Bartleby, the Scrivener

2/25/2013

Herman Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener" baffled readers when it was first published in 1853. It continues to confuse readers who don't always understand why Bartleby continually insists "I would prefer not to" when asked to do anything at the law office where he works. Readers have also been confused about the role of the narrator and whether he's genuinely concerned about Bartleby's fate.

What do you think about these issues? Post your thoughts by addressing one or both of the following sets of questions:

What motivates Bartleby's refusal to work or even eat by the end of the story? What do you think Melville is trying to say about office work? Do you admire or look down on Bartleby as a character? Is he rebellious or simply crazy?

Is the narrator genuinely concerned about Bartleby's well being, or is he simply trying to make himself feel better? What evidence do you have to support your claim?

After you post a response, respond to at least two classmates. Be sure to engage in real discussion for full credit.

76 Comments

Mackenzie Cyr

2/26/2013 05:53:55 am

What motivates Bartleby's refusal to work is the idea of industry and the change from urbanization to industrial work. He refuses to work with a group of people when asked and I believe that is because he disagrees with the idea of "assembly line" type of work. I believe that Melville is saying that office work is boring and confining with little freedom. We see this when the narrator tells readers about the brick wall outisde their office building. I admire Bartleby's perseverence of getting what he wants, but I also look down upon him because he is unwilling and stubborn to do as he is asked. Even after all that the narrator has done for him, all the help he has given, Bartleby refuses to do as he is told by the man who pays him. I truly think think Bartleby is very rebellious to the industrial way of life.

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 05:59:42 am

Consider the irony in the fact that Melville himself was reduced to working a menial office job for the majority of his life after he failed to gained notoriety for his writing!

Kelti Lorence

2/26/2013 06:06:32 am

I agree with the main theme in your response. Bartleby is definitely making a statement in his extremely quiet and unresponsive manner. What exactly do you mean about the brick wall though? I'm not sure whether he has perseverance, or whether he's just given up and will take anything that comes his way, as long as he doesn't have to do anything. Do you think he likes jail even more because no one forces him to do anything, or does he feel further confinement and this is what sets him over the edge so he doesn't eat at all?

M-Shizzle

2/26/2013 06:17:28 am

Kelti, I believe that the brick wall symbolizes confinement to that kind of work and that he feels further confinement because of his work which sets him over the edge.

Brady

2/26/2013 06:08:06 am

If Bartleby is so rebellious to the industrial way of life, why doesn't he just leave?

M-Shizzle

2/26/2013 06:19:08 am

Brady, I PREFER not to answer this question.

Kelti Lorence

2/26/2013 06:02:03 am

Bartleby's motivation to refuse even the necessities to live, lies somewhat in no motivation at all. His life has become dull to the point he sees no reason to work for others. He wants to do things the way he wants, not simply comply to the orders of others. This ties in Romanticism through the will to do things your way, and disapproval of the way the world has evolved industrially. Though he may not be bluntly bashing on industrialization, perhaps Melville is more subtly saying the work conditions are extreme for what a typical human can or is willing to endure.
I admire Bartleby for his conviction that he has a right to live his life how he wants. However, I think he is kind of crazy. If something is wrong, he should have spoken, not bottled everything up and slowly let himself starve to death. That fixes nothing about the initial problem; it only gives an odd story to tell your friends, and eventually forget about. He was being rebellious, but in such a placid manner one could argue there was no rebelling at all. Overall I think he just gave up on life and didn't want to be bothered by anyone or anything until he died and relieved himself from the world.

Brady

2/26/2013 06:10:04 am

To what point is rebelling okay? Is it worth risking your health and life for just disagreeing with a lifestyle?

Trevor

2/26/2013 06:23:43 am

I disagree with your point that Bartleby is living his life "how he wants," or freely. Bartelby is very confined by both his financial and mental situation. He walks into the office with no life and no money. He has to do some work in order to survive. I think that when he was thrown into the prison, it took away the little freedom he had to work, and therefore could not provide enough food to feed himself. His mental pride caused him to refuse to accept any favor from anyone. In conclusion, Bartleby's confinement is what eventually killed him.

Jonathon

2/26/2013 06:26:40 am

I agree with what is being said. One more thing to consider is is why has he been acting this way? In this time period it wasn't as critical but nowadays thsi would be a big deal.

