Wow, Bartleby really is weird. After reading the story, all I could think of saying is"I would prefer not to" comment, (just kidding). Well in the reading, is a man named Bartleby, who is a law-copyist and has a boss who assigns him a task just like any other job. He starts out as an excellent copyist, but when he is asked to examine his work for errors, he replies that he "would prefer not to." Bartleby soon answers anything he is asked to do with "I would prefer not to," and he slowly drives the Lawyer and his fellow scriveners crazy. I think that would drive me crazy also, it sounds "politically cold" and kind of rude. Its like as if he has nothing better to say or he is ashamed at his work, or for some reason has very "cold like" personality.
There are other characters in the story, whom are named Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. Personally I think all of those are very peculiar names for lawyers. Anyhow, Turkey is the eldest of the lawyers, Nippers is young man , but is also a law-copyist, and last but not least, Ginger Nut, who's name is given to him for buying ginger nut cakes all the time. He is the errand boy, a boy that does errands for the lawyers. All these are nicknames, but I think its strange to choose halirious nicknames to put in story entitled "A story of Wall -street", how ironic.
The character that is most suspicious to me in the story, is the unnamed lawyer, who is also the narrator of the story. He is a sixty year old lawyer who has good mind for business, is industrious, and level -headed, but all of that changes when he meets Bartleby. The lawyer doesn't fire Bartleby, for his non responsive attitude, but I guess its because Bartleby does a good job. The questionable unnamed lawyer, made me wonder who he really is, is he really the boss ? " Does he have a purpose for being the way he is?
I think these questions are left to be responded by the author Herman Melville. Meville charater is probably similar to Bartleby' passive resistant attitude.The way the story is written, its not using the right forms of grammer, its just weird, and sort "inhuman" like its impossible to understand. Just like the author, I think Melville wanted for people probably decode the way he speaks, and the characters he makes in the story are the same way ( being impossible).
Overall I think the story was okay, a bit long, but after reading it twice I undrestood it a little better. I realized that people may say or do things, that are strange, but in time you adapt to it, and just makes you understand life just a little better.
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