Bartleby, The Scrivener
Book Excerpt
I should have stated before that ground glass folding-doors divided my premises into two parts, one of which was occupied by my scriveners, the other by myself. According to my humor I threw open these doors, or closed them. I resolved to assign Bartleby a corner by the folding-doors, but on my side of them, so as to have this quiet man within easy call, in case any trifling thing was to be done. I placed his desk close up to a small side-window in that part of the room, a window which originally had afforded a lateral view of certain grimy back-yards and bricks, but which, owing to subsequent erections, commanded at present no view at all, though it gave some light. Within three feet of the panes was a wall, and the light came down from far above, between two lofty buildings, as from a very small opening in a dome. Still further to a satisfactory arrangement, I procured a high green folding screen, w
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This is a very good story, one that was not very popular when it was written but the story and lesson applies even now.
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When none of his efforts result in a positive change, the employer closes up shop and opens in a new location, but can't get his strange former employee out of his mind.
The end of the tale is less than satisfying to a reader expecting to know more when he ends a read than when he began. However, Melville's descriptive narrative is worth the price of admission.