Samantha Farmer

2/26/2013 06:33:04 am

"His life has become dull to the point he sees no reason to work for others." I like this sentence and I feel like his reason to give up on life had a lot to do with his previous job of processing "dead letters". He obviously didn't like to be bothered by people so death seemed to be a foreshadowing result.

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 06:35:21 am

Good. The dead letter office is an interesting connection.

Hannah Cox link

2/26/2013 06:41:14 am

You're saying that Bartleby isolates himself from society. I didn't think of that.

Brady

2/26/2013 06:05:32 am

I believe that the narrator is concerned for Bartleby to an extent but he also doesn't kick him out because of his conscience. When he finds out that Bartleby is living in his office, he says "I might five alms to his body; but his body did not pain him; it was his sould that suffered, and his sould I could not reach." (Pg. 544) This shows that he does care and wants to help Bartleby but has no idea how to. Bartleby then goes on to say that "he decided upon doing no more writing." (Pg. 546) The narrator's response to this is "Yet I was sorry for him. I speak less than the truth when I say that, on his own account, he occasioned me uneasiness." (Pg. 546) He didn't even like having Bartleby around. The narrator felt uneasiness and distress when being around Bartleby. He felt sorry for Bartelby but wouldn't kick him out because he couldn't live with himself if he did.

Kelti Lorence

2/26/2013 06:09:49 am

I can see the narrator feeling bad about Bartleby, but I wonder if he also is keeping him around just to see what crazy thing he is going to do next. He gets a cheap worker, and a change in the monotonous life of an office worker.

Brady

2/26/2013 06:12:37 am

I could see this being totally true. Sitting there copying words all day would be terrible and if I was in charge I would definitely like something to liven up my day.

Mackenzie (M-Shizzle)

2/26/2013 06:27:51 am

Brady, I believe that the narrator is truly just a caring man and he can't bear the thought of leaving him alone on the streets without anything or anybody. He sees that Bartleby actully does his work and doesn't want to lose that. I also think that the narrator wants some sense of control over Bartleby and can't stand the fact that Bartleby thinks he has the control to tell his employer 'I prefer not'.

Unicorn 1

2/26/2013 06:32:56 am

I agree Brady. When the Lawyer says, "I waive the biographies of all other scriveners for a few passages in the life of Bartleby," I feel the Lawyer is drawn to him and over time comes to truely care for him.

Mary Sine

2/26/2013 06:06:49 am

Bartleby's refusal to work and eventually even eat, I think may be motivated by a form of depression or something like that. Bartleby may be depressed by personal problems or maybe he is depressed by the boring futility of office work. With the character of Bartleby, Melville may be commenting on how boring office work is and how pointless some of it is, or at least seems. Bartleby is personifying how some office workers feel, by rebelling against his boss and refusing to do work that he thinks is pointless or wasteful of his time.
Personally, I am ambivalent towards Bartleby as a character. I don't admire or look down on him, I just think that he is an intriguing character, because he is so mysterious. I think that Bartleby may be both crazy and rebellious. Bartleby could be considered crazy for rebelling, but maybe he's rebellious because he is crazy. Maybe he is not crazy or rebellious at all, and because of the narrator's view, Bartleby's character is skewed in a certain way.

Celeste

2/26/2013 06:18:06 am

What do you think would make you look down on him or admire him? How could Melville have written it differently to make you feel either of those?

Mary Sine

2/26/2013 06:24:39 am

I think that if I knew more about Bartleby as a character, I would probably be able to decide if I liked him or not more easily. Melville could have made the narrator less self-involved, and more informed about Bartleby, but that would probably completely change the story.

Hannah Cox link

2/26/2013 06:21:45 am

You made some really good points. I agree with your ideas on how Melville is commenting about office work. However, I think that there may be some deeper meaning beneath the surface of the physical setting. For instance, is Bartleby a symbol for humanity? If he is, is the office actually an office or is there something more broadly suggested by the choice of this particular setting?

