A review by estaples
Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville

5.0

To give this story its due I would have to go over the many, many times in life I have asked another person, "have you ever read Bartleby the Scrivener?" as an answer to questions about other colleagues, friends, and casual acquaintences. Bartleby is a universal character, not entirely exasperating, not entirely relatable, yet somehow more appropriate than any other literary archetype since Shakespeare. What is his superpower? Showing up every day and refusing to do anything at his job. That's it. When I was in ninth grade, this was ridiculous to my restless imagination. The years have transformed him into a lovely flower in the literary garden of the post-industrial world, as well as practical shorthand for that all-too-common person who has found no worthwhile place in our society.