- Published: September 20, 2022
- Updated: September 20, 2022
- University / College: Northumbria University at Newcastle
- Language: English
- Downloads: 20
Final Topic Paper – “ I am Bartleby” Outline/Bibliography
OUTLINE – First Person Account of Bartleby’s Journey from His Perspective
I. Interview for Bartleby’s job
– Finds advertisement in the newspaper bout law firm job, responds to it
– Does not know why he chose to do the job if he is so apathetic
– Finds boss pleasant, answers his questions, picks up on impression of Bartleby as amiable
– Disappointed and depressed by corner office
II. First days of job
– Bartleby feels renewed sense of purpose
– Feels important because of his placement as a high-powered Wall Street firm
– Feels incredible pull to keep self busy – part of schizophrenia (Beja 559)
III. Encounter with first job he prefers not to do
– Starts to crash a bit, feels unfulfilled
– Unmotivated to work, feels like small cog in bigger machine
– Boss comes in with paper; looking at it, Bartleby chooses to prefer not to do it
IV. Continued casual strike on work
– Keeps telling Boss “ I prefer not to.”
– Feels alienated from the high-powered bosses his Wall Street law firm job surrounds him with since he is not one of them (Foley 92).
V. Abandoned interest of lawyer, who confirms Bartleby’s suspicions
– Boss gives up on Bartleby
– Bartleby confirms the feeling that he is not important to the boss except for what he can do for him
– Decides he refuses to do other things as well, he feels important in his sense of rebellion against the expectations of modern society (Foley 102).
VI. Sent to the Tombs
– Bartleby is taken to the Tombs, notes the ways they try to help him (Beja 561)
– Feels dissociated from surroundings, is diagnosed schizophrenic
– Made sense to him to stop doing what he was doing (Beja 561).
VII. Is released from the Tombs, starves to Death
– Bartleby does not feel better after the Tombs, feels the exact same
– Has chosen to commit to not doing what he prefers not to do, sees no point in anything
– Starves to death, but is fine with it as it does not upset him
Beja, Morris. ” Bartleby & Schizophrenia.” The Massachusetts Review (1978): 555-568.
Foley, Barbara. “ From Wall Street to Astor Place: Historicizing Melville’s ‘ Bartleby’.”
American Literture 72. 1 (2000): 87-116.
Sundararajan, Louise. ” Being as refusal: Melville’s Bartleby as Heideggerian anti-hero.” Janus
Head (1999). http://www. janushead. org/jhsumm99/sundararajan. cfm.
Works Cited
Beja, Morris. ” Bartleby & Schizophrenia.” The Massachusetts Review (1978): 555-568.
Foley, Barbara. “ From Wall Street to Astor Place: Historicizing Melville’s ‘ Bartleby’.”
American Literture 72. 1 (2000): 87-116.
Sundararajan, Louise. ” Being as refusal: Melville’s Bartleby as Heideggerian anti-hero.” Janus
Head (1999). http://www. janushead. org/jhsumm99/sundararajan. cfm.