Bartleby

Bartleby

            In the story about Bartleby, written by his supervisor, the supervisor discusses many aspect of the office him and Bartleby worked in. There were a total of five people working in this law firm on Wall Street. The employees consisted of Bartleby, Melville, Ginger Nut, Turkey, and Nippers. Most of the employees are team players and tend to participate in work together when instructed to, but Bartleby stood out to his supervisor, Melville. As the author states, “Bartleby sat in his hermitage, oblivious to everything but his own particular business there.” (paragraph 50) Melville thought that Bartleby lived at the office, he never saw him leave or eat anything other than Ginger Nuts, and this was an interesting lifestyle to Melville. Bartleby is the hero of Melville’s story in his refusal to participate in a workplace that represents the sad, dreary atmosphere of a bureaucratic, industrialized society.

            Bartleby was hired to helped assist Melville in comparing documents and revising them. It was not long before Melville quickly realized the kind of employee that Bartleby truly was, and this startled him at first. “It was on the third day, I think, of his being with me, and before any necessity had arisen for having his own writing examined, that, being much hurried to complete a small affair I had in hand, I abruptly called to Bartleby…Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, ‘I would prefer not to.’” (paragraph 21.) As Bartleby declined the request he showed no emotion, agitation, or even the slightest bit of apology on his face. This response was the first of many regarding Bartleby. Each time he was asked to review documents or join the group for revisions he had declined the offers. Melville was shocked. “Had there been the least uneasiness, anger, impatience or impertinence in his manner; in other words, had there been anything ordinarily human about him, doubtless I should have violently dismissed him from the premises…I stood gazing at him awhile, as he went on with his own writing, and then reseated myself at my desk.” (paragraph 25) It was shortly after this incident Melville realized that Bartleby just liked to be alone and do his work alone. He so much liked to be on his own that he did not want to participate in revising his own documents. “These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you, because one examination will answer for your four papers.” (paragraph 36) Bartleby declined the offer once again. This decline makes Melville start to question his other employees and ask them what they think of Bartleby’s actions. As expected, the other employees agree with Melville and disregard Bartleby. “Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance…Even so, for the most part, I regarded Bartleby and his ways. Poor fellow! Thought I, he means no mischief; it is plain he intends no insolence; …He is useful to me.” (paragraph 53)  Where most employees would find this kind of reaction as disrespectful and lazy, Melville found it intriguing and an advantage for himself.

            The reason this intrigued him is because the other employees ran around and did what they were told and Bartleby went by his own faith and decided to be his own boss. As a supervisor this is helpful because it takes more stress off of Melville and he can entrust Bartleby to be a self-starter and motivator and know that his work will be complete. It is a sad and dreary work place because not everyone is treated as an equal and the business more ran like a dictatorship, because Melville is always calling the shots.

            As Melville quickly realized with Bartleby, it was going to be a process and learning experience to work with someone like Bartleby. There were many times of frustration and enlightenment while working with Bartleby that helped Melville become a better employer. As Bartleby became a hero to Melville by showing him that there were other ways to run a firm and did not always have to be by a bureaucratic, industrialized society.

Work Cited

Melville, Herman. “Bartleby The Scrivener, A Story of Wall Street.” New York: Putman,

1853.  https://www.bartleby.com/129 23 February 2012 (accessed.)