The story in one page
A calm, elderly lawyer attempts to streamline his Wall Street office by hiring Bartleby, a motionless and silent scrivener. While Bartleby initially copies documents by sun and candlelight, he soon begins declining to verify his work, answering every request with the refrain, 'I would prefer not to.' His passive resistance escalates until he stops writing altogether, living permanently behind a green screen in the office. The lawyer, oscillating between pity and professional irritation, eventually moves his entire firm to a new building to escape the man, who remains haunting the stairs until he is arrested and sent to the Tombs.
Who's who
- Bartleby
A pallid, mechanical copyist who eventually refuses to participate in society.
- The Narrator
An elderly lawyer who values order and tries to rationalize his employee's behavior.
- Turkey
A short-tempered scrivener who works well mornings but grows red-faced by noon.
- Nippers
A nervous, ambitious copyist plagued by indigestion and a wandering desk.
What it's really about
- Passive Resistance
- Rejection of authority through polite, immovable non-compliance.
- Isolation
- The emotional and physical walls separating individuals in a city.
Why it's memorable
- Bartleby standing motionless in the office facing a blank brick wall for hours.
- A knotted bandanna found in a desk acting as a makeshift savings bank.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
After Bartleby dies in the prison yard, a rumor surfaces that he previously worked in the Dead Letter Office, spending years handling undelivered messages intended for the deceased.
For your book club
- The shifting power dynamic between the narrator's logic and Bartleby's simple preference.
- Whether Bartleby represents a protest against labor or a total psychological collapse.