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A Biblioteca de Babel #11
亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺
乇丿賸賾丕 毓賱賶 廿毓賱丕賳賷 賵賯賮 卮丕亘賹賾 爻丕賰賳丕賸 匕丕鬲 氐亘丕丨 毓賳丿 毓鬲亘丞 賲賰鬲亘賷貙 賵賯丿 賰丕賳 丕賱亘丕亘 賲賮鬲賵丨賸丕 賳馗乇賸丕 賱兀賳 丕賱賵賯鬲 賰丕賳 氐賷賮丕賸. 兀爻鬲胤賷毓 鬲氐賵購賾乇 匕賱賰 丕賱賲馗賴乇 丕賱丌賳: 賳馗賷賮丕賸 亘卮賰賱 卮丕丨亘貙 賲賴匕亘丕賸 亘卮賰賱 賷購乇孬賶 賱賴貙 賵亘丕卅爻丕賸 毓賱賶 賳丨賵賺 賷鬲毓匕賻賾乇 卮賮丕丐賴! 賰丕賳 匕賱賰 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷.
102 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1853
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32.1k people want to read
About the author
Herman Melville
2,300听books4,349听followersThere is more than one author with this name
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. At the time of his death, Melville was no longer well known to the public, but the 1919 centennial of his birth was the starting point of a Melville revival. Moby-Dick eventually would be considered one of the great American novels.
Melville was born in New York City, the third child of a prosperous merchant whose death in 1832 left the family in dire financial straits. He took to sea in 1839 as a common sailor on a merchant ship and then on the whaler Acushnet, but he jumped ship in the Marquesas Islands. Typee, his first book, and its sequel, Omoo (1847), were travel-adventures based on his encounters with the peoples of the islands. Their success gave him the financial security to marry Elizabeth Shaw, the daughter of the Boston jurist Lemuel Shaw. Mardi (1849), a romance-adventure and his first book not based on his own experience, was not well received. Redburn (1849) and White-Jacket (1850), both tales based on his experience as a well-born young man at sea, were given respectable reviews, but did not sell well enough to support his expanding family.
Melville's growing literary ambition showed in Moby-Dick (1851), which took nearly a year and a half to write, but it did not find an audience, and critics scorned his psychological novel Pierre: or, The Ambiguities (1852). From 1853 to 1856, Melville published short fiction in magazines, including "Benito Cereno" and "Bartleby, the Scrivener". In 1857, he traveled to England, toured the Near East, and published his last work of prose, The Confidence-Man (1857). He moved to New York in 1863, eventually taking a position as a United States customs inspector.
From that point, Melville focused his creative powers on poetry. Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War (1866) was his poetic reflection on the moral questions of the American Civil War. In 1867, his eldest child Malcolm died at home from a self-inflicted gunshot. Melville's metaphysical epic Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land was published in 1876. In 1886, his other son Stanwix died of apparent tuberculosis, and Melville retired. During his last years, he privately published two volumes of poetry, and left one volume unpublished. The novella Billy Budd was left unfinished at his death, but was published posthumously in 1924. Melville died from cardiovascular disease in 1891.
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. At the time of his death, Melville was no longer well known to the public, but the 1919 centennial of his birth was the starting point of a Melville revival. Moby-Dick eventually would be considered one of the great American novels.
Melville was born in New York City, the third child of a prosperous merchant whose death in 1832 left the family in dire financial straits. He took to sea in 1839 as a common sailor on a merchant ship and then on the whaler Acushnet, but he jumped ship in the Marquesas Islands. Typee, his first book, and its sequel, Omoo (1847), were travel-adventures based on his encounters with the peoples of the islands. Their success gave him the financial security to marry Elizabeth Shaw, the daughter of the Boston jurist Lemuel Shaw. Mardi (1849), a romance-adventure and his first book not based on his own experience, was not well received. Redburn (1849) and White-Jacket (1850), both tales based on his experience as a well-born young man at sea, were given respectable reviews, but did not sell well enough to support his expanding family.
Melville's growing literary ambition showed in Moby-Dick (1851), which took nearly a year and a half to write, but it did not find an audience, and critics scorned his psychological novel Pierre: or, The Ambiguities (1852). From 1853 to 1856, Melville published short fiction in magazines, including "Benito Cereno" and "Bartleby, the Scrivener". In 1857, he traveled to England, toured the Near East, and published his last work of prose, The Confidence-Man (1857). He moved to New York in 1863, eventually taking a position as a United States customs inspector.
From that point, Melville focused his creative powers on poetry. Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War (1866) was his poetic reflection on the moral questions of the American Civil War. In 1867, his eldest child Malcolm died at home from a self-inflicted gunshot. Melville's metaphysical epic Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land was published in 1876. In 1886, his other son Stanwix died of apparent tuberculosis, and Melville retired. During his last years, he privately published two volumes of poetry, and left one volume unpublished. The novella Billy Budd was left unfinished at his death, but was published posthumously in 1924. Melville died from cardiovascular disease in 1891.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,398 reviews
August 13, 2016
I would tell you what I think of this story, but I prefer not to.
November 2, 2020
What a pleasure it is to return to a work of genius and find it inexhaustible! What a host of insights, what a web of subtleties, are contained within this short account of the breakdown of one man in a five man office!
I think of Melville the sailor, accustomed to wide sea vistas and many sea duties, recoiling at the confined, reduced lives of New York City office workers. I think of Melville the innovative writer, his popularity鈥攁nd income鈥攚aning as his daring increased, contemplating the act of writing considered in itself as a bleak task performed for money. I think of Melville the prophet, warning of the starkness of the coming metropolis and the small brutalities of cubicle capitalism.
I also marvel at the literary landscape which flows past the windows of this tale, for Bartleby, though it speeds non-stop from the village of Dickens to Kafka Terminal, yet gives us a glimpse of the cities of Dostoevsky and Zola, their chimneys darkening sunset in the hills beyond.
But the truth which haunts me is how precisely Melville delineates how we all survive--or do not survive--our workaday worlds. Either we reduce our personalities to caricature and numb ourselves through substance abuse (the clerks Turkey and Nippers) or we deceive ourselves through a pattern of benign neglect disrupted by fits of compassion (the Manhattan lawyer). Otherwise we are doomed to be Bartleby, dismantling ourselves little by little, uttering鈥攊n small 鈥淚 prefer not to鈥� portions鈥擳he Everlasting No.
March 20, 2013
Ah, Bartleby. Ah, Humanity.
At first, as I tried to contain my surprise that Melville, who awed me in Moby Dick, was now writing with such humour and lightness, I felt that Bartleby was a Heroic figure, someone to be admired and emulated - and a welcome break from the complicated characters of the doomed ship.
On second thought, with a slight sinking feeling, I felt he might be a Romantic figure, someone to be eulogized and applauded.
Then, still upbeat about the simplicity of the novella, I was sure that he was meant to be an Ironic figure, someone to be understood and assimilated.
Soon, as the comic aspects faded into melancholy and unexpected depth started invading the short narrative, I started feeling that he might instead be intended as an Absurd figure, someone to be pondered and puzzled over.
Towards the end, as I too devolved with the spirit of the poor man, I felt that he must certainly be a Tragic figure, someone to be pitied and parodied.
Finally, along with the narrator, I was on the brink of concluding that he is a Villainous figure, someone to be excluded and ostracized.
But, in the end, in the tragic and evasive end, the novella had proved itself to be anything but simple and he was none of this and all of this, of course. He was probably the essential human present in the most inscrutable of strangers, in the inner life of the other. He might also be the scion of capitalism, a representation of its many wonders, and an idle, early sacrifice at the altar of pacifism and non-violence. He was some mysterious combination of the heroic and the ironic, and the rest too, in all probability - of the incongruous and the inevitable. A Gandhi without an audience.
He was Bartleby, the Scrivener.