T Gizzle

2/26/2013 06:08:30 am

No, the narrator of this story does not genuinely care for Bartleby. Instead, he feels responsible for him “for both [the narrator] and Bartleby were sons of Adam.” I think that the narrator feels like he is connected to Bartleby through the deep roots of humanity and therefore has a duty to try to help this person who is clearly in need of some sort of help. Also, the narrator might have done something that he feels guilty about in the past. He is hoping that taking care of Bartleby will somehow “make up” for this sin he once committed. In conclusion, the narrator shows compassion toward this unique character only so he can feel better inside.

Mary Sine

2/26/2013 06:20:23 am

Why do you think that this deep humanity connection made the narrator feel so responsible? Because some people probably would just ignore any feeling of connection, or just throw Bartleby out after he refused to do the jobs asked. So why did the narrator feel this way?

Hannah Cox link

2/26/2013 06:31:43 am

I can't pretend to know what the technical answer to this is, but I'm fairly certain that the narrator's feelings are at least partly driven by self-gratification ("Here I can cheaply purchase a delicious self-approval.") In addition, his feelings may be representing human response to "humanity" (this would be if Bartleby represented humanity).

Kendall

2/26/2013 06:31:37 am

What sin do you think he commited that resulted in him feeling so guilty that he wanted to try and make up for it by helping Bartleby?

STELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAA

2/26/2013 06:08:53 am

Question 2
I think that a part of the lawyer is genuinely concerned with Bartleby and another part is annoyed and wants to him gone. I feel that the lawyer looks at Bartleby like he is a little kid. Which also ties back into the lawyer being annoyed with him. The lawyer is have an inner battle of what to do with him because he doesn't want to hurt, but nothing is getting done. When the lawyer tries to fire Bartleby the first time he says "The time has come; you must quit this place; I am sorry for you; here is money; but you must go." (pg546) This shows that he doesn't want to let him go. I think that he is more concerned with Bartleby then with his own feelings.

Kendall

2/26/2013 06:23:54 am

Do you think that the narrators act of giving him money could also be his way of making himself feel better? Like here is some money so i can say i tried my best to help him if anything goes wrong after he is no longer my problem?

STTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

2/26/2013 06:34:33 am

I do that maybe he did that to feel better. Or it could also be him just tiring to be a nice guy.
Celeste

Hannah Cox link

2/26/2013 06:13:28 am

The narrator's response to Bartleby is particularly strange because it is not consistant. This seems to occur because all of the narrator's responses to Bartleby are based on speculation instead of fact; in other words, the narrator assumes certain things about Bartleby, which governs how he acts toward Bartleby. For instance, several pages into the story, the narrator makes his first assumption: "Poor fellow! thought I, he means no mischief; it is plain he intends no insolence; his aspect sufficiently evinces that his eccentricities are involuntary...If I turn him away, the chances are he will fall in with some less indulgent employer, and then he will be rudely treated...Here I can cheaply purchase a delicious self-approval." This reveals that the narrator feels some pity towards Bartleby, but this is because it is self gratifying. The narrator clearly sees Bartleby as lesser, and himself as the benevolent superior. This opinion of the narrator's continues and, for that matter, grows, particularly after discovering that Bartleby is living in his office. He seems to lose some of his pride after this, but he continues in pitying Bartleby. Later, however, when Bartleby stops being a use to him, the narrator states that, "my vanity got the better of my pity." The narrator then attempts to expell Bartleby from his office because he is being criticized by his peers. He returns to pity later. The narrator, in this way, seems caught between sincere and insincere care for Bartleby's condition. Bartleby seems to be the source of internal conflict for the narrator.

#Unicorn1234

2/26/2013 07:01:56 am

"Bartleby seems to be the source of internal conflict for the narrator" is a great way to sum up the relationship between Bartleby and the narrator! I think this can be supported by the fact that the narrator consistently wars with himself about how to respond to Bartleby's defiance.

K-Mizzle

2/26/2013 06:17:45 am

I don't neccessarily think the narrator in genuinly concered about Bartleby but more that he has sympathy for him. Melville has an indifferent attitude about him because he doesn't fully understand Barleby's reasoning behind his actions. When Bartleby says, "I would perfer not to" Melville is astounded by his response but ends up accepting it. I think he accepts it because he is intrigued by his abrupt honesty and wonders why he would say this. I thinking Melville's confusion with Bartleby's actions results in his sympathy or concern for him. After moving his practice to a new facility Melville ends up returning to his old office in concern for Bartleby because he still has not left. Melville trys to get him to realize he must do something with himself before he is punished. " Now one of two things must take place. Either you must do something, or something must be done to you." (pg. 553) We can see he cares for Bartleby as he trys to figure out something for him to do. "Now what sort of bussiness would you like to engage in? Would you like to re-engage in copying for some one?" The narrators repeated trial to help Bartleby shows his sympathy and concern for what happens to him.

