Bartleby The Scrivener Response

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1. Herman Melville was a brilliant author during the Renaissance period that wrote and published many stories that were perceived to be controversial during those days but in retrospect are known to be popular in today’s times. One story that was part of Melville literature work is “Bartleby the Scrivener”, which a story told exclusively by a narrator who was a big part of the story including Bartleby. One of the most important lines in the story is when the narrator describes a scene when Bartleby first exposed himself for who he was. The narrator says, “In this very attitude did I sit when I called to him, rapidly stating what it was I wanted him to do—namely, to examine a small paper with me. Imagine my surprise, nay, my consternation, when without moving from his privacy, Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, “I would prefer not to.” (The Bedford Anthology of World Literature 857) Without any consternation Bartleby declined his employer request to something simple and practically normal in …show more content…

Easily, this story has so many religious meaning of consciousness and blindness, with virtues and vices that it be mistaken for a parable from the bible. Melville digs deep into the mind and soul of his reader in order to make people have the kind of conversation that create changes in people lives. One quote that stood out was when the narrator says, “For a few moments I was turned into a pillar of salt, standing at the head of my seated column of clerks. Recovering myself, I advanced towards the screen, and demanded the reason for such extraordinary conduct. (The Bedford Anthology of World Literature 858) Out of disbelief the narrator was in pure shock for such objection from his extraordinary scrivener; he couldn’t believe that for no apparent reason Bartleby would treat him like that. Melville’s idea to reference the biblical story about Sodom and Gomorrah in this passage can make the infer that he was knowledgeable of the bible and spiritually in

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