Bartleby The Scrivener

Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a short story by Herman Melville first published in 1853 that explores the life of a Wall Street lawyer who hires a clerk named Bartleby. After an initial period of hard work Bartleby begins to refuse tasks with the phrase I would prefer not to. The story is noted as a masterpiece of short fiction drawing inspiration from various sources including an advertisement for another book and the themes of frustration Melville experienced during his own writing. Critics suggest that Bartleby embodies Melville's struggle with the demands of commercial society and reflects deeper philosophical questions about individuality and conformity. Additionally the narrative alludes to the John C. Colt case which serves to illustrate the narrator's internal conflict regarding Bartleby's behavior.