$ Fresh like the Prince of Bel Air $

2/26/2013 06:38:06 am

Nice job K-Mizzle, but how does his confusion result in sympathy and & concern for him?

Jacob Jones

2/26/2013 04:29:36 pm

I agree that the narrator is not genuinely concerned about Bartleby but that he has sympathy for him and that his repeated trials show that he has sympathy and concern for what happens to him.

Jonathon

2/26/2013 06:19:40 am

I think that the narrator is somewhere in the middle of wanting to be rid of Bartleby but also doesn't want him to be completely left without anything. At first the narrator was happy with the performance of Bartleby. But after a while Bartleby begins to say "I would prefer not to" and this would really anger the narrator. Later on the narrator learns that Bartleby has actually been staying there in the office and that changes how the narrator approaches Bartleby. Quite a bit of time passed and things just kept getting worse for Bartleby. One day Bartleby refused to copy anymore. The narrator describes his eyes as being "dull and glazed over." This really brought up the sympathy from the narrator. After a while of this the narrator says that Bartleby must go but the narrator gives Bartleby some extra money so Bartleby could survive. This goes on and eventually Bartleby is taken to jail but the narrator shows sympathy towards Bartleby once again. He pays the "grub-man" a little extra money so Bartleby would get some food that was better than the rest. This didn't last long though because Bartleby ended up dying but the narrator was at peace with himself because he did everything that he could.

Sam Farmer

2/26/2013 06:44:15 am

In my response I thought that the narrator was just faking his sympathy for Bartleby and always trying to justify his actions. After reading your response, I can see how the narrator appeared to be concerned to an extent.

Jacob Jones

2/26/2013 04:34:49 pm

I agree with you that by the narrator describes Bartleby eyes as being "dull and glazed over" and that it show the narrators sympathy towards him.

$ Fresh like the Prince of Bel Air $

2/26/2013 06:20:23 am

I believe that Bartleby's refuses to work because he doesn't want to be under somebody's else "power". He feels that he shouldn't be doing that work when the lawyer is fuller capable to do the work. Melville is trying to say that while working there doesn't need to be different positions. I think the narrator cares for Bartleby because he lets him continue to stay at the office and he arranges for Bartleby to have better food in jail. The lawyer also offers his home as a place to stay.

Tristan

2/26/2013 06:37:57 am

I agree with what you said about the narrator caring for Bartleby, but what Romantic idea does Bartleby's rebellion show?

$ Fresh like the Prince of Bel Air $

2/26/2013 06:42:30 am

It connects to the Romantic Movement by the character wanting independence and freedom, not being under controlled by anyone.

Tristan

2/26/2013 06:21:12 am

Bartleby is slightly insane through out the entire story, this motivates his peculiar actions. But what caused his insanity? The narrator tells us that Bartleby previously worked in Washington processing "dead letters" which are letters that were never claimed or delivered. These letters are destroyed or returned to the sender after a while. These letters could be letters to people who died. In reading letters that were never received by the intended recipients (because they're dead), part of him could have died too. Every day a little more of him dies, and he begins to think about all the dead people who died so suddenly. So he tries to lose himself in his work as a scrivener and gives himself no time to think by working non-stop. Finally he gives up and completely loses himself until he dies from self neglect. I pity Bartleby as a character and think Melville was casting a negative pall on office work.

Jonathon

2/26/2013 06:30:06 am

I agree with this. One more thing to consider is maybe being in this position would create some guilt on Bartleby because he would have to deal with these problems.

Tristan

2/26/2013 06:43:13 am

Maybe, but which problems are you talking about?

