Melville wrote interesting stories. However, Bartleby, the Scrivener appears to be one of the most complex and famous of his work. There are numerous arguments and criticisms about the best interpretation of the story. The author describes a very simple plot of the story where a lawyer working with the Wall Street hires Bartleby as a copyist. As the norm, the lawyer does not expect any difference between the newly hired employee with the previous copyists he ever employed; they are all quirks (Marx, 2001). However, the lawyer's expectation is mistaken. Bartleby turns out to be an exception. Bartleby has a funny character that baffles not only the lawyer but also the other colleagues at the workplace. The author tries to bring out an element of deviation from the normal expectations. As a matter of fact, employees are expected to adhere to their bosses instructions; the essence of their hiring.
The story paints very true picture of the narrator. He is a well experienced lawyer. His age has brought him into a deeper understanding of people besides his job. It is due to his experience that he puts up with the funny character portrayed by Bartleby. He observes that Bartleby can be mistreated if employed by somebody else. Thus he decides to retain him as an employee. He actually pities him (Melville, 2004). The story brings various themes to the fore. For instance, capitalism, class conflicts, economic significance of the Wall Street to America among other themes. From the story, it is evident that the way of life is changing and people are now very active in economic activities. Thus the lawyer employs more staff. Conflicts are arising due to the new dispensation; the copyist refuses to perform do his work. This represents the shock and conflict that people are facing coping with the new trend. Others completely refuse and are eliminated the way Bartleby is imprisoned and eventually dies.
