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Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener is perhaps more relevant today than when he wrote it in 1853. Bartleby is the account of a talented young scrivener who possesses great talent and potential in his career of duplicating and composing documents. The tale takes us to the upscale Wall Street area of New York City, among the buildings and law offices of the city. The young Bartleby is thrown into the typical office drudgery associated with the type of employment he was seeking.



The theme of the story questions why we do, what we do, when we go to work. Also the question of why do we feel certain things are just expected of oneself when we choose to enter employment. When Bartleby took the job of a scrivener it was understood that in addition to recording documents, one also is responsible for the editing and proofreading of their own and others’ work. However, Bartleby had different expectations for himself and his work.



Bartleby’s behavior questions all that is thought to be universal behavior while at work. Bartleby worked very hard, never taking breaks or even going home. These aspects of Bartleby were viewed as peculiar by his superior and coworkers, but were not undesirable traits. Bartleby also kept to himself most of the time, and did not get involved with office politics or affairs. Like many new employees, Bartleby had a small shared office near the boss so that he could be monitored. A comparison to life by today’s office employees trapped in small cubicles could be made. The feeling of privacy is not there, and one could almost feel overwhelmed with only with their work and a small desk. These conditions may have weighed heavily on Bartleby, causing him to not feel very sociable with the others in the office.



The life of drudgery as a scrivener grew weary on Bartleby. The odd behavior expressed by Bartleby continued until one day in a act of...