Bartleby, the Scrivener a Story of Wall-Street by Herman MelvilleMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This YA edition had a disclaimer in the front had a disclaimer about content not reflecting modern ideals, as it would were it written today. What exactly did they find objectionable and who were they to assume the content of a time-travelling Melville's opus?
On this reading, I felt this piece has a real Charles Dickens feel and the message was a dark, existentialist allegory like something from Franz Kafka. Also, Bartleby's protest came much sooner (page 11) than I recalled, and more more verbose and articulate -- not merely the "I prefer not to" that I recalled.
The final stage of ultimate withdrawal into catatonia at The Tombs still moves me as chilling. With the former employer still looking in and having moved a place of business rather than confront a recalcitrant employee really struck me as a stereotypical British reaction that I am sure is hard to accept to modern American minds. Was America that much more English in Melville's day?
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