I'm just as compelled with Bartleby as the lawyer is!! By the way, it really bothers me when they don't give us the name of the narrator when it is in first person. That's TWO stories in this section! Oh well...
Bartleby had a huge impact on the lawyer because he chose to tell the story about him and not about all the other scriveners he has employed in the past. The other three employees were important to show foil characterization and comic relief, but Bartleby was THE story. Heck, it was even named after him! The lawyer says he is not used to people ignoring his instruction or denying his instruction. This intrigues him when Bartleby uses his passive aggresive attitude and skirts his way around saying he doesn't actually want to do anymore work than is required of him. The lawyer is so impacted by him that he moves his own office rather than ban Bartleby or call the police on him. It would have been easy for him to call the police on him, but he was much too interested in Bartleby to let him go away. Even in prison he was connected with him and wanted to know more about him even though Bartleby just ignored him. Bartleby has a past that he will not speak of and that is what keeps the lawyer and the reader so intrigued.
Bartleby had a huge impact on the lawyer because he chose to tell the story about him and not about all the other scriveners he has employed in the past. The other three employees were important to show foil characterization and comic relief, but Bartleby was THE story. Heck, it was even named after him! The lawyer says he is not used to people ignoring his instruction or denying his instruction. This intrigues him when Bartleby uses his passive aggresive attitude and skirts his way around saying he doesn't actually want to do anymore work than is required of him. The lawyer is so impacted by him that he moves his own office rather than ban Bartleby or call the police on him. It would have been easy for him to call the police on him, but he was much too interested in Bartleby to let him go away. Even in prison he was connected with him and wanted to know more about him even though Bartleby just ignored him. Bartleby has a past that he will not speak of and that is what keeps the lawyer and the reader so intrigued.
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