I would prefer not to classify or understand him any further. It will be too discomforting.
December 2, 2023
In 19th century New York, a lawyer with two temperamental employees hired Bartleby as a copyist in his small office. At first, very active in his work, Bartleby refused one day to collate his writings until he did nothing more with his days.
Bartleby the Scrivener is the story of a man who decides to stop. Stop copying, stop talking, and stop living. But he stops with infinite politeness: "I would prefer not to." As much for the reader as Bartleby's employer, this politeness is disarming, who struggles in vain to understand the strange attitude of his employee.
Why does Bartleby decide to stop everything one day? Because he doesn't want to play other men's games anymore? Because his previous job took away his identity? The author does not give us all the keys; the mystery remains for everyone to find their answer.
This novel is fabulous because Melville forces the reader to reflect on his existence through Bartleby's and delve deep into himself. It is an experience as scary as it is exciting.
Bartleby the Scrivener is the story of a man who decides to stop. Stop copying, stop talking, and stop living. But he stops with infinite politeness: "I would prefer not to." As much for the reader as Bartleby's employer, this politeness is disarming, who struggles in vain to understand the strange attitude of his employee.
Why does Bartleby decide to stop everything one day? Because he doesn't want to play other men's games anymore? Because his previous job took away his identity? The author does not give us all the keys; the mystery remains for everyone to find their answer.
This novel is fabulous because Melville forces the reader to reflect on his existence through Bartleby's and delve deep into himself. It is an experience as scary as it is exciting.
August 17, 2021
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street, Herman Melville
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a short story by the American writer Herman Melville, first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine, and reprinted with minor textual alterations in his The Piazza Tales in 1856.
In the story, a Wall Street lawyer hires a new clerk who, after an initial bout of hard work, refuses to make copy or do any other task required of him, with the words "I would prefer not to". The lawyer cannot bring himself to remove Bartleby from his premises, and decides instead to move his office, but the new proprietor removes Bartleby to prison, where he perishes.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖丿賴賲 讴賴 賳賴禄貨 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 爻賵賲 賲丕賴 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 1979賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賵 亘丕乇 丿蹖诏乇 丿乇 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴賮鬲賲 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2015賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賴賵卮賳诏 倬蹖乇賳馗乇貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丌诏丕賴貙 1357貨 丿乇 132氐貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖 - 爻丿賴 19賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖丿賴賲 讴賴 賳賴貨 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲賴丕: 诏乇賵賴 賲鬲乇噩賲丕賳 賳蹖讴丕貨 诏夭蹖賳卮 賵 賵蹖乇丕蹖卮: 倬賵蹖丕 乇賮賵蹖蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 賳蹖讴丕貙 1390貙 191氐貨 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1393貨 卮丕亘讴 9786005906257貨
丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵讴蹖賱蹖 丕夭 芦賵丕賱 丕爻鬲乇蹖鬲禄貙 丿賮鬲乇丿丕乇蹖 乇丕 丕爻鬲禺丿丕賲 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 丕賵 倬爻 丕夭 讴賵卮卮 賵 讴丕乇 趩賳丿 乇賵夭賴貙 亘乇丕蹖 乇賵賳賵卮鬲鈥屫ㄘ必ж臂屫� 蹖丕 丕賳噩丕賲 賴乇讴丕乇 蹖丕 賵馗蹖賮賴贁 丿蹖诏乇蹖貙 讴賴 亘賴 丕賵 賵丕诏匕丕乇 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 爻乇 亘丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 丌賳鈥屬囐� 賴乇亘丕乇貙 亘丕 诏賮鬲賳 噩賲賱賴贁 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳讴賳賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 讴賴 賳賴禄 讴鬲丕亘蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 讴賵卮卮 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦倬賵蹖丕 乇賮賵蹖蹖禄貙 賵 亘丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 蹖 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦讴丕賵賴 賲蹖乇毓亘丕爻蹖禄貙 丿乇 爻丕賱 1390賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 丿乇 賳卮乇 芦賳蹖讴丕禄 賲賳鬲卮乇 卮丿賴貙 賵 卮丕賲賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇禄貙 賵 爻賴 噩爻鬲丕乇 賮賱爻賮蹖 丕爻鬲貨 芦跇蹖賱 丿賱賵夭禄貙 賮蹖賱爻賵賮 賮乇丕賳爻賵蹖 丿乇 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丌禺乇蹖賳 賲賯丕賱賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 禺賵丿貙 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖貙 蹖丕 蹖讴 賮乇賲賵賱禄 亘賴 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱禄 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴貙 讴賴 亘丕 鬲乇噩賲踿 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦卮賴乇蹖丕乇 賵賯賮蹖 倬賵乇禄 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賲賵噩賵丿 丕爻鬲貙 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦丕賲蹖乇 丕丨賲丿蹖 丌乇蹖丕賳禄 賳蹖夭貙 賲賯丕賱賴鈥� 丕蹖 丕夭 芦跇丕讴 乇丕賳爻蹖乇禄 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳 芦丿賱賵夭貙 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賵 賮乇賲賵賱 丕丿亘蹖禄 乇丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 讴乇丿賴 丕賳丿貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 亘賴 亘乇乇爻蹖 賵 乇賵卮賳 讴乇丿賳 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 芦丿賱賵夭禄貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 賴賲蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖禄貙 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 毓賳賵丕賳 賲賯丕賱賴 蹖 爻賵賲 讴鬲丕亘貙 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖貙 蹖丕 丿乇 亘丕亘 丨丿賵孬禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 芦噩賵乇噩賵 丌诏丕賲亘賳禄 賵噩賵賴 丿蹖诏乇 賴賲蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 亘乇乇爻蹖 讴乇丿賴貙 鬲乇噩賲賴 蹖 賲賯丕賱賴 蹖 爻賵賲 丕夭 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦丕賲蹖丿 賲賴乇诏丕賳禄 賵 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦倬賵蹖丕 乇賮賵蹖蹖禄 丕爻鬲
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 04/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 25/05/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a short story by the American writer Herman Melville, first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine, and reprinted with minor textual alterations in his The Piazza Tales in 1856.
In the story, a Wall Street lawyer hires a new clerk who, after an initial bout of hard work, refuses to make copy or do any other task required of him, with the words "I would prefer not to". The lawyer cannot bring himself to remove Bartleby from his premises, and decides instead to move his office, but the new proprietor removes Bartleby to prison, where he perishes.
