even the richest people in the world are not satisfied. On the other hand, though, some penniless people are much content with what they have. This indicates one should not base his contentment on the amount of money they have, but rather what makes them happy or their inner worth. Charles Dickens’s “Great Expectations” is a world set in Victorian England, where the main character, Pip receives money from a secret benefactor and travels from his home on the marshes to respected society in Britain. His father figure Joe Gargery is a loyal, and forgiving man, but Pip loses connection with him when he goes to Britain. In Britain, he meets his mentor who will teach him the ways of a true ‘Gentleman’, Matthew Pocket. Both of these men are content with what they have. Charles Dickens creates the characters of Joe Gargery, and Matthew Pocket to elucidate the theme that one’s inner worth too can serve as an aspect for fulfillment.