ENGLISH 1A03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Herman Melville, Critical Inquiry
16 Jan 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Herman melville, bartleby, the scrivener: a story of wall street . In what ways does bartleby not work: a scrivener who doesn"t write, the next day i noticed that bartleby did nothing but stand at his window in his dead-wall revery. Upon asking him why he did not write, he said that he had decided upon doing no more writing. Why, how now? what next? exclaimed i, do no more writing? . Do you not see for yourself? he indifferently replied. (61) In what ways does bartleby not work: a human subject who refuses agency doesn"t participate in the field of intention and action: Will you, or will you not, quit me? i now demanded in a sudden passion, advancing close to him. I would prefer not to quit you, he replied, gently emphasizing the not. (64: bartleby uses the subjunctive voice ( i would prefer ), instead of the active voice ( i will or i will not )