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖丿賴賲 讴賴 賳賴禄貨 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 爻賵賲 賲丕賴 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 1979賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賵 亘丕乇 丿蹖诏乇 丿乇 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴賮鬲賲 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2015賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賴賵卮賳诏 倬蹖乇賳馗乇貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丌诏丕賴貙 1357貨 丿乇 132氐貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖 - 爻丿賴 19賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖丿賴賲 讴賴 賳賴貨 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲賴丕: 诏乇賵賴 賲鬲乇噩賲丕賳 賳蹖讴丕貨 诏夭蹖賳卮 賵 賵蹖乇丕蹖卮: 倬賵蹖丕 乇賮賵蹖蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 賳蹖讴丕貙 1390貙 191氐貨 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1393貨 卮丕亘讴 9786005906257貨
丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵讴蹖賱蹖 丕夭 芦賵丕賱 丕爻鬲乇蹖鬲禄貙 丿賮鬲乇丿丕乇蹖 乇丕 丕爻鬲禺丿丕賲 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 丕賵 倬爻 丕夭 讴賵卮卮 賵 讴丕乇 趩賳丿 乇賵夭賴貙 亘乇丕蹖 乇賵賳賵卮鬲鈥屫ㄘ必ж臂屫� 蹖丕 丕賳噩丕賲 賴乇讴丕乇 蹖丕 賵馗蹖賮賴贁 丿蹖诏乇蹖貙 讴賴 亘賴 丕賵 賵丕诏匕丕乇 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 爻乇 亘丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 丌賳鈥屬囐� 賴乇亘丕乇貙 亘丕 诏賮鬲賳 噩賲賱賴贁 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳讴賳賲禄貨 讴鬲丕亘 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 讴賴 賳賴禄 讴鬲丕亘蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 讴賵卮卮 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦倬賵蹖丕 乇賮賵蹖蹖禄貙 賵 亘丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 蹖 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦讴丕賵賴 賲蹖乇毓亘丕爻蹖禄貙 丿乇 爻丕賱 1390賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貙 丿乇 賳卮乇 芦賳蹖讴丕禄 賲賳鬲卮乇 卮丿賴貙 賵 卮丕賲賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇禄貙 賵 爻賴 噩爻鬲丕乇 賮賱爻賮蹖 丕爻鬲貨 芦跇蹖賱 丿賱賵夭禄貙 賮蹖賱爻賵賮 賮乇丕賳爻賵蹖 丿乇 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丌禺乇蹖賳 賲賯丕賱賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 禺賵丿貙 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖貙 蹖丕 蹖讴 賮乇賲賵賱禄 亘賴 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱禄 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴貙 讴賴 亘丕 鬲乇噩賲踿 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦卮賴乇蹖丕乇 賵賯賮蹖 倬賵乇禄 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賲賵噩賵丿 丕爻鬲貙 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦丕賲蹖乇 丕丨賲丿蹖 丌乇蹖丕賳禄 賳蹖夭貙 賲賯丕賱賴鈥� 丕蹖 丕夭 芦跇丕讴 乇丕賳爻蹖乇禄 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳 芦丿賱賵夭貙 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賵 賮乇賲賵賱 丕丿亘蹖禄 乇丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 讴乇丿賴 丕賳丿貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 亘賴 亘乇乇爻蹖 賵 乇賵卮賳 讴乇丿賳 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 芦丿賱賵夭禄貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 賴賲蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖禄貙 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 毓賳賵丕賳 賲賯丕賱賴 蹖 爻賵賲 讴鬲丕亘貙 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖貙 蹖丕 丿乇 亘丕亘 丨丿賵孬禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 芦噩賵乇噩賵 丌诏丕賲亘賳禄 賵噩賵賴 丿蹖诏乇 賴賲蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 亘乇乇爻蹖 讴乇丿賴貙 鬲乇噩賲賴 蹖 賲賯丕賱賴 蹖 爻賵賲 丕夭 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦丕賲蹖丿 賲賴乇诏丕賳禄 賵 噩賳丕亘 丌賯丕蹖 芦倬賵蹖丕 乇賮賵蹖蹖禄 丕爻鬲
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 04/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 25/05/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
December 7, 2021
There has to be balance in life so after a 5* review here comes the 1* to keep the average stable. Later edit: I'll upgrade to 2* because I will not forget this story. It annoyed me too much, especially the repeat of "I would prefer not to" reply.
Here is what I understood this story is about. Sometime in mid-19th century, a lawyer needs another helping hand and hires a 4th clerk, Bartleby. The clerk seems to be at first quiet and competent but he soon refuses to do some of his duties replying with "I would prefer not to". Instead of firing his ass, the lawyer feels sorry for the new aid and gives him another chance after another chance, ending up burdening himself and his other clerks with additional tasks. Bartleby refuses to do more and more jobs, he even moves into the office without informing his employer. At some point, the lawyer decides to fire the Bartleby but it proves not to be easy to get rid of him. I did not understand the behaviour of the lawyer and his endless goodwill. Bartleby either was very lazy or as the explanation offered by the narrator - very depressed. If depression was the case (it probably was) I can support reaching out to a person and trying to help them but in the end it is not the employer鈥檚 responsibility to treat mental health problems. Yes, it would be nice not to create them, fairness and a pleasant working environment is always welcomed but that鈥檚 it. I did not understand the point of this short story, really. I could not feel sorry for Bartleby although I tried. His refusal to work was annoying although I tried to be sympathetic as the author is trying to makes us feel towards the character. I decided to read a few comments to better understand what others saw in this story. Some wrote it is a story about capitalism and about individuality. I don鈥檛 see it, sorry. I would probably get more from this at a 2nd reading but鈥 would prefer not to.
Here is what I understood this story is about. Sometime in mid-19th century, a lawyer needs another helping hand and hires a 4th clerk, Bartleby. The clerk seems to be at first quiet and competent but he soon refuses to do some of his duties replying with "I would prefer not to". Instead of firing his ass, the lawyer feels sorry for the new aid and gives him another chance after another chance, ending up burdening himself and his other clerks with additional tasks. Bartleby refuses to do more and more jobs, he even moves into the office without informing his employer. At some point, the lawyer decides to fire the Bartleby but it proves not to be easy to get rid of him. I did not understand the behaviour of the lawyer and his endless goodwill. Bartleby either was very lazy or as the explanation offered by the narrator - very depressed. If depression was the case (it probably was) I can support reaching out to a person and trying to help them but in the end it is not the employer鈥檚 responsibility to treat mental health problems. Yes, it would be nice not to create them, fairness and a pleasant working environment is always welcomed but that鈥檚 it. I did not understand the point of this short story, really. I could not feel sorry for Bartleby although I tried. His refusal to work was annoying although I tried to be sympathetic as the author is trying to makes us feel towards the character. I decided to read a few comments to better understand what others saw in this story. Some wrote it is a story about capitalism and about individuality. I don鈥檛 see it, sorry. I would probably get more from this at a 2nd reading but鈥 would prefer not to.
March 6, 2023
Le铆 este cuento hace mucho, mucho tiempo. No lo entend铆 y me gust贸, quiz谩s porque el no entender implica buscar un sinf铆n de posibilidades sin decidirnos por ninguna pero sin rechazar ninguna tampoco. As铆, sin quererlo, envolvemos el relato en un halo de misterio y, de paso, le dotamos de una especial relevancia. Y he pensado si no ser谩 esto mismo lo que le ocurre a este abogado sin nombre que se las tiene que ver con Bartleby.
He pensado que el relato se nos escapa, que el relato se nos resiste, con una resistencia pac铆fica y hermosa, bien es verdad. Precisamente Melville nos avisa del peligro:
He pensado que quiz谩s Bartleby no representa una respuesta al sinsentido de la existencia, ni al absurdo de la vida: Bartleby representa el absurdo, el sinsentido que de pronto entra en la mon贸tona, segura y acomodada vida del abogado y, sin saber c贸mo ni de d贸nde viene, tiene que enfrentarse a 茅l.
He pensado que es posible que sea el abogado el protagonista de esta historia y que Bartleby solo est茅 jugando aqu铆 el papel del dedo que se帽ala la luna (por favor, que nadie se me moleste, es solo algo que he pensado).
Bien es verdad que de esta forma me quedo con el personaje aburrido y descarto al personaje m铆tico y misterioso. Qui茅n soy yo al lado de mi admirado Vila-Matas que, en su famoso libro Bartleby y compa帽铆a , nos dec铆a:
He pensado que el relato se nos escapa, que el relato se nos resiste, con una resistencia pac铆fica y hermosa, bien es verdad. Precisamente Melville nos avisa del peligro:
鈥淣ada exaspera m谩s a una persona seria que una resistencia pasiva. Si el individuo resistido no es inhumano y el individuo resistente es inofensivo en su pasividad, el primero, en sus mejores momentos, caritativamente procurar谩 que su imaginaci贸n interprete lo que su entendimiento no puede resolver.鈥�Y he pensado si no ser谩 esto mismo que sentimos ante el cuento lo que siente el abogado ante su subordinado Bartleby.
