Herman Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street”
Herman Melville is a 19th Century American writer, who frequently wrote maritime fiction. You might know his name if you’ve read that whale of a novel, Moby-Dick. Surprisingly, Melville published “Bartleby” anonymously. It is one of the few stories he set in an office, and perhaps his most infamous, due to Bartleby’s catchphrase, “I would prefer not to.”
The story is long, so if you are going to read it all in one shot, have a cup of coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverage with you. It may also help to refer to this plot diagram from Course Hero. This plot diagram may be especially helpful if you choose to read the story in sections rather than all at once. It’s a tragicomedy; I promise that reading it is worth your time!
P.S. Just in case you were wondering–Yes, the “Wall Street” of the title is the “Wall Street” of NYC today (perhaps Bartleby was the first one to Occupy Wall Street). If you’re curious about some of the geographic references, this website has an interactive map to explore the settings of the story.
