Bartleby
Bartleby: A Story of Wall Street takes place within a capitalist society that is suppose to be beneficial for everybody, not just the lower classes. In reality however, the upper classes of society end up reaping much of the benefit leaving lower-working classes to make ends meat. The slogan of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” that is sought after as a nation then turns into a capitalist society. Bartleby’s “I would prefer not to” attitude is avant guard within such a capitalistic structure. By standing up and being so extremely passive, he ends up with an opposite effect of what one would usually deem passive. Melville is trying to point out that as weak and feeble the people of the working classes might seem, they are not so easily manipulated, and in fact, a little manipulating themselves.
Bartleby shows signs of strength throughout the story by provoking the lawyer in a subtle and extremely passive way, using the expression “I would prefer not to” when the lawyer would ask things of him. The word “prefer” means that someone could do the task being asked of them but the ambition behind doing that task is not there. By using the word “prefer” instead of “cannot,” Bartleby is implying that he in fact can do the task but he simply does not feel like doing it at that moment. This is a big humiliation for the lawyer because Bartleby does not actually have a grand excuse for not doing his job. He is simply declining to do his job as if it were an offer and not an order from the lawyer. Bartleby, a worker, is showing that he has a choice here. He is choosing not to carry out any “orders” from his boss. Instead, he is “preferring not to.” Melville is making a statement about the downfalls of a capitalist society. The people at the top of society are the ones who make the choices. Workers simply must subdue to the tasks being asked of them, or they will not get paid; thus leading to the inevitable fate of being homeless and moneyless. Because no one in their right mind usually wants to live as a transient, they decide to follow orders given to them in order to get by in life. Melville uses Bartleby as the scapegoat example for how everyone of the working classes could act, by “preferring not to.”
The way in which Bartleby declines doing the tasks given to him is not very aggressive or rude at first glance. This adds to the idea that working class people are smarter than one might think. In other words, large corporations and “top dogs” might consider themselves to be in complete control, but the lower classes are also fully aware of what goes on in society, economically and otherwise. Perhaps they are trying to change things in their own, less obvious ways. For instance, it took a lot of reflection before the lawyer became aware of the effect of Bartleby’s behavior on him. When Bartleby politely declines the orders given to him by the lawyer, the lawyer becomes angry with Bartleby. The fact that Bartleby refuses in such a polite manner however, by “ preferring not to,” the lawyer seems to not be able to dismiss him right away; a matter that he would usually not have trouble with. Normally, he would simply kick Bartleby out of his office, toss him back into the nine to five, grey suit, corporate factory that is Wall Street and replace him with another worker. Not anyone special, just a “nobody.” Instead, the lawyer is contemplative about the situation. He has mixed feelings about the way he should treat Bartleby. We see this when he reflects on Bartleby’s behavior by saying, “It seemed to me that while I had been addressing him, he carefully revolved every statement that I made.” (37,38) Whether Bartleby notices it or not, he is playing a game with the lawyer here. The lawyer feels badly about the situation because he wants to see Bartleby doing well. He may not admit it, but throughout the story we get a feeling that the lawyer does actually care about Bartleby’s future outcome to some extent. So, the lawyer hangs onto Bartleby for as long as time permits. All this time however, Bartleby is reaping the benefits of the situation by living off of the lawyer, eventually even living in his office. Bartleby is manipulative, consciously or otherwise, and the outcome is ruling in his favor at the beginning of the story.
Melville also uses Bartleby in a way that symbolizes the paradox between a “free nation” that is the United States of America and a capitalist society within that nation. Although a capitalist society might have good intentions, it is workers like Bartleby that end up suffering; slipping between the cracks of a society based on having almost no personal preference but rather working for the good of all. Although Bartleby is strong in the beginning, his shenanigans needed to end at some point. Eventually his world of preference falls apart and he can no longer manage, landing himself in the Tombs. Although he tried to beat the corporate scheme of Wall Street, he became worthless in the end. Melville is pointing out the sad truth of what is happening to the American empire. Even as the working class tries to fight back in its own subtle way, the people at the top keep crushing them back down into the everyday drudgery of working, on Wall Street in particular here. He uses Wall Street because it is the perfect example of the tough, black and white picture of everyday life that so many working class citizens fall victim to. They end up becoming nobodies and merely keep fueling the capitalistic fire.
On another note, here are some additional things having to do with Bartleby: The Scrivener
Here is a link to the trailer of the movie of this story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIsUWawWRI
Here is an essay relating to the reasons why people end up leaving wallstreet:
Authors:
Source:
Long Island Business News (Ronkonkoma, NY); 10/23/2009
Real life after Wall Street: Q&As with people who walked away from corporate America
It’s telling that one of the first published American stories set in a large office is about a man who finally refuses to continue to work.
In Herman Melville’s “Bartelby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street,” the title character refuses to follow work instructions for reasons unknown to him except that “he would prefer not to.”
We asked nine people who have walked away from corporate America
Some said they miss co-workers and the money and sense of security a corporation provides.
But none said they’d return.