He pensado que quiz谩s Bartleby no representa una respuesta al sinsentido de la existencia, ni al absurdo de la vida: Bartleby representa el absurdo, el sinsentido que de pronto entra en la mon贸tona, segura y acomodada vida del abogado y, sin saber c贸mo ni de d贸nde viene, tiene que enfrentarse a 茅l.
He pensado que es posible que sea el abogado el protagonista de esta historia y que Bartleby solo est茅 jugando aqu铆 el papel del dedo que se帽ala la luna (por favor, que nadie se me moleste, es solo algo que he pensado).
Bien es verdad que de esta forma me quedo con el personaje aburrido y descarto al personaje m铆tico y misterioso. Qui茅n soy yo al lado de mi admirado Vila-Matas que, en su famoso libro Bartleby y compa帽铆a , nos dec铆a:
芦Hablar -parecen indicarnos tanto Wakefield como Bartleby- es pactar con el sinsentido del existir. En los dos habita una profunda negaci贸n del mundo.禄Y entre el "negar al mundo" del escribiente y la reacci贸n melanc贸lica y de sincera l谩stima ante la desolaci贸n de Bartleby del abogado, no hay color.
December 27, 2021
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street, Herman Melville
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a short story by the American writer Herman Melville, first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine, and reprinted with minor textual alterations in his The Piazza Tales in 1856.
In the story, The narrator, an elderly, unnamed Manhattan lawyer with a comfortable business, already employs two scriveners, Nippers and Turkey, to copy legal documents by hand.
An increase in business leads him to advertise for a third, and he hires the forlorn-looking Bartleby in the hope that his calmness will soothe the irascible temperaments of the other two. An office boy called Ginger Nut completes the staff.
At first, Bartleby produces a large volume of high-quality work, but one day, when asked to help proofread a document, Bartleby answers with what soon becomes his perpetual response to every request: "I would prefer not to".
To the dismay of the lawyer and the irritation of the other employees, Bartleby performs fewer and fewer tasks and eventually none, instead spending long periods of time staring out one of the office's windows at a brick wall.
The narrator makes several futile attempts to reason with Bartleby and to learn something about him; when the narrator stops by the office one Sunday morning, he discovers that Bartleby has started living there. Tension builds as business associates wonder why Bartleby is always there.
Sensing the threat to his reputation but emotionally unable to evict Bartleby, the narrator moves his business out. Soon the new tenants come to ask for help in removing Bartleby, who now sits on the stairs all day and sleeps in the building's doorway at night.
The narrator visits Bartleby and attempts to reason with him; to his own surprise, he invites Bartleby to live with him, but Bartleby declines the offer. Later the narrator returns to find that Bartleby has been forcibly removed and imprisoned in the Tombs. Finding Bartleby glummer than usual during a visit, the narrator bribes a turnkey to make sure he gets enough food.
When the narrator returns a few days later to check on Bartleby, he discovers that he died of starvation, having preferred not to eat. Sometime afterwards, the narrator hears a rumor that Bartleby had worked in a dead-letter office and reflects that dead letters would have made anyone of Bartleby's temperament sink into an even darker gloom.
The story closes with the narrator's resigned and pained sigh, "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!".
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毓賳賵丕賳: 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賴賵卮賳诏 倬蹖乇賳馗乇貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丌诏丕賴貙 爻丕賱1357貨 丿乇132氐貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 爻丕賱19賲
讴丕賵賴 賲蹖乇毓亘丕爻蹖 賳蹖夭 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 賵 賳卮乇 賳蹖讴丕 丿乇 爻丕賱1390賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖 丌賳 乇丕 賲賳鬲卮乇 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳: (亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖貙 丌蹖丕 亘賴 賲賳 賲蹖鈥屭堐屰� 讴噩丕 亘賴 丿賳蹖丕 丌賲丿賴鈥� 丕蹖責
鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳诏賵蹖賲
丌蹖丕 丨丕囟乇蹖 乇丕噩毓 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲 亘賴 賲賳 亘诏賵蹖蹖責
鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳诏賵蹖賲.)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
丕蹖賳賴丕 倬乇爻卮賴丕蹖 爻丕丿賴鈥� 丕蹖鈥� 賴爻鬲賳賳丿貙 讴賴 氐丕丨亘 賲丨囟乇蹖 賲毓鬲亘乇貙 丕夭 讴丕乇賲賳丿 鬲丕夭賴鈥� 讴丕乇 禺賵丿: 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖禄貙 讴賴 賲丨乇乇 爻丕丿賴鈥� 丕蹖 亘蹖卮 賳蹖爻鬲貙 賲蹖鈥屬矩必池� 賵 賴乇亘丕乇 賲賵丕噩賴 亘丕 賳丕讴丕賲蹖 丕夭 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲 倬丕爻禺 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇禄貨 賳賵卮鬲賴 蹖 芦賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱禄貙 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 賲丨乇乇蹖 賮賯蹖乇貙 賵 讴丕乇賲賳丿蹖 丿賵賳鈥� 倬丕蹖賴鈥� 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 賳賴 睾匕丕蹖 丿乇爻鬲鈥� 賵 丨爻丕亘蹖 賲蹖鈥屫堌必� 賵 賳賴 丨鬲蹖貙 噩丕蹖蹖 亘乇丕蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖鈥� 讴乇丿賳 丿丕乇丿貙 賵賱蹖 賳蹖乇賵蹖 卮禺氐蹖鈥� 丕卮 亘夭乇诏賵丕乇 丕爻鬲貙 賳蹖乇賵蹖蹖 讴丕賲賱丕 芦賳賴禄貙 丕賲丕 賯丿乇鬲賲賳丿貨 讴賴 鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 亘賴 丕賳鬲馗丕乇丕鬲蹖 讴賴 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 丕夭 丕賵 丿丕乇賳丿貙 鬲賳 丿乇 賳丿賴丿. 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳賴禄 鬲賲 丕氐賱蹖 賲丕噩乇丕爻鬲貙 丌睾丕夭 賳賴 诏賮鬲賳貙 亘賴 乇蹖蹖爻 丕夭 丌賳噩丕 丌睾丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 氐丕丨亘鈥� 賲丨囟乇貙 讴賴 丕夭 賯囟丕 賲乇丿蹖 丌爻丕賳诏蹖乇貙 賵 氐亘賵乇 丕爻鬲. 丕夭 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲蹖鈥屫堌з囏� 賲鬲賳蹖 賲禺鬲氐乇 乇丕貙 亘丕賴賲 賲賯丕亘賱賴 讴賳賳丿貙 丕賲丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 亘賴鈥� 噩丕蹖 賲賯丕亘賱賴 蹖 賲鬲賳貙 亘丕 賱丨賳蹖 亘爻鈥� 賲賱丕蹖賲 賵 賯丕胤毓 噩賵丕亘 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 乇丕 賳讴賳賲禄貨 賲丨囟乇丿丕乇 丕夭 賮乇胤 賳丕亘賴賳诏丕賲蹖 倬丕爻禺 讴丕乇賲賳丿 禺賵蹖卮貙 爻禺鬲 賲鬲毓噩亘 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 芦亘賱丕賮丕氐賱賴 诏賲丕賳 亘乇丿賲 讴賴 诏賵卮鈥屬囏й屬� 賲乇丕 賮乇蹖亘 丿丕丿賴鈥� 丕賳丿貙 蹖丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 丕亘丿丕 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲賳馗賵乇賲 賳卮丿賴貙 丿乇禺賵丕爻鬲賲 乇丕 亘賴 賵丕囟丨鈥屫臂屬� 氐賵乇鬲 賲賲讴賳貙 鬲讴乇丕乇 讴乇丿賲禄貨 丕賲丕 倬丕爻禺 倬蹖卮蹖賳 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 賵囟賵丨 亘蹖丕賳 卮丿鈥� 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 乇丕 賳讴賳賲禄貨 賵 ...貨
讴鬲丕亘 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 讴賴 賳賴禄 丿乇亘乇丿丕乇賳丿踿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇賾乇賽禄 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱 賵 爻賴 噩爻鬲丕乇 賮賱爻賮蹖 丿乇亘丕乇踿 丌賳 丕爻鬲
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 05/11/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 05/10/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a short story by the American writer Herman Melville, first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine, and reprinted with minor textual alterations in his The Piazza Tales in 1856.
