Literary Analysis Week 12, "Bartebly, the Scrivener"

This week I chose to do a close reading on the story, "Bartebly, the Scrivener" By: Herman Melville. Melville was a very famous writer during the 19th century who was popularly known for his book, "Moby Dick". I found this story to very intriguing because of the character Bartebly and also how the main character's frustation with Bartebly's behavior turns into him feeling bad for him. The main character of the story is a successful lawyer who goes to hire a scrivener named Bartebly. A while after hiring Bart he starts to notice that Bart is no longer taking interest nor obeying any tasks that are given to him. While reading the story it became apparent that Bart is different for he does not engage in conversations and often declines his employers wishes, "These are your own copies we are about to examine. It is labor saving to you, because one examination will answer for your four papers. It is common usage. Every copyist is bound to help examine his copy. Is it not so? Will you not speak? Answer!" "I prefer not to," he replied in a flute-like tone" (303). Here in this quote it shows the response that Bart always gives to anybody who asks him to do something. This also shows the frustration the main character has when Bart gives him the repetitive response rather than give any explanation. The main character's frustration is overcome by the the sad reality he finds about Bart which turns his frustration into compassion, " I looked round anxiously, peeped behind his screen; but it was very plain that he was gone. Upon more closely examining the place, I surmised that for an indefinite period Bartebly must have ate, dressed, and slept in my office... For the first time in my life a feeling of overpowering stinging melancholy seized me. Before, I had never experienced aught but a not-unpleasing sadness" (307-308). The main character takes an approach that I was surprised he took. His character from the start of the story seemed like a nice guy but in a way I thought he would be upset that Bart was not only not doing his job, but was also living in the office. The story was very enjoyable to read and I thought it was funny how Bart's repetitive answer would work up the other co-workers in the office to get angry which made in my opinion made up for entertaining conversation between them. Overall, what I got from this story was that it included a mysterious element which really had me wanting to continue reading to see what Bart's background was or why he responded with the same saying but it is something that goes unanswered.

Melville, Herman. "Bartebly, the Scrivener." The Norton Anthology World Literature Volume E. Ed. Puchner, Martin, Suzanne Akbari, Wiebke Denecke, Vinay Dharwadker, Barbara Fuchs, Caroline Levine, Pericles Lewis, Emily Wilson. W. W. Norton & Company, pp. 293-325