Herman Melville 's Bartleby The Scrivener

The narrator of the story becomes shocked when he discovers that Bartleby, who only feeds on ginger nuts, has never left the office. This is actually the first time that the narrator experiences the spiritual power that Bartleby possesses. The narrator is so much business oriented that he only looks at the world in terms of profits. However, when he encounters this aspect of the spirit of Bartleby, his attitude towards life changes. He begins appreciating the fact that Bartleby deserves better treatment, not in the capitalist way. The narrator even sees what is a right, just as an asset, but this perception is later changed by Bartleby’s spirit: “What earthly right have you to stay here? Do you pay any rent? Do you pay my taxes? Or is this property yours?” (Melville, 41).

In the narrator’s office, Bartleby is faced with being holed up by his employer. The narrator tells us “I resolved to assign Bartleby a corner by the folding-doors, but on my side of them… I placed his desk close up to a small side window in that part of the room, a window which originally had afforded a lateral view of certain grimy backyards and bricks, but which owing to subsequent erections, commanded no present view at all, though it gave some light… Still to further satisfactory arrangement, I procured a high green folding screen, which might entirely isolate Bartleby from my sight…” (Melville, 301). He has essentially cut Bartleby off from any forms of communication by this set-up, alienating him from the other workers in the office and the narrator as well. We see Bartleby deteriorate through his time in the office, starting off as a hard worker, to denying to do certain parts of his job, and finally, to completely cutting himself off and not doing any work, much to the chagrin of the narrator and the others. The work itself could also be compared to that of what he did in the Dead Letter Office, copying dead letters day in and day out for the law. There is no real destination for what he does, the works he copies will end up gathering

The lawyer is not able to focus on anything because Bartleby will not move from the office or do any work. The lawyer then decides to pay Bartleby a “twenty-dollar bill over and above whatever [is in Bartleby’s account] and tell him his services” are not necessary (674).The lawyer throws money at Bartleby instead of handing it to him in his hands. The lawyer is trying to get rid of Bartleby to let the law firm make money. Melville portrays a constant war of conscience in the lawyer's mind regarding Bartleby's actions and the lawyer's reactions. The lawyer goes to church regularly yet does not show the Christian beliefs and ethics.

In “Bartleby, the Scrivener” the author, Herman Melville, uses indirect references to hint to many historical, literary, and biblical events. “Bartleby, the Scrivener” contains many allusions about important events that help connect this fictional story to actual events in Melville’s time period, before, and beyond. Melville uses allusions frequently throughout “Bartleby, the Scrivener” to help build connections with the real world and the fictitious world of this short story.

In Herman Melville's short story, Bartleby, the Scrivener, the narrator's attitude towards Bartleby is constantly changing, the narrator's attitude is conveyed through the author's use of literary elements such as; diction-descriptive and comical, point of view-first person, and tone-confusion and sadness.

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 does not want to be a part of the world, he is used to changing into a more industrial world. He tries to refuse to fall into the trap that others have fallen into. Some would say that he is doing this because he may have a mental illness. There are all different kinds of mental illnesses and back then during the time of Bartleby they were not treated like they are today; many were not even diagnosed back then, society out cast these unfortunate people as being weird. A mental illness that makes him not want to be a part of society. Hannah Walser says, “an apparently “mind blind” character like Bartleby not only represents a pathological condition-autism or something like it- but constitutes a kind of textual pathology; a devotion from fiction evolutionary mandate” (Walser 313-314). Rereading this short story after hearing this quote; makes reader’s realize the signs that

In the short story “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” which was written by Herman Melville, the character named Bartleby is a very odd, yet interesting individual. In the story, Bartleby is introduced when he responds to a job opening at the narrator’s office. Although there is no background information given about him, it becomes very apparent that he will be the antagonist in this story. Unlike the usual image put on the antagonist, Bartleby causes conflict with a very quiet and calm temperament. This character’s attitude, along with the fact that he is a flat and static character, makes him a very unique antagonist, and this fact is shown through the way other characters approach and deal with his conflict.

