Topic #2- Sumeet Dhillon 

Herman Melville brings us to an arresting plot in his short story Bartleby, the Scrivener. We see that Bartleby is in a state that makes him only able to respond with “I prefer not to.” Why Bartleby chooses to avoid any confrontation with the realities around him but reiterates this equivocal phase is uncertain. In my opinion, I do not believe it is justified because he has many options to free himself of the troubles he may be in. 

            Bartleby is a man without a social position yet despite this, he still manages to land a job with a prestigious employer, undoubtedly showing he is capable of the position. The employer extols his hard, efficient work.  Above all, he does not have a rickety personality like Turkey and Nippers, but is bearable both in the morning and in the afternoon, allowing him to complete his work throughout the day. It is his choice, nonetheless, that he allows his conditions to overtake his reality triggering the end of his golden times. 

Soon, Bartleby becomes distracted by the long, hard hours and begins gazing out the window instead of focusing on his tasks. He stops writing entirely and announces he is going to give it up-a job he “gorged” on. The threats of his employer did not affect him as he continues to be idle. Everything Bartleby chooses to ignore by repeating the same response is entirely up to him. He has the option of not causing trouble and walking away from the job without being a hindrance to anyone, yet he chooses to stay. He is offered more than his earning pay as compensation and is given leniency on leaving at an appropriate time. Furthermore, the employer even offers Bartleby other jobs where he could be useful but yet again they are rejected with “I prefer not to.” And in one last shot to help the Bartleby, the employer even asks Bartleby to come live with him in an effort to prevent him from going to prison, but even that is not preferred. Bartleby does not appreciate any of the attempts from the employer; he does not even make an effort to try them out, but rather avoids all possible confrontations with the world because he no longer has the means to live in it. 

            It does not matter what the circumstances are if you have the will and drive to complete whatever it may be then you are able to. In Bartleby’s case, he lost that drive soon after his new job. He took not a single opportunity to get himself back onto his feet and having no alternatives was not the reason for such a tragedy. Bartleby’s fate was in his own hands and all of this could have been avoided if he had been flexible and took other’s words into some serious consideration, but “preferred” not to. Due to this, I believe that his actions are not justified but rather the route he chose to take out of the many available pathways that were drawn out for him. 

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