Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story Of Wall-Street by Herman MelvilleMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
What an unusual short story! The narrator is unknown other than the master of the office where Bartleby and two other clerks work. There seems to be many legal documents to be prepared, often with some urgency, but one day Bartleby stops. He stops pretty well everything: moving from his preferred spot, writing, conversing with his fellow workers. Whenever the narrator encourages, or orders him to comply with his demands, he is met with the phrase, "I prefer not, sir," every time. And that is pretty well the whole plot, until the very sad and inexplicable end. I will be bemused and confused by this book for weeks! It is, however, masterfully written as one would expect from a genius like Herman Melville.
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