Bartleby

In “Bartleby, the Scrivener”, by Herman Melville, the author tells the story from the point of view of the employer.  Melville probably chose this point of view to show compassion and to try to understand the employees. If it were written from the point of view of the staff they probably would not have too much to say, probably just some complaints. If it was from Bartleby himself he most likely would have said, “I prefer not to” (Melville 3) and since he kept on withdrawing from everything and everyone, he probably would not have too much to say either.  Using this narrative strategy, as the reader, we learn about the narrator and how caring he is towards others.  The author allows the reader to understand the other characters in the story and why the behave they way they do.

By Bartleby’s actions or lack of, the narrator concludes there is something very wrong with him.  He “was the victim of an innate and incurable disorder” (Melville 7). The narrator sees that Bartleby does not associate with anyone and doesn’t speak to no one expect when asked a question. The answer is usually, “I prefer not to”(Melville 3).  He doesn’t read anything and usually just stares out into space. We as the reader start to feel the compassion, as does the narrator.  We could have just called Bartleby a bum, but we the reader understand that there is something more wrong with Bartleby and feel sorry for him.

The narrator’s encounter with Bartleby has changed the narrator. The narrator now sees that there are people out in the world that need help, and after dealing with Bartleby the narrator has a better outlook on his life. In the end the narrator becomes a more compassionate person. The narrator is saved, because of Bartleby, Bartleby helped the narrator realize that there are more important things in the world other then work.

“I would prefer not to.” 
― Bartleby, "Bartleby The Scrivener"