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Bartleby The Scrivener Literary Analysis

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Bartleby is a scrivener for the narrator of Herman Melville’s story who’s unwillingness to cooperate whatsoever with his boss’s desires causes unrest and instability for the narrator and his company. “Bartleby, the Scrivener” is written from the perspective of the company’s boss and how Bartleby’s actions affect him and cause the events described in the story. While the story’s plot explores the effects of the conflict between Bartleby the narrator, the cause of the conflict itself lies not in Bartleby’s unwillingness to work, but the fluidity and complexity of Bartleby’s identity. Bartleby’s position on the social hierarchy and the expectations associated with being a scrivener create conflicts of identity for Bartleby; Melville’s story, …show more content…

As a whole, scriveners are expected to complete their tedious job of copying and remain silent and almost function like machines. Bartleby is unwilling to function like a machine and often refuses to complete tasks. For example, after being asked to review his copies, a part of his job, Bartleby explicitly refuse which rattles the narrator. “’These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you[…]. It is common usage. Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. Is it not so? Will you not speak? Answer!’ ‘I prefer not to,’ he replied” (1109-1110). Bartleby’s unwillingness to complete the last part of copying, reviewing his work, seems to be astounding and insane to the narrator because it is considered a requirement for scriveners—to some, however, this final duty may appear frivolous and unnecessary. Bartleby view the task in this way, and, therefore, chooses to disobey the narrator’s wishes and refrain from completing the review of his copy. While Bartleby’s unwillingness to review his copy can be comprehended, to the narrator it is unexpected and unacceptable because all other scriveners dutifully review their copy. This makes Bartleby’s identity change because he now appears lazy and disobedient because he is being evaluated in comparison with Turkey, Nippers and other scriveners who do review their

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