Bartleby...

Thursday, January 8th


Day 4:


Ah, "Bartleby, The Scrivener". Honestly, I can't stand the story. I don't know what it is about it that irks me. I guess Bartleby is such a flat character that I can't find a way to connect to him. Granted, a real-life Bartleby may be more worthy of pity, but alas he is not real. I don't know what Melville's reason was for making Bartleby so detestable. Perhaps it is the fact that a real person in the situation would have reason for such behavior. In the end, I don't feel as if I'm left with any moral lesson, just robbed of my time. Even in multiple readings, I find nothing I like for the story. Obviously, there must be something of substance to be appreciates, why else would multiple professors each year have it as an assigned reading? After boredom of the story got to me, I sort of daydreamed of it, as if Bartleby were a character in a movie. I suppose he would be comic relief. Even so, he is more annoying than entertaining. Maybe being an English major my annoyance stems from a main character not speaking poignant words. Having no more to say on the subject, I end this post.