Herman Melville: Bartleby the Scrivener

A detailed Summary of Herman Melville: Bartleby the Scrivener


Herman Melville: "Bartleby the Scrivener"

The narrator's life in Herman Melville's "Bartleby The Scrivener" was dramatically changed by his encounter with Bartleby. The narrator thought he was hiring a harmless scrivener but later learns that he has gotten much more than he bargained for.

Bartleby had come to the narrator by answering a classified advertisement. The narrator's initial opinion of Bartleby was that he was "'pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, and incurably forlorn.'" (238) Bartleby did exceptional work for his employer. He was quick and efficient, coming in before and leaving after the other employees.

Everything started to change when one day, the narrator needed to have copies of a document examined for errors. He calls to his other scriveners then to Bartleby and much to his surprise, Bartleby replied with a singularly mild, firm voice stating "'I would prefer not to.'" (239) Of course the narrator is appalled! In thinking that perhaps he had heard wrong he asked again and was greeted with the same response. He should have turned Bartleby out on his ear f


Throughout the entire story "Bartleby The Scrivener", the narrator goes through one metamorphosis after another in his views and feelings of Bartleby and his entire situation. In the beginning it was relief at the increased help in his office to distress and finally anxiety of the growing problem with Bartleby. Overall, it was an emotional ride for the narrator that ends in either a good or bad note, depending on how one might interpret the entire piece.

The turning point occurs one Sunday, on his way to church, the narrator decides to stop by his office and is shocked to find that his key will not work in the lock. Bartleby is inside and asks him to walk around the block a few times and come back. Oddly the narrator complies while wondering what to do. This is such an ironic twist. Who is the employer here? Bartleby was quite clever manipulating his employer the way he does. Whether it was intentional is forever to be decided.

Another twist occurs when returning to the office to find Bartleby gone. He realized that Bartleby had been residing in the office during off hours. I

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Approximate Word count = 738
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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