Who: Lisa Mirabile Where: Advertising giants Oglivy & Mather, Creative Image and Marchon Eyewear. Nightmares: Working 12-hour days. Traveling eight months of the year. “Pressure with all eyes on me and my team and the constant undermining of people in corporate America Miami New York Miami Brazil Miami California New York Plainview New York
Who: Michael Osinski Where: Wrote software for Lehman Brothers and other firms that converted home mortgages into bonds. Author of a magazine piece: “My Manhattan Project: How I helped build the bomb that blew up Wall Street.” Nightmares: “Success doesn’t always encourage friendship. To the contrary, it destroys some friendships.” Final straw: He came to the conclusion that the only way of keeping score was money and then asked himself, “Why are we keeping score?” Counsel on decision: “When I decided to walk away some people said, ‘Isn’t that cute? Isn’t it charming?’” Salary hit: “When I left I was making into the seven digits a year.” Won’t say what he’s making now. It’s less. Now: Owner of Widow’s Hole Oyster Co., farming shellfish in Peconic Bay
Who: Craig Spivey Where: Worked as a bond trader on Wall Street for 15 years for several firms including Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank. Nightmares: “There’s a lot of pressure and it just wears you down. It became a job and not a passion. I knew I had only one life and I had to do something I enjoy.” Final straw: At the end of the year Spivey went to an office to receive his bonus and was shocked at the treatment he received. “It was a two-minute conversation. It made no difference that I’d made $250 million dollars for them. I got sick of dealing with that.” Counsel on leaving: “I talked to a lot of people and it broke right down the middle with some saying stay, you’re making good money and others saying if you’re not happy do something else. My wife Susan is still a little nervous but she supports me.” Salary hit: About 100 percent because everything earned goes into his new business. Now: Owner of a Liquid Capital franchise, lending money to small and midsized businesses. Misses most: “The money. But also the individuals I worked with who are still some of my best friends. I miss not seeing them on a day-to-day basis.”
Who: Terry Morris Where: Merrill Lynch and HR giant Adecco for 15 years. Nightmares: Working impossible hours and seeing her young daughters only two hours a day. “I’d take them to the babysitter at five in the morning.” Final straw: Rushing from the airport to be at her daughter’s birthday party, praying she’d get there before it was over. “I decided I had to do something else.” Counsel on decision: She got total support, including from her husband, Albert. Salary hit: “I was making more than six figures so I took a huge cut. Any money goes into my company.” Now: Owns Brianstar, which retails inspirational products for women, and invented “the ultimate sports towel and lather cloth.” She runs the company out of her house in Wheatley Heights
Who: Mitch Marrow Where: An All-American defensive end for the University of Pennsylvania UBS Warburg and other firms for five years. Nightmares: “There were no real nightmares, it was just that I wanted to do something on my own. My family had a dairy business serving the tri-state area and I grew up in an atmosphere of owning and building something from the ground up.” Salary hit: “Not too bad. I’ve been successful.” Now: Marrow went to Great Neck-based Route Brokers and bought a Boar’s Head route serving the lower Hudson Valley
Who: Sandy Quartuccio Where: NPD Group, an international marketing research firm for 28 years. Nightmares: “There was less of a connection to why we were in business to begin with. When I started there was a sense of ownership about your job, but not anymore in corporate America
Who: John Falvey Where: Worked as a trader at Goldman Sachs for 15 years. Nightmares: Falvey originally worked for a small family-owned company that was bought by Goldman Sachs. “Everything changed. Lots of type A personalities came in and it was known that you could be replaced at any time.” Final straw: “A manager was asked to bring six people up to be laid off. When they arrived someone said, ‘I thought it was seven guys.’ And they said to the manager, ‘Right. Could you please sit down?’ I lost my stomach for the place.” Salary hit: Close to 100 percent since all income is plowed back into his new business. Now: Owns a Rockville Centre-based Ductz franchise, which cleans HVAC systems. Misses most: Nothing.
Who: Joseph Finora Where: Worked for a subsidiary of AIG for five years. Nightmares: Practically no family time. “I felt like a divorced dad because I was so exhausted I didn’t see anyone until the weekends.” The culture was wearing thin with constant reorganizing; he had six different supervisors in a year. “I walked in one morning and they’d removed my assistant. There was no discussion, no warning.” Final straw: When asked to relocate, Finora thought: “This is my signal.” Counsel on decision: Mulling an offer to work for a private bank, his wife, Mary Grace, encouraged him to start something himself. “People talk about security, but today it’s a false perception of security.” Salary hit: “The first year on my own I made three-quarters of what I’d earned, but made it up the next year.” Now: Owns Joseph Finora and Associates, which handles media relations for financial advisors. Author of “Recession Marketing.” Misses most: Nothing.
Who: Robert Meinke Where: Prudential Insurance for 18 years. Nightmares: Feeling like an executioner turning down people seeking health or life insurance. “You’re left hanging out to dry in the corporate world. The company sends out rejection letters for people and you’re the one who has to explain the reasons.” Final straw: “It was a series of events. I had to do something with more meaning.” Now: Owner of Jericho
(c) 2009 Dolan Media, all Rights Reserved.
