Meaning (Theme) :
Does the story leave you thinking anything? Feeling anything? What do you make out of it all?
Passive aggressive
people are difficult to accommodate, difficult to ignore.
Passive resistance is a radical form of rebellion.
Offices, where Americans spend
the greater part of their lives, are not democracies.
Have a life outside work! Don't expect your occupation to bear the burden of your
existence.
What other ideas does the story suggest to you?
This story makes me very aggravated. If I had to deal with an employee who did not do anything in my office but instead wanted to make it his home, I would go bananas. The fact that he never agreed to do anything for the boss really annoyed me. But in a way, his defiance is really what drives the story to its intensity. I think the story really points out the kindness that people really have. Coming from New York, where people just do not have enough patience, I do not think anyone would really put up with Bartleby's nonsense. The story also suggests that regardless of ones situation, a lot of people really put their lives into their jobs. Many people even take their jobs home. The boss was willing to find another job for Bartleby, make sure he gets the best food in jail, and even open up his home to him but Bartleby refused. Bartleby is a very anal person and if he were to be hired in modern times, he would get fired after the first, " I prefer not to." I believe that this short story had to be somewhat autobiographical or somehow related to how the author, Melville, felt at the time. From my understanding, this short story is one of the most difficult to interpret. I agree with that because not much information is given on Bartleby, the boss, or the other minor characters. It is hard to understand the important relevance of almost everything in the story but I think it was well written.
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