In the short story, "Bartleby the Scrivener," Herman Melville employs the use of plot, setting, point of view, characterization, and tone to reveal the theme. Different critics have widely varying ideas of what exactly the main theme of "Bartleby" is, but one theme that is agreed upon by numerous critics is the theme surrounding the lawyer, Bartleby, and humanity. The theme in "Bartleby the Scrivener" revolves around three main developments: Bartleby's existentialistic point of view, the lawyer's portrayal of egotism and materialism, and the humanity they both possess. The three developments present the lawyer's and Bartleby's alienation from the world into a "safe" world of their own design.

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.

I am writing this essay because I think it is important that everyone knows what ambiguous means and how you can get ambiguous themes out of the story. There are three more scriveners that I will later explain, but as you will learn in the story, Bartleby is a different kind of scrivener, but a very interesting one that portrays his own voice and

Throughout the short story, Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, the author magnifies certain themes by using the actions and reactions of the main characters. By using the themes: alienation, man’s desire to avoid conflict, and man’s desire to keep a free conscience, the author conveys a mood of compassion and sympathy towards all people, even lawyers. In today’s society, to many, it seems as if people do not treat others with as much compassion as they should. However, there are some examples of comparisons between today’s society and text evidence found in Bartleby the Scrivener that prove compassion to be present. Beside the estimated 150 year time frame, these examples display that the themes

He was able to see that the man he hired was using his office for his own living home. “For the first time in my life a feeling of overpowering stinging melancholy seized me. Before, I had never experienced aught but a not unpleasing sadness.”(Herman Melville, page 320). the narrator is feeling sad for Bartleby, he feels sad that the man who works for him is lonely and has no one to be with. However, as the story keeps going Bartleby refused to do anything. When asked to do something his simple words are, “I prefer not to.” the narrator did not like this and he got mad that he decided to move his business somewhere else. He didn't want to be in charge of Bartleby when the man would not do any work. He was proud of himself for leaving him behind without getting angry but being able to control his anger. “When again I entered my office, lo, a note from the landlord lay upon my desk. I opened it with trembling hands. It informed me that the writer had sent to the police, and had Bartleby remove to the Tombs as a vagrant.” (Herman Melville, page 329). everyone knew that the narrator knew more about Bartleby then they did. They wanted the narrator to be able and do something about Bartleby. As Bartleby was in the Tomb the narrator took time out to go and visit him. The first time he visited him Bartleby ignored him. The narrator out of his good character went to the person who cooks for them and gave him money so he can get Bartleby some good food. As stubborn as

As a powerful tool of freedom, writing expresses many thoughts and ideals that call forth realizations in a person’s mind, whether it could be about the world or their own self. In today’s society, there are people who benefit from being born into wealthy, fortunate families, as well as people who struggle to gain money when raised in less fortunate families. Although these people have different backgrounds, every person has their own ambitions and dreams they want to achieve in life. Herman Melville, author of Redburn: His First Voyage, shows us the blindness that can be revealed when people are focusing too much on their own individual goals and self. The main character, Redburn, questions the cold society:

Since each reader is influenced by their own ideology, experience and background, it can result in several different interpretations as to why Bartleby acts this way. Critics have offered different viewpoints in attempting to unravel the mystery of Bartleby. Rogin writes, “Bartleby’s “I prefer not to” is an echo of [Thoreau’s] “Civil Disobedience.” … The intent of passive resistance was to save the adversary as well as to triumph over him. It avoided the costs of direct aggression.” (Rogin, 1071). Clearly, Bartleby was not a confrontational type and used passive resistance to stand up for himself. Friedman agrees, as he writes, “Without anger, impatience, or impertinence, Bartleby sets a limit to the employer’s ready willingness to relate to him as non-human machine. … Bartleby asserts through his passive resistance that he does after all exist as a self, even if only in this entirely negative form.” (Friedman, 1081). The quiet worker showed strength and courage at a time where it needed to be shown. He refused to be treated as a machine and wanted to show his adversary that he too, exists. Sadly, the story ends with Bartleby dying from starvation. Although the initial reaction that readers may have to the tragic ending is a sense of loss and sadness, both Rogin and Friedman argue that despite the unhappy ending, there is an underlying message