S Fizzle

2/26/2013 06:24:21 am

I don't think the narrator was fully concerned for Bartleby. The narrator claims to find himself "touched" by Bartleby's strange manner but fired him anyway. When Bartleby was being fired, the narrator said “The time has come; you must quit this place; I am sorry for you.” I think he only said this to seem like a genuinely nice person. He tries to justify his actions in abandoning Bartleby by saying,"I had now done all that I possibly could...with regard to my own desire and sense of duty, to benefit Bartleby." In the last passage of Herman Melville's story "Bartleby the Scrivener", the narrator makes a final attempt to soothe his own guilt about his role in Bartleby's death. He tries to convince the reader that he continually felt sympathy for Bartleby.

-Sam Farmer

Mary Sine

2/26/2013 06:40:10 am

I agree, I don't think that the narrator is completely selfless with his concern for Bartleby. But, why do you think that the narrator feels so guilty about Bartleby's death? Technically, the narrator couldn't really have done anything besides what he already did by paying the "grub man."

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 06:24:26 am

I hope you are all going to tell me who wrote under these "pen names."

AP English Class

2/26/2013 06:31:06 am

We would prefer not to.

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 06:33:54 am

You guys are so darn clever...

T Gizzle

2/26/2013 06:34:00 am

Mr. Shumway, you should know our writing styles well enough by now to tell who is who!

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 06:36:40 am

You're right, Trevor, I'll do my best.

MIKACHU, I CHOOSEYOU!!!

2/26/2013 06:27:32 am

Bartleby is simply crazy. If he WERE rebelling against something, he'd also be crazy since he starved himself to death. Nothing motivates Bartleby to say "I'd prefer not to" because he has no motivation. I believe he gave up on life, stopped caring about what other people wanted him to do, and simply waited to die. Since he's crazy and starves himself, which is basically suicide, I look down on him. He could have let the narrator help him, but he didn't want it. I think Melville is also looking down at Bartleby band office work because it is confining like how Bartleby literally confines himself in the office.

Celeste

2/26/2013 06:32:03 am

I think that you are right that he doesn't care. Do you think that maybe he lost the ability to care. He might be desensitized?

Mikachu

2/26/2013 06:37:43 am

That's a nice thought, Celesteosaur, but then why would he still eat specifically ginger nuts if he were desensitized? Perhaps the taste reminds hime of something.

$ Fresh like the Prince of Bel Air $

2/26/2013 06:33:22 am

Although I get what you are saying, don't you think that something could have drove him to be crazy? Perhaps like Tristan said that beacuse of the "dead letters".

Emilio Rodriguez

2/26/2013 06:34:41 am

I think that Bartleby did have a motivation for starving himself, which was to rebel against lame office work and repetition.

Unicorn 1

2/26/2013 06:36:51 am

So maybe he is rebelling against life? or maybe it is society that he is rebelling against? I think that he is rebelling agianst the things that made him lose hope and motivation.

Mikachu

2/26/2013 06:45:13 am

Perhaps, Pegasus4. i like your thoughts.

Unicorn 1

2/26/2013 06:28:26 am

Bartleby is motivated by the fact that he simply prefers not to work. He seems to have lost hope and cannot stand to fall under the control of urbanization and the growth of society and industry.
I think Melville is trying to express how unsatisfying office work is; how societies demands as well as industry can suffocate the freedom of men. I admire Bartleby for challenging the norm, for being uncorrupted by societies demands. I look down on him for letting himself starve without doing anything to change how he feels. I feel Bartleby is both crazy and rebellious. The fact that he lets himself starve without saying word other than “I prefer not to” suggests he is crazy, but underneath he is rebelling against societies control.

-Hannah

Hannah Cox link

2/26/2013 06:37:13 am

Just a question: Is Bartleby innocent? Is he truly uncorrupted? Or is he doing what he does very deliberately or out of a wish to be manipulative? I feel like if we knew the answer to that, other things would make more sense...

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 06:40:24 am

Great question... What do you think?

Hannah Cox link

2/26/2013 06:47:06 am

I am inclined to say that Bartleby is innocent, but that is partly influenced by the narrator's point of view. On the other hand, Bartleby is choosing not to do his job for unknown motives... I am not sure.

Emilio Rodriguez

2/26/2013 06:30:19 am

I think that the Lawyer was genuinely concerned with Bartleby's well-being. If he was just trying to make himself feel better, he wouldn't have followed up on Bartleby after it wasn't his problem anymore. He also wouldn't have offered to let Bartleby stay in his house after he was kicked out of the building and was staying in the stairwell. Also, someone who was just trying to make themselves feel better wouldn't have arranged for him to get good food in jail, even if he wasn't eating it. Only someone was wanting to help would go through all of that trouble.

