Passive Resistance in Bartleby, The Scrivener by Melville

Bartleby, The Scrivener is a short story by Herman Melville in which the titular character demonstrates what could be seen as a form of passive resistance. Bartleby is employed as a scrivener, or copyist, by a successful lawyer. He is initially a hard worker, but eventually becomes more and more unwilling to do his job, eventually refusing to do any work at all.

The lawyer is initially bemused by Bartleby’s behavior, but becomes increasingly frustrated and angry as Bartleby continues to refuse to work. The lawyer tries various methods of persuasion, but Bartleby remains steadfast in his refusal. Ultimately, the lawyer is forced to have Bartleby removed from his office, but even then Bartleby does not leave willingly, instead choosing to stand passively and silently until he is forcibly removed.

The Power of Passive Resistance

In “Bartleby, the Scrivener”, Herman Melville tells the story of a man who passive-aggressively resists his work as a scrivener, or copyist. The story is set in a law office on Wall Street in New York City, and Bartleby is employed by the narrator, a lawyer, to do copy work.

Bartleby is a very competent scrivener, but he has a strange habit of always saying “I would prefer not to” in response to any request that he finds disagreeable. At first, the lawyer tolerates Bartleby’s eccentricities, but as time goes on, the lawyer starts to find Bartleby’s behavior more and more annoying.

The lawyer tries to fire Bartleby, but Bartleby simply refuses to leave the office. The lawyer then tries to have him arrested, but Bartleby calmly accepts whatever fate awaits him. In the end, the lawyer is forced to confront his own complicity in Bartleby’s downward spiral.

“Bartleby, the Scrivener” is a story about the power of passive resistance. Bartleby’s quiet refusal to cooperate with the demands of his job is ultimately more disruptive than any active form of resistance could have been. His passive resistance forces the lawyer to question his own values and his own role in the system that Bartleby is resisting.

The story also raises questions about the role of work in our lives. Is work simply a means to an end, or is it something that should provide satisfaction and meaning? Bartleby’s passive resistance suggests that work can be something more than just a way to make a living. It can be a form of self-expression, even if that expression is simply a refusal to cooperate.

The Importance of Standing Up for What You Believe In

“Bartleby, the Scrivener” is a short story by Herman Melville that was first published in 1853. The story Bartleby, the Scrivener is about a scrivener who works for a lawyer and who refuses to do his job. Bartleby just wants to be left alone and he does not want to do anything. The lawyer tries to help Bartleby, but he can’t. In the end, Bartleby dies.

The story is about standing up for what you believe in. Bartleby believes that he does not want to do his job and so he stands up for himself. He does not let the lawyer tell him what to do. Bartleby is different from everyone else and he does not conform. He pays the price for his beliefs, but he does not give in.

The story shows that it is important to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means you will be alone. Bartleby is alone at the end of the story, but he has not given up his beliefs. He is still different from everyone else and he is still refusing to do his job. Bartleby shows us that it is important to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means you will be alone.

The Value of Standing Your Ground

In “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” Herman Melville illustrates the importance of standing one’s ground. The narrator, a lawyer, tries to fire Bartleby, an employee, after he becomes increasingly uncooperative. Bartleby refuses to leave, and the lawyer is forced to let him stay. The lawyer eventually realizes that Bartleby’s stubbornness is a form of rebellion against the soullessness of his job. In a way, Bartleby represents the individual’s need to hold on to his own principles, even if it means going against societal norms.

The lawyer initially tries to reason with Bartleby, but he quickly realizes that Bartleby is not going to budge. He then tries to force him out, but Bartleby still refuses to leave. At this point, the lawyer could have called the police or taken other legal action, but he instead decides to let Bartleby stay. In doing so, he shows that he respects Bartleby’s right to hold on to his own beliefs, even if they are contrary to what is expected of him.

The lawyer eventually comes to see Bartleby as a symbol of hope. In a world where people are often forced to conform to societal norms, Bartleby represents the possibility of holding on to one’s own individuality. His stubbornness is a form of rebellion against a system that often requires people to give up their principles in order to succeed.