Bartleby the scrivener

¶ … Mystery of Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener"

Herman Melville's story, "Bartleby the Scrivener" is a short story about the complexities of human nature. Bartleby is a peculiar character and his words, along with how he speaks them become almost an obsession with the narrator. One of the most interesting aspects of "Bartleby" is the fact that the reader knows very little about Bartleby. From the text, readers interpret Bartleby is prudent, passive man with an odd connection to death. Bartleby is not mean, aggressive or belligerent and these characteristics puzzle the narrator to a point of obsession. The narrator cannot force Bartleby to communicate with him but he cannot feel anger toward the man, only pity. Beyond his death, he remains a mystery. Melville provides very little information about this confusing character to force readers to think about him on their own.

In the beginning of the story, readers see that Bartleby pleases the narrator. Bartleby is prudent. The narrator explains Bartleby is the "quickest, steadiest creature" (Melville). He is eager to work and the narrator states he seemed to "gorge himself on my documents . . . copying by sun-light and by candle-light" (Melville). Bartleby does not go out to lunch and "he never went anywhere" (Melville). Bartleby was "always there" (Melville) at work. Readers are also told about Bartleby's "steadiness, his freedom from all dissipation" (Melville). The narrator enjoys Bartleby's eagerness to wok. Bartleby might be odd, but the narrator overlooks this -- in the beginning. This early behavior is important because if the changes that are to come. Bartleby seems to transform from a compliant worker to a non-conformist without cause.

Bartleby's sudden change dos not please the narrator. His compliance disappears and he refuses to follow orders. However, there is more than a simple refusal to perform a task. The way Bartleby refuses to do the task is surprising. While Bartleby may be odd, he is generally compliant. Bartleby is calm in his refusal and the narrator can sense no anger or uneasiness in his manner. While the narrator thinks he should dismiss him immediately, he does not. He cannot bring himself to fire Bartleby because of his demeanor. This is an interesting paradox. The next time Bartleby refuses to perform a task, readers are told he does so "gently" (Melville). The narrator unsuccessfully gets nothing out of Bartleby about his personal life or why he might be acting the way he is. The narrator reaches out to Bartleby when he believes his eyesight to be failing him. Bartleby claims that even if his eyesight were good, he would prefer not to do anymore tasks for the narrator. Bartleby does not explain why he prefers not to do the tasks and this makes the situation even more interesting. The narrator still cannot bring himself to dismiss Bartleby. He is perplexed and astounded. Bartleby is not a rude or vindictive employee; he is more pitiful.

Bartleby is passive. Readers come to this conclusion from the narrator's reaction to him. Instead of becoming angry, the narrator finds himself "considerably reconciled" (Melville) to Bartleby. We know that Bartleby is getting away with something but he is doing so in a peculiar way that upsets the narrator, yet he is unable to do anything about it. The narrator realizes he should become angry but he does not. He cannot bring himself to do the man any injury even though Bartleby has not asked for help or assistance. When the narrator discovers Bartleby in the office on a Sunday, he is overcome with an "overpowering stinging melancholy" (Melville). The more he thinks of Bartleby, the more he moves from pity to repulsion. He determines that Bartleby suffers from a mental trauma. These actions come from a man of which the narrator and the readers know very little. It would seem logical for the narrator to assume Bartleby had suffered some cruel injustice. The narrator feels pity for Bartleby because he seems sad; he goes nowhere, seems to eat or drink nothing, and says nothing. Everything the narrator and readers feel at this point are not because of anything Bartleby does per se. These emotions are based on very little and Bartleby does not provoke any of them.

Bartleby has a connection to death. This last piece of information the narrator reveals might be the most significant in regard to understanding Bartleby's behavior. Being a clerk in the Dead Letter Office must certainly take its toll on someone, the narrator surmises. This occupation seems to fit Bartleby's nature; the narrator describes Bartleby as being "pallid" and "incurably forlorn" (Melville). The connection readers find to Bartleby and death is how the man is like one of the letters that goes nowhere. All of the good things people may have written down to encourage others are lost. Strangely, the sender of the letter never knows the letter did not arrive. They assume it did, never once thinking it was lost along the way and made it into the hands of a man tragically affected by it. Good cheer and hope "speed to death" (Melville), much like Bartleby did. Bartleby seemed to speed his way toward death because of his reticent behavior. He chose not to work or reveal anything about himself. He literally wasted away without a clue as to why. Dead letters go unanswered like the questions surrounding Bartleby's life.