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Research Paper On Bartleby The Scrivener

522 Words3 Pages
“Bartleby the Scrivener” Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby the Scrivener,” examines the dehumanization of workers in the capitalist economic system of the 19th century. A business lawyer hires a new scrivener named Bartleby. The conflict arises as Bartleby refuses to do his job altogether, responding with, “I would prefer not to” (1). In an attempt to rid himself of the “intolerable incubus” (1) the narrator moves office locations. The police throw Bartleby in prison for not leaving the old premises, and Bartleby eventually dies of starvation because he refused to eat. Through passive resistance, Bartleby acts as a catalyst for the uprise of the proletariats in the American during the 19th century. The narrator, a capitalist, sees his
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