"But I waive the biographies of all other scriveners for a few passages in the life of Bartleby, who was a scrivener the strangest I ever saw or heard of."
The character of Bartleby is a frustrating and intriguing one at best. We first meet him as a quiet worker who does very well. However, I was done with him after his initial refusal. Not only does his catch phrase of, "I would prefer not to," get annoying, but his motives behind being like that go unnamed throughout the story. Who is this strange man? Why does he refuse to do anything? Perhaps the most frustrating aspect is his strangeness, the way he can sit and stare at a brick wall all day, and refusal to move out of an office that isn't even his. It makes one wonder what he represents in our society. What was Melville thinking? One frustration I felt was with the narrator. Enough is enough! Why did he continue to allow Bartleby to do whatever he pleased? The next landlord had no problem kicking him out. I am also curious as to what happened in his brain that made him quit copying. Or to give up on life in such a manner. Why did he refuse to eat in prison? He basically killed himself, in his own slow and strange way. However I commend Melville on provoking an emotional response in me to the story. It made it extremely entertaining.
only 2 characterization unit blog entries
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