Bartleby the Scrivener Summary & Key Insights

Herman Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street" follows the narrator, a lawyer employed in a Wall Street law office, as he navigates the increasingly perplexing behavior of his new copyist, Bartleby. The lawyer prides himself on his calm, efficient, and somewhat detached approach to life and business. His office houses three other scriveners: Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. Turkey and Nippers are both erratic, their productivity fluctuating wildly throughout the day due to their temperaments; Turkey's mornings are productive, his afternoons unproductive, while Nippers experiences the opposite. Ginger Nut is a young errand boy.

Bartleby, initially a model employee, diligently copies legal documents with unwavering precision. However, he soon begins to respond to requests with his now-infamous phrase, "I would prefer not to." This seemingly innocuous refusal gradually escalates, encompassing everything from copying documents to leaving the office at the end of the day.

The lawyer, a man of routine and passive agreeableness, initially attempts to reason with Bartleby and even attempts to indulge his passive resistance. He tries to find a solution that preserves his own comfort and avoids overt confrontation. However, as Bartleby's refusal extends to basic necessities, and he becomes a permanent fixture in the office, the lawyer’s patience wears thin. Reluctant to take harsher measures, the lawyer moves his office, hoping to leave Bartleby behind. This only temporarily solves the problem.

When the lawyer's new tenants complain about Bartleby, the lawyer attempts to be accommodating, yet he finds himself increasingly conflicted and unable to resolve Bartleby’s situation. He witnesses Bartleby's quiet defiance and his refusal to cooperate. The lawyer eventually abandons his efforts to help Bartleby after the scrivener is arrested for vagrancy and incarcerated. Despite his attempts at detachment, the lawyer finds himself profoundly disturbed by the encounter, and the story ends with the lawyer visiting Bartleby in prison, only to find the passive resister dead in his cell.

The story's overarching themes explore the nature of individual will against societal pressures, the limitations of empathy and compassion, the complexities of human nature, and the ambiguities of morality. Bartleby's passive resistance challenges the lawyer's established worldview, exposing the contradictions between his perceived kindness and his ultimately self-serving actions. The story also questions the dehumanizing effects of capitalist society and the indifferent treatment of the marginalized. Bartleby becomes a symbol of quiet rebellion, a figure who embodies both the dignity and the tragedy of choosing one's own path, even if that path leads to isolation and demise.