Since Herman Melville’s publication of Bartleby the Scrivener in 1853, literary enthusiasts have argued and discussed its true meaning as a story. Possibly a tale on capitalism, possibly one on transcendentalism, the simplicity of the plot and shortness in length allows room for interpretation. The relationship between Bartleby and the narrator, his boss, illustrate the importance of rules and work, sometimes meaningless, in a capitalist culture and what happens when those rules are not followed. Bartleby’s character and function as a member of society is a statement against capitalist conformity- using the narrator's opinions, storytelling, and syntax illustrate this concept.
The actions and worries of the narrator convey the problems with …show more content…
It goes without saying that the use of the phrase “I prefer not to” (Bartleby, 10) utilized throughout the whole story is meaningful. It represents passive resistance, something that has no place in a capitalist society. The narrator says himself, “Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.” (Bartleby, 13). To examine this quote it is important to look at the word earnest, defined by Merriam-Webster as “a serious and intent mental state”. If an earnest person, in the eyes of the narrator, is something like himself, someone that follows the rules society sets out for him, then Bartleby is not. Passive resistance is frustrating for capitalism as it achieves nothing and has no function. Capitalism runs on rules and participation, on people working to get more success in their lives, but Bartleby has no interest in living by those …show more content…
Bartleby’s place and actions in the story act as a sort of seed that ends up taking root and growing into those around him. A literal disturbance to the capitalist agenda, as something that makes working difficult, he exemplifies the weakness of capitalism in the face of passive resistance. Bartleby needs only to stop acting in favor of society’s rules to turn everything on it’s head. He spends time staring at a brick wall to symbolize how capitalism does not allow lower citizens to actually find success, as if he were to do his work, he would be doing the same meaningless work (as meaningless as staring at a wall) for presumably the rest of his life, stuck in the grasp of monetary desire. Without this desire, he has no motivation, he must find his purpose
The actions and worries of the narrator convey the problems with …show more content…
It goes without saying that the use of the phrase “I prefer not to” (Bartleby, 10) utilized throughout the whole story is meaningful. It represents passive resistance, something that has no place in a capitalist society. The narrator says himself, “Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.” (Bartleby, 13). To examine this quote it is important to look at the word earnest, defined by Merriam-Webster as “a serious and intent mental state”. If an earnest person, in the eyes of the narrator, is something like himself, someone that follows the rules society sets out for him, then Bartleby is not. Passive resistance is frustrating for capitalism as it achieves nothing and has no function. Capitalism runs on rules and participation, on people working to get more success in their lives, but Bartleby has no interest in living by those …show more content…
Bartleby’s place and actions in the story act as a sort of seed that ends up taking root and growing into those around him. A literal disturbance to the capitalist agenda, as something that makes working difficult, he exemplifies the weakness of capitalism in the face of passive resistance. Bartleby needs only to stop acting in favor of society’s rules to turn everything on it’s head. He spends time staring at a brick wall to symbolize how capitalism does not allow lower citizens to actually find success, as if he were to do his work, he would be doing the same meaningless work (as meaningless as staring at a wall) for presumably the rest of his life, stuck in the grasp of monetary desire. Without this desire, he has no motivation, he must find his purpose