In the story, The narrator, an elderly, unnamed Manhattan lawyer with a comfortable business, already employs two scriveners, Nippers and Turkey, to copy legal documents by hand.
An increase in business leads him to advertise for a third, and he hires the forlorn-looking Bartleby in the hope that his calmness will soothe the irascible temperaments of the other two. An office boy called Ginger Nut completes the staff.
At first, Bartleby produces a large volume of high-quality work, but one day, when asked to help proofread a document, Bartleby answers with what soon becomes his perpetual response to every request: "I would prefer not to".
To the dismay of the lawyer and the irritation of the other employees, Bartleby performs fewer and fewer tasks and eventually none, instead spending long periods of time staring out one of the office's windows at a brick wall.
The narrator makes several futile attempts to reason with Bartleby and to learn something about him; when the narrator stops by the office one Sunday morning, he discovers that Bartleby has started living there. Tension builds as business associates wonder why Bartleby is always there.
Sensing the threat to his reputation but emotionally unable to evict Bartleby, the narrator moves his business out. Soon the new tenants come to ask for help in removing Bartleby, who now sits on the stairs all day and sleeps in the building's doorway at night.
The narrator visits Bartleby and attempts to reason with him; to his own surprise, he invites Bartleby to live with him, but Bartleby declines the offer. Later the narrator returns to find that Bartleby has been forcibly removed and imprisoned in the Tombs. Finding Bartleby glummer than usual during a visit, the narrator bribes a turnkey to make sure he gets enough food.
When the narrator returns a few days later to check on Bartleby, he discovers that he died of starvation, having preferred not to eat. Sometime afterwards, the narrator hears a rumor that Bartleby had worked in a dead-letter office and reflects that dead letters would have made anyone of Bartleby's temperament sink into an even darker gloom.
The story closes with the narrator's resigned and pained sigh, "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!".
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖丿賴賲 讴賴 賳賴禄貨 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 亘丕乇 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 爻賵賲 賲丕賴 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱1979 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賵 亘丕乇 丿蹖诏乇: 乇賵夭 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 賴賮鬲賲 賲丕賴 丿爻丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱2015賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇 賵 趩賳丿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿蹖诏乇貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賴賵卮賳诏 倬蹖乇賳馗乇貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丌诏丕賴貙 爻丕賱1357貨 丿乇132氐貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 讴賵鬲丕賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 爻丕賱19賲
讴丕賵賴 賲蹖乇毓亘丕爻蹖 賳蹖夭 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 賵 賳卮乇 賳蹖讴丕 丿乇 爻丕賱1390賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖 丌賳 乇丕 賲賳鬲卮乇 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳: (亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖貙 丌蹖丕 亘賴 賲賳 賲蹖鈥屭堐屰� 讴噩丕 亘賴 丿賳蹖丕 丌賲丿賴鈥� 丕蹖責
鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳诏賵蹖賲
丌蹖丕 丨丕囟乇蹖 乇丕噩毓 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲 亘賴 賲賳 亘诏賵蹖蹖責
鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳诏賵蹖賲.)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱
丕蹖賳賴丕 倬乇爻卮賴丕蹖 爻丕丿賴鈥� 丕蹖鈥� 賴爻鬲賳賳丿貙 讴賴 氐丕丨亘 賲丨囟乇蹖 賲毓鬲亘乇貙 丕夭 讴丕乇賲賳丿 鬲丕夭賴鈥� 讴丕乇 禺賵丿: 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖禄貙 讴賴 賲丨乇乇 爻丕丿賴鈥� 丕蹖 亘蹖卮 賳蹖爻鬲貙 賲蹖鈥屬矩必池� 賵 賴乇亘丕乇 賲賵丕噩賴 亘丕 賳丕讴丕賲蹖 丕夭 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲 倬丕爻禺 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇乇禄貨 賳賵卮鬲賴 蹖 芦賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱禄貙 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 賲丨乇乇蹖 賮賯蹖乇貙 賵 讴丕乇賲賳丿蹖 丿賵賳鈥� 倬丕蹖賴鈥� 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 賳賴 睾匕丕蹖 丿乇爻鬲鈥� 賵 丨爻丕亘蹖 賲蹖鈥屫堌必� 賵 賳賴 丨鬲蹖貙 噩丕蹖蹖 亘乇丕蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖鈥� 讴乇丿賳 丿丕乇丿貙 賵賱蹖 賳蹖乇賵蹖 卮禺氐蹖鈥� 丕卮 亘夭乇诏賵丕乇 丕爻鬲貙 賳蹖乇賵蹖蹖 讴丕賲賱丕 芦賳賴禄貙 丕賲丕 賯丿乇鬲賲賳丿貨 讴賴 鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 亘賴 丕賳鬲馗丕乇丕鬲蹖 讴賴 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 丕夭 丕賵 丿丕乇賳丿貙 鬲賳 丿乇 賳丿賴丿. 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 賳賴禄 鬲賲 丕氐賱蹖 賲丕噩乇丕爻鬲貙 丌睾丕夭 賳賴 诏賮鬲賳貙 亘賴 乇蹖蹖爻 丕夭 丌賳噩丕 丌睾丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 氐丕丨亘鈥� 賲丨囟乇貙 讴賴 丕夭 賯囟丕 賲乇丿蹖 丌爻丕賳诏蹖乇貙 賵 氐亘賵乇 丕爻鬲. 丕夭 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲蹖鈥屫堌з囏� 賲鬲賳蹖 賲禺鬲氐乇 乇丕貙 亘丕賴賲 賲賯丕亘賱賴 讴賳賳丿貙 丕賲丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 亘賴鈥� 噩丕蹖 賲賯丕亘賱賴 蹖 賲鬲賳貙 亘丕 賱丨賳蹖 亘爻鈥� 賲賱丕蹖賲 賵 賯丕胤毓 噩賵丕亘 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 乇丕 賳讴賳賲禄貨 賲丨囟乇丿丕乇 丕夭 賮乇胤 賳丕亘賴賳诏丕賲蹖 倬丕爻禺 讴丕乇賲賳丿 禺賵蹖卮貙 爻禺鬲 賲鬲毓噩亘 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 芦亘賱丕賮丕氐賱賴 诏賲丕賳 亘乇丿賲 讴賴 诏賵卮鈥屬囏й屬� 賲乇丕 賮乇蹖亘 丿丕丿賴鈥� 丕賳丿貙 蹖丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 丕亘丿丕 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲賳馗賵乇賲 賳卮丿賴貙 丿乇禺賵丕爻鬲賲 乇丕 亘賴 賵丕囟丨鈥屫臂屬� 氐賵乇鬲 賲賲讴賳貙 鬲讴乇丕乇 讴乇丿賲禄貨 丕賲丕 倬丕爻禺 倬蹖卮蹖賳 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 賵囟賵丨 亘蹖丕賳 卮丿鈥� 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 乇丕 賳讴賳賲禄貨 賵 ...貨
讴鬲丕亘 芦鬲乇噩蹖丨 賲蹖鈥屫囐� 讴賴 賳賴禄 丿乇亘乇丿丕乇賳丿踿 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 芦亘丕乇鬲賱亘蹖 賲丨乇賾乇賽禄 賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賵蹖賱 賵 爻賴 噩爻鬲丕乇 賮賱爻賮蹖 丿乇亘丕乇踿 丌賳 丕爻鬲
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 05/11/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 05/10/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
June 5, 2022
鈥�Ah, happiness courts the light, so we deem the world is gay; but misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none.鈥�
鈥� You know that colleague who doesn鈥檛 do their fair share, leaving you and others to pick up the slack?