Lacayah

2/26/2013 02:37:33 pm

I like your examples. Do you think that the Lawyer was trying to hard though?

Tristan

2/26/2013 06:32:10 am

I like that, but why do you think he has given up? And why does he chose to say "“I prefer not to” instead of just "no"?

Mr. Shumway

2/26/2013 06:37:16 am

Everyone take a few minutes to check out the video Trevor

-A

2/26/2013 06:40:21 am

Don't you mean T Gizzle?

AP Class

2/26/2013 06:43:51 am

Why aren't you paying attention to your conference Shum Salmon?

Anomonomonous

2/26/2013 06:41:14 am

In Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener," Bartelby repeatedly responds "I prefer not to" to anything that he is asked to do, whether it be work or not. I think that he was "passivley resistant" because, not because he was crazy, but because he made a decision to abstain from everything. If you don't try, then you can't fail. I believe that he is so stuborn about it because he has decided that if he is going to set his mind to doing one thing, then he will do that one thing no matter what. When the Lawyer begins to express his concern for Bartleby, I don't think that it is because he is genuinly concerened. I think that it's because he has a "natural expectancy of instant compliance." When he didn't recieve this insant compliance, he was confused. He then began to go about things dealing with Bartleby in a gentler and more timid manner. By doing this, he would get Bartleby's compliance eventually and his pride would be satisfied.

Emilio Rodriguez

2/26/2013 06:44:15 am

I agree with all of the words you have typed with your fingers. Especially the timidness.

#Unicorn1234

2/26/2013 06:56:50 am

I understand where you're coming from and I like your reasoning behind his "I prefer not to" comments. It does make me wonder, though-what could have made him get to the point where he would "choose to abstain from everything"?

Lacayah

2/26/2013 02:38:50 pm

It could possibly be that his previous job pushed him over the edge.

Mr Shumway (Mr T-Shizzle)

2/26/2013 06:41:22 am

Your my favortist class ever and you all get whoopie pies and an A!!

AP Class

2/26/2013 06:45:28 am

If only there was 'Shumway' we could show you our appriciation

Mr. Shumway

2/27/2013 09:28:30 am

Real cute, guys... I won't pick a favorite class, but I must say you guys really are awesome.

#Unicorn1234

2/26/2013 06:42:30 am

I do not feel that the narrator is genuinely concerned about Bartleby's well being, but he is instead concerned with doing the right thing in a religious sense. It is by no coincidence that the narrator is going to church the same morning that he discovers Bartleby living in his office. After he makes this discovery and continues on in the story he always ponders “what to do” with Bartleby. When he questions how to get rid of Bartleby his main concern does not stem from how his action will affect Bartleby, but instead his extreme cautiousness revolves around what the correct religious decision is. This is demonstrated when the narrator realizes that Bartleby will not heed any of his requests to leave and he ponders his next action thinking, “What shall I do?...You will not thrust him, the poor, pale, passive mortal-- you will not thrust such a helpless creature out of your door? You will not dishonor yourself by such cruelty? No, I will not, I cannot do that.” His main concern is not what will become of this strange man, but rather dishonoring himself. His motive seems to be rather selfish. His selfishness is also seen when he finds out that Bartleby must be taken care of and responds with, “I am very sorry, sir...but, really, the man you allude to is nothing to me – he is no relation or apprentice of mine, that you should hold me responsible for him.”

Jacob Jones

2/26/2013 04:35:20 pm

I think that what motivates Bartleby’s refusal to work or even eat by the end of the story is depression, because he has a lack of motivation to work or even to live. Bartleby does not want other people telling him what he should be doing, even though he is getting paid to do the work that he is told to do. I think that Melville is saying that office work is boring and that is does not give you anything to look forward to from day to day, because you have a similar routine every day. I admire Bartleby as a character when he refuses to do what he is told because he is calm and polite by only saying, “I would prefer not to.” Making the lawyer feel at a loss of words because of how Bartleby responds to him. Lastly, I think that Bartleby is rebellious because he refuses to do as he is told and then he even refuses to eat, and as a consequence he dies.

Bartleby, the Scrivener

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