Bartleby

Melville presents complex ideas about society, the work force, and humanity in a short and simple format. The narrator's wavering feelings between affection and exasperation towards his listless employee, Bartleby, makes the narrative all the more compelling as it makes the reader question himself on the right course of actions to deal with a person like Bartleby.

Does one throw him out on the streets based on the fact that he refuses to work, knowing that he has no family, friends, or a home to return to; or does one keep him regardless of his inefficiency, for charitable reasons? The narrator's inaction is ultimately Bartleby's downfall, but can the narrator be blamed for his employee's death? By moving his offices to another location, the narrator effectively condemns Bartleby to the cruelty of society, but the narrator cannot be blamed for trying to restore order to his office and rid himself of a "millstone... a useless necklace" (40).

This novella is an excellent social commentary on what it means to be human, to have compassion and sympathy, as well as the application of the law. Bartleby stands as a symbol of the workforce and how it can be soul-sucking and destructive. Furthermore, the novella touches on the topic of mental illnesses and depression, albeit indirectly, through Bartleby's continued refusal to work and his overall demeanor, such as standing for hours on end in front of a window that faces a brick wall.


Credit to Bill Bragg, foliosociety.com (2012)

I am of the opinion that Bartleby must be pitied and looked after, and that the narrator did all he possibly could to help him. The narrator's generosity, gentleness, and caring attitude are credits to his nature as a compassionate man. Melville's commentary tells us that we need to be more attentive the the woes of those around us, lest they stand “like the last column[s] of some ruined temple” (41).