鈥� And the one who is too good at what they do and makes everyone else look bad?
鈥� What about the alcoholic who doesn鈥檛 pull their weight after a daily liquid lunch?
鈥� Or the inscrutable one who may be battling mental illness or other issues, but is nevertheless infuriating?
鈥� How should management juggle compassion and fairness amid such diversity?
鈥� How much carelessness, laziness, and insubordination should they tolerate?
This short novella about a small office, way back in 1853, is remarkably pertinent, decorated with some charmingly antiquated turns of phrase.
It is both funnier and more tragic than I expected.
The setup
The unnamed narrator is pushing sixty:
鈥�I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never addresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds and mortgages and title-deeds鈥�.
He employs two scriveners and an office boy, known by nicknames: Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. His grotty chambers are described with amusing understatement:
鈥�My windows commanded an unobstructed view of a lofty brick wall, black by age and everlasting shade.鈥�
Image: The view ()
He portrays himself as a benevolent, but ineffectual, boss: anyone else would long ago have fired Turkey for his 鈥渆ccentricities鈥�, thus, an additional scrivener is required:
鈥�In answer to my advertisement, a motionless young man one morning, stood upon my office threshold, the door being open, for it was summer. I can see that figure now鈥攑allidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn! It was Bartleby.鈥�
At first, Bartleby is very industrious. He鈥檚 also silent, pale, and mechanical. 鈥淥n the third day鈥� (such a weighted phrase), the boss asks Bartleby to do a minor task, within his duties:
鈥�Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, 鈥业 would prefer not to.鈥�鈥�
And he sticks to that.
WWYD?
鈥� What would you do if you were the boss?
鈥� How would you feel if you were Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut?
鈥� And why is Bartleby behaving this way?
The story progresses, with humour and tragedy, but very few answers. It鈥檚 brilliant.
鈥�Up to a certain point the thought or sight of misery enlists our best affections; but, in certain special cases, beyond that point it does not.鈥�
If Bartleby worked for me, I鈥檓 unsure what I would do. I鈥檇 certainly be curious, and I鈥檇 have sympathy for some of the revelations and assumptions about his life. However, I don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be as lenient as the boss says he was.
It explores work, duty, charity, mental ill-health, fate and free will, and the power of the word 鈥減refer鈥�.
Image: Bartleby would prefer not to ()
Quotes
鈥� 鈥淗e was a man whom prosperity harmed.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淲hen a man is browbeaten in some unprecedented and violently unreasonable way, he begins to stagger in his own plainest faith. He begins, as it were, vaguely to surmise that, wonderful as it may be, all the justice and all the reason is on the other side.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淣othing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗is cadaverously gentlemanly nonchalance.鈥�
鈥淗is mildly cadaverous reply.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淏ut he answered not a word; like the last column of some ruined temple, he remained standing mute and solitary in the middle of the otherwise deserted room.鈥�
鈥� 鈥溾€榊ou will 苍辞迟?鈥�
鈥业 prefer 苍辞迟.鈥欌赌�
See also
鈥� You can read the novella free, online, on Gutenberg, .
鈥� For a contemporary take on a similar situation and themes, see Jonas Karlsson鈥檚 The Room, and my review HERE.
鈥� Gogol's The Overcoat. See my review HERE.
鈥� Kafka in general, and a specific story of his. See my Kafka shelf HERE.
鈥� Towards the end, I thought more of JL Borges. See my overview review of his works HERE.
Short story club
I reread this as one of the stories in The Art of the Short Story, by Dana Gioia, from which I'm aiming to read one story a week with The Short Story Club, starting 2 May 2022.
You can read this story .
You can join the group here.
鈥� You know that colleague who doesn鈥檛 do their fair share, leaving you and others to pick up the slack?
鈥� And the one who is too good at what they do and makes everyone else look bad?
鈥� What about the alcoholic who doesn鈥檛 pull their weight after a daily liquid lunch?
鈥� Or the inscrutable one who may be battling mental illness or other issues, but is nevertheless infuriating?
鈥� How should management juggle compassion and fairness amid such diversity?
鈥� How much carelessness, laziness, and insubordination should they tolerate?
This short novella about a small office, way back in 1853, is remarkably pertinent, decorated with some charmingly antiquated turns of phrase.
It is both funnier and more tragic than I expected.
The setup
The unnamed narrator is pushing sixty:
鈥�I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never addresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds and mortgages and title-deeds鈥�.
He employs two scriveners and an office boy, known by nicknames: Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. His grotty chambers are described with amusing understatement:
鈥�My windows commanded an unobstructed view of a lofty brick wall, black by age and everlasting shade.鈥�
Image: The view ()
He portrays himself as a benevolent, but ineffectual, boss: anyone else would long ago have fired Turkey for his 鈥渆ccentricities鈥�, thus, an additional scrivener is required:
鈥�In answer to my advertisement, a motionless young man one morning, stood upon my office threshold, the door being open, for it was summer. I can see that figure now鈥攑allidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn! It was Bartleby.鈥�
At first, Bartleby is very industrious. He鈥檚 also silent, pale, and mechanical. 鈥淥n the third day鈥� (such a weighted phrase), the boss asks Bartleby to do a minor task, within his duties:
鈥�Bartleby in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, 鈥业 would prefer not to.鈥�鈥�
And he sticks to that.
WWYD?
鈥� What would you do if you were the boss?
鈥� How would you feel if you were Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut?
鈥� And why is Bartleby behaving this way?
The story progresses, with humour and tragedy, but very few answers. It鈥檚 brilliant.
鈥�Up to a certain point the thought or sight of misery enlists our best affections; but, in certain special cases, beyond that point it does not.鈥�
If Bartleby worked for me, I鈥檓 unsure what I would do. I鈥檇 certainly be curious, and I鈥檇 have sympathy for some of the revelations and assumptions about his life. However, I don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be as lenient as the boss says he was.
It explores work, duty, charity, mental ill-health, fate and free will, and the power of the word 鈥減refer鈥�.
Image: Bartleby would prefer not to ()
Quotes
鈥� 鈥淗e was a man whom prosperity harmed.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淲hen a man is browbeaten in some unprecedented and violently unreasonable way, he begins to stagger in his own plainest faith. He begins, as it were, vaguely to surmise that, wonderful as it may be, all the justice and all the reason is on the other side.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淣othing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗is cadaverously gentlemanly nonchalance.鈥�
鈥淗is mildly cadaverous reply.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淏ut he answered not a word; like the last column of some ruined temple, he remained standing mute and solitary in the middle of the otherwise deserted room.鈥�
鈥� 鈥溾€榊ou will 苍辞迟?鈥�
鈥业 prefer 苍辞迟.鈥欌赌�
See also
鈥� You can read the novella free, online, on Gutenberg, .
鈥� For a contemporary take on a similar situation and themes, see Jonas Karlsson鈥檚 The Room, and my review HERE.
鈥� Gogol's The Overcoat. See my review HERE.
鈥� Kafka in general, and a specific story of his. See my Kafka shelf HERE.
鈥� Towards the end, I thought more of JL Borges. See my overview review of his works HERE.
Short story club
I reread this as one of the stories in The Art of the Short Story, by Dana Gioia, from which I'm aiming to read one story a week with The Short Story Club, starting 2 May 2022.
You can read this story .
You can join the group here.
July 30, 2024
Repet铆 la orden con la mayor claridad posible; pero con claridad se repiti贸 la respuesta.
-Preferir铆a no hacerlo.
-Preferir铆a no hacerlo -repet铆 como un eco, poni茅ndome de pie, excitad铆simo y cruzando el cuarto a grandes pasos-. 驴Qu茅 quiere decir con eso? Est谩 loco. Necesito que me ayude a confrontar esta p谩gina; t贸mela -y se la alcanc茅.
