Passive Resistance
Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville can be interpreted in multiple ways. The idea most clearly represented is that the story of Bartleby is a response to transcendentalism as expressed through Emerson and Thoreau. A common attribute seen in authors of transcendentalism writings is a passive resistance or refusal to cooperate and preferring not to do something. Bartleby is also a passive resister, he doesn’t like to do anything, but this only gets him into trouble. Bartleby the Scrivener is a response to transcendentalism because of the idea of passive resistance being shown in a positive light in the writings of Thoreau, but then represented a negative quality in the story of Bartleby. Although different, in Emerson’s …show more content…
When Thoreau uses the idea of passive resistance, he is benefited and frees his mind, but when Bartleby makes us of this concept, he is affected negatively and ultimately dies as a result because he prefers not to live. While to a certain extent living a passive lifestyle can have its advantages bartleby takes it too far using the same phrase, “I would prefer not to” upwards of 20 times throughout Melville's short story. In a way Melville is mocking the ideas expressed by Thoreau, Thoreau sees passive resistance as a good way of freeing the mind, but Melville is showing that the concept results in a lazy, unproductive lifestyle. Bartleby is set in his ways, there simply is no conforming to others, “Hat there been the least uneasiness, anger, impatience or impertinence in his manner; in other words, had there been anything ordinarily human about him, doubtless I should have violently dismissed him from the premises. But as it was I should have as soon thought of turning my pale plaster-of-Paris bust of Cicero out of doors”(22). This quote follows Bartleby using his favorite line, “I would prefer not to”, it shows the reader that when Bartleby makes a decision there is no going back. The narrator is comparing Bartleby to a statue, a non-human whose ideals are literally set in stone. The ideas represented by transcendentalism are being made fun of my comparing someone who “prefers not to” to a statue. After numerous attempts …show more content…
Bartleby may be mocking Thoreau’s principles of transcendentalism, but he certainly agrees with Emerson’s ideas surrounding the subject. In the writing Bartleby proclaims he would, “prefer not to” over 20 times. The primary group of people associated with asking things numerous times are children and the younger generation. Bartleby is acting like a child of the new generation who is becoming less willing to conform, Emerson’s basis of transcendentalism. Before firing Bartleby, the narrator mentions that Bartleby, “was more a man of preferences than assumptions” (PAGE). The narrator thinks that if he assumes Bartleby will quit, he will, although a ridiculous assumption, it is clear that Bartleby cares about his own preferences much more than other’s assumptions. It is very immature to only think about yourself, this line is showing transcendentalism in the eyes of Emerson, a new generation of selfish people. Melville implies that it is not just an issue with Bartleby, but people as a whole, “Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!"( ). Emerson sees transcendentalism as a new idea of young people “preferring not to” just as much as Bartleby. When the narrator compares Bartleby to humanity he is responding and agreeing with Emerson, all of humanity is becoming passively resistant. Bartleby shares many of the same ideals
Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville can be interpreted in multiple ways. The idea most clearly represented is that the story of Bartleby is a response to transcendentalism as expressed through Emerson and Thoreau. A common attribute seen in authors of transcendentalism writings is a passive resistance or refusal to cooperate and preferring not to do something. Bartleby is also a passive resister, he doesn’t like to do anything, but this only gets him into trouble. Bartleby the Scrivener is a response to transcendentalism because of the idea of passive resistance being shown in a positive light in the writings of Thoreau, but then represented a negative quality in the story of Bartleby. Although different, in Emerson’s …show more content…
When Thoreau uses the idea of passive resistance, he is benefited and frees his mind, but when Bartleby makes us of this concept, he is affected negatively and ultimately dies as a result because he prefers not to live. While to a certain extent living a passive lifestyle can have its advantages bartleby takes it too far using the same phrase, “I would prefer not to” upwards of 20 times throughout Melville's short story. In a way Melville is mocking the ideas expressed by Thoreau, Thoreau sees passive resistance as a good way of freeing the mind, but Melville is showing that the concept results in a lazy, unproductive lifestyle. Bartleby is set in his ways, there simply is no conforming to others, “Hat there been the least uneasiness, anger, impatience or impertinence in his manner; in other words, had there been anything ordinarily human about him, doubtless I should have violently dismissed him from the premises. But as it was I should have as soon thought of turning my pale plaster-of-Paris bust of Cicero out of doors”(22). This quote follows Bartleby using his favorite line, “I would prefer not to”, it shows the reader that when Bartleby makes a decision there is no going back. The narrator is comparing Bartleby to a statue, a non-human whose ideals are literally set in stone. The ideas represented by transcendentalism are being made fun of my comparing someone who “prefers not to” to a statue. After numerous attempts …show more content…
Bartleby may be mocking Thoreau’s principles of transcendentalism, but he certainly agrees with Emerson’s ideas surrounding the subject. In the writing Bartleby proclaims he would, “prefer not to” over 20 times. The primary group of people associated with asking things numerous times are children and the younger generation. Bartleby is acting like a child of the new generation who is becoming less willing to conform, Emerson’s basis of transcendentalism. Before firing Bartleby, the narrator mentions that Bartleby, “was more a man of preferences than assumptions” (PAGE). The narrator thinks that if he assumes Bartleby will quit, he will, although a ridiculous assumption, it is clear that Bartleby cares about his own preferences much more than other’s assumptions. It is very immature to only think about yourself, this line is showing transcendentalism in the eyes of Emerson, a new generation of selfish people. Melville implies that it is not just an issue with Bartleby, but people as a whole, “Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!"( ). Emerson sees transcendentalism as a new idea of young people “preferring not to” just as much as Bartleby. When the narrator compares Bartleby to humanity he is responding and agreeing with Emerson, all of humanity is becoming passively resistant. Bartleby shares many of the same ideals