-Preferir铆a no hacerlo -dijo.鈥�
Detr谩s de la grandilocuencia epop茅yica que result贸 tard铆amente para la literatura la obra magna de Herman Melville y que se llam贸 Moby Dick, publicada all谩 por 1851, en contraposici贸n se iba apagando la imagen de este excepcional autor tanto para sus cr铆ticos como para el p煤blico de su 茅poca hasta casi desaparecer.
El mismo Melville terminar铆a sus d铆as finales trabajando como un simple empleado administrativo de la Aduana de Nueva York y fue unos cuantos a帽os despu茅s, cuando finalmente lograron recuperar el lustre de su obra perenne para mantenerla viva y con brillo hasta el d铆a de hoy.
Nosotros los lectores somos los que m谩s trabajamos para ello.
Quiz谩s, y sin quererlo, Melville durante sus 煤ltimos a帽os haya visto a alg煤n empleado en donde trabajaba o tal vez 茅l mismo habr谩 tenido una reacci贸n tan parecida a la de este maravilloso e inolvidable personaje que es Bartleby, el escribiente y decidi贸 darle vida.
Este cuento, que fuera publicado en su colecci贸n de relatos "The Piazza Tales" (1856) supo transformarse, con tan s贸lo unas 90 p谩ginas de longitud en un texto de relevancia eterna y que equipar贸 literariamente y aunque no lo parezca al tama帽o del leviat谩n blanco perseguido sin cuartel por el capit谩n Ahab y su Pequod.
Cosa rara la literatura... es un arte que transforma lo insignificante en glorioso, lo min煤sculo en imponente, lo peque帽o en universal. Porque eso es Bartleby: es un personaje universal que hace que todo lector de cl谩sicos sepa qui茅n es y que recuerde al instante su inoxidable frase insignia "Preferir铆a no hacerlo."
驴C贸mo es posible que al parecer, un personaje tan peque帽o como Bartleby alcance una notoriedad que traspase casi ciento setenta a帽os para transformarse en algo tan actual y que a煤n hoy sigamos leyendo este cuento con tanta atenci贸n?
Creo que en el caso de Bartleby lo solventa la simplicidad de una frase que resuena a trav茅s de los tiempos y especialmente en la actitud estoica de un personaje tan peculiar que no admite copias, aunque s铆 se puede decir que tiene colegas.
Ya desde las primeras p谩ginas sabemos que ser谩 un personaje 煤nico cuando su jefe anuncia: "En contestaci贸n a mi aviso, un joven inm贸vil apareci贸 una ma帽ana en mi oficina... Reveo esa figura: 隆p谩lidamente pulcra, lamentablemente decente, incurablemente desolada! Era Bartleby."
Para m铆 Bartleby forma parte de una peque帽a elite de personajes que, como definiera Jorge Luis Borges para los de Franz Kafka dar铆a en llamarse "Los profesionales de la derrota". Son aquellos personajes que est谩n destinados a perder y es ah铆 en donde ganan la inmortalidad.
La alt铆sima dosis de soledad, desasosiego, desamparo y tristeza de Bartleby es compartida con otros tan o m谩s tr谩gicos que 茅l: qui茅n no recuerda la triste y lamentable historia sobre la p茅rdida de Akaki Akakievich en cuento "El capote" de Nik贸lai G贸gol, el fatal desenlace que condena a Gregor Samsa en "La metamorfosis" de Franz Kafka o el alegato desesperado de "El Sr. Projarchin", escrito por Fi贸dor Dostoievski. Podr铆amos agregar a otro emblem谩tico personaje que auto posterga su destino como es el caso de "Wakefield", en el hom贸nimo cuento de Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Todos ellos, al igual que Bartleby est谩n condenados al fracaso, la muerte, la humillaci贸n para erigirse en algo que trascender谩 los tiempos y nunca ser谩 olvidado. El final de todos ellos se trastoca en el recuerdo, en la memoria, en la constante relectura de sus p谩ginas.
Para la 茅poca en que se escribi贸 este cuento estaba muy en boga en la vida real tanto en empresas como en los juzgados, estudios de abogados o en las editoriales utilizar empleados que se denominaban copistas o amanuenses, quienes, con una paciencia de ara帽a pasaban horas y horas realizando el tedioso y aburrido trabajo de la copia de documentos.
A esta casta pertenecen estos hombrecillos que, como parte de alguna mara帽a burocr谩tica y por muy pocos centavos trabajaban d铆a y noche. Bartleby y Projarchin son claros ejemplos.
Cuando Bartleby llega a la oficina del narrador de esta historia, lo hace un secreto que se devela en las l铆neas finales y m谩s all谩 de que al principio trabaja con ganas, algo demuestra que no lo sostendr谩 mucho tiempo hasta que poco tiempo despu茅s dispara su frase fat铆dica, "Preferir铆a no hacerlo鈥� y ya no habr谩 vuelta atr谩s, ya que ante tanta insistencia las negativas de este peque帽o muchacho son sistem谩ticas y como dice el narrador, "Nada exaspera m谩s a una persona seria que una resistencia pac铆fica."
Es que para m铆 Bartleby profesa algo llamado "Nihilismo pac铆fico" y sostiene inc贸lume su estandarte hasta su triste final. Ya sobre el desenlace, su jefe afirma: "Yo pod铆a dar una limosna a su cuerpo; pero su cuerpo no le dol铆a; ten铆a el alma enferma, y yo no pod铆a llegar a su alma."
Clara met谩fora de la soledad en las grandes urbes, de la desconexi贸n social a las que muchos hombres se ven sometidos o a eso que muchos llaman fantas铆as psicol贸gicas, Bartleby se nos muestra como un mensaje de alerta a tener en cuenta, m谩s a煤n en estos tiempos que corren en donde lo humano ha sido totalmente vapuleado por la fr铆a tecnolog铆a, la frivolidad de las redes sociales, los deteriorados lazos afectivos entre las personas y un ego铆smo hacia el pr贸jimo peligrosamente en aumento.
Para concluir, creo que el mensaje que Bartleby nos deja es claro y no es para nada una cr铆tica al narrador, que pone en pr谩ctica todos los recursos posibles antes del desastre.
Lo m谩s importante que nos ata帽e es el hecho de que todos y cada uno de nosotros en cualquier momento de la vida podr铆amos transformarnos en un Bartleby si no ponemos nuestras miradas en lo que de veras importa: corremos el riesgo de perder eso que nos hace 煤nicos: el acontecimiento tan 煤nico y tan grandioso de SER HUMANOS.
-Preferir铆a no hacerlo.
-Preferir铆a no hacerlo -repet铆 como un eco, poni茅ndome de pie, excitad铆simo y cruzando el cuarto a grandes pasos-. 驴Qu茅 quiere decir con eso? Est谩 loco. Necesito que me ayude a confrontar esta p谩gina; t贸mela -y se la alcanc茅.
-Preferir铆a no hacerlo -dijo.鈥�
Detr谩s de la grandilocuencia epop茅yica que result贸 tard铆amente para la literatura la obra magna de Herman Melville y que se llam贸 Moby Dick, publicada all谩 por 1851, en contraposici贸n se iba apagando la imagen de este excepcional autor tanto para sus cr铆ticos como para el p煤blico de su 茅poca hasta casi desaparecer.
El mismo Melville terminar铆a sus d铆as finales trabajando como un simple empleado administrativo de la Aduana de Nueva York y fue unos cuantos a帽os despu茅s, cuando finalmente lograron recuperar el lustre de su obra perenne para mantenerla viva y con brillo hasta el d铆a de hoy.
Nosotros los lectores somos los que m谩s trabajamos para ello.
Quiz谩s, y sin quererlo, Melville durante sus 煤ltimos a帽os haya visto a alg煤n empleado en donde trabajaba o tal vez 茅l mismo habr谩 tenido una reacci贸n tan parecida a la de este maravilloso e inolvidable personaje que es Bartleby, el escribiente y decidi贸 darle vida.
Este cuento, que fuera publicado en su colecci贸n de relatos "The Piazza Tales" (1856) supo transformarse, con tan s贸lo unas 90 p谩ginas de longitud en un texto de relevancia eterna y que equipar贸 literariamente y aunque no lo parezca al tama帽o del leviat谩n blanco perseguido sin cuartel por el capit谩n Ahab y su Pequod.
Cosa rara la literatura... es un arte que transforma lo insignificante en glorioso, lo min煤sculo en imponente, lo peque帽o en universal. Porque eso es Bartleby: es un personaje universal que hace que todo lector de cl谩sicos sepa qui茅n es y que recuerde al instante su inoxidable frase insignia "Preferir铆a no hacerlo."
驴C贸mo es posible que al parecer, un personaje tan peque帽o como Bartleby alcance una notoriedad que traspase casi ciento setenta a帽os para transformarse en algo tan actual y que a煤n hoy sigamos leyendo este cuento con tanta atenci贸n?
Creo que en el caso de Bartleby lo solventa la simplicidad de una frase que resuena a trav茅s de los tiempos y especialmente en la actitud estoica de un personaje tan peculiar que no admite copias, aunque s铆 se puede decir que tiene colegas.
Ya desde las primeras p谩ginas sabemos que ser谩 un personaje 煤nico cuando su jefe anuncia: "En contestaci贸n a mi aviso, un joven inm贸vil apareci贸 una ma帽ana en mi oficina... Reveo esa figura: 隆p谩lidamente pulcra, lamentablemente decente, incurablemente desolada! Era Bartleby."
Para m铆 Bartleby forma parte de una peque帽a elite de personajes que, como definiera Jorge Luis Borges para los de Franz Kafka dar铆a en llamarse "Los profesionales de la derrota". Son aquellos personajes que est谩n destinados a perder y es ah铆 en donde ganan la inmortalidad.
La alt铆sima dosis de soledad, desasosiego, desamparo y tristeza de Bartleby es compartida con otros tan o m谩s tr谩gicos que 茅l: qui茅n no recuerda la triste y lamentable historia sobre la p茅rdida de Akaki Akakievich en cuento "El capote" de Nik贸lai G贸gol, el fatal desenlace que condena a Gregor Samsa en "La metamorfosis" de Franz Kafka o el alegato desesperado de "El Sr. Projarchin", escrito por Fi贸dor Dostoievski. Podr铆amos agregar a otro emblem谩tico personaje que auto posterga su destino como es el caso de "Wakefield", en el hom贸nimo cuento de Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Todos ellos, al igual que Bartleby est谩n condenados al fracaso, la muerte, la humillaci贸n para erigirse en algo que trascender谩 los tiempos y nunca ser谩 olvidado. El final de todos ellos se trastoca en el recuerdo, en la memoria, en la constante relectura de sus p谩ginas.
Para la 茅poca en que se escribi贸 este cuento estaba muy en boga en la vida real tanto en empresas como en los juzgados, estudios de abogados o en las editoriales utilizar empleados que se denominaban copistas o amanuenses, quienes, con una paciencia de ara帽a pasaban horas y horas realizando el tedioso y aburrido trabajo de la copia de documentos.
A esta casta pertenecen estos hombrecillos que, como parte de alguna mara帽a burocr谩tica y por muy pocos centavos trabajaban d铆a y noche. Bartleby y Projarchin son claros ejemplos.
Cuando Bartleby llega a la oficina del narrador de esta historia, lo hace un secreto que se devela en las l铆neas finales y m谩s all谩 de que al principio trabaja con ganas, algo demuestra que no lo sostendr谩 mucho tiempo hasta que poco tiempo despu茅s dispara su frase fat铆dica, "Preferir铆a no hacerlo鈥� y ya no habr谩 vuelta atr谩s, ya que ante tanta insistencia las negativas de este peque帽o muchacho son sistem谩ticas y como dice el narrador, "Nada exaspera m谩s a una persona seria que una resistencia pac铆fica."
Es que para m铆 Bartleby profesa algo llamado "Nihilismo pac铆fico" y sostiene inc贸lume su estandarte hasta su triste final. Ya sobre el desenlace, su jefe afirma: "Yo pod铆a dar una limosna a su cuerpo; pero su cuerpo no le dol铆a; ten铆a el alma enferma, y yo no pod铆a llegar a su alma."
Clara met谩fora de la soledad en las grandes urbes, de la desconexi贸n social a las que muchos hombres se ven sometidos o a eso que muchos llaman fantas铆as psicol贸gicas, Bartleby se nos muestra como un mensaje de alerta a tener en cuenta, m谩s a煤n en estos tiempos que corren en donde lo humano ha sido totalmente vapuleado por la fr铆a tecnolog铆a, la frivolidad de las redes sociales, los deteriorados lazos afectivos entre las personas y un ego铆smo hacia el pr贸jimo peligrosamente en aumento.
Para concluir, creo que el mensaje que Bartleby nos deja es claro y no es para nada una cr铆tica al narrador, que pone en pr谩ctica todos los recursos posibles antes del desastre.
Lo m谩s importante que nos ata帽e es el hecho de que todos y cada uno de nosotros en cualquier momento de la vida podr铆amos transformarnos en un Bartleby si no ponemos nuestras miradas en lo que de veras importa: corremos el riesgo de perder eso que nos hace 煤nicos: el acontecimiento tan 煤nico y tan grandioso de SER HUMANOS.
August 17, 2023
- 賱丕 丕丿乇賷 丕匕丕 賰丕賳 賷氐丨 丕胤賱丕賯 鬲爻賲賷丞 "丕賱兀孬乇 丕賱賲賮鬲賵丨" 毓賱賶 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賵 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞貙 賮賴賷 賲亘賳賷丞 毓賱賶 丕賱廿丨鬲賲丕賱丕鬲 賵丕賱鬲兀賵賷賱丕鬲 丕賱匕丕鬲賷丞 賱賰賱 賯丕乇卅貙 毓賱賶 丕賱兀爻卅賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲胤乇丨 賳賮爻賴丕 賲毓 賰賱 亘丿丕賷丞 賲賯胤毓貙 毓賱賶 丕賱廿賮鬲乇丕囟丕鬲 丕賵 丕賱賮乇囟賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賳囟毓賴丕 賱賳賰鬲卮賮 賱丕丨賯丕賸 禺胤賵胤丕賸 賲鬲賵丕夭賷丞 丕賰孬乇 賵賮乇囟賷丕鬲 賵丕丨鬲賲丕賱丕鬲 亘丕賱噩賲賱丞... 賱匕賱賰 "丕馗賳" 丕賳 丕賱鬲爻賲賷丞 鬲氐丨 賱賰賳賳賷 "丕賮囟賱 丕賱丕" 丕賰賵賳 賲鬲兀賰丿丕賸!!!....
- 爻兀爻鬲賷賯馗 睾丿丕 賱兀賰賲賱 丕賱賲乇丕噩毓丞!... 亘毓丿 丕賱廿爻鬲賷賯丕馗: 兀賮囟賱 丕賱丕...
- 爻兀爻鬲賷賯馗 睾丿丕 賱兀賰賲賱 丕賱賲乇丕噩毓丞!... 亘毓丿 丕賱廿爻鬲賷賯丕馗: 兀賮囟賱 丕賱丕...
October 23, 2019
This classic 1853 Herman Melville novella is absurd and bleak, darkly humorous and heart-wrenching at the same time. It's the first time I've read it since a college English course years ago, when I didn鈥檛 much care for it. I appreciated it much more this time around.
Bartleby is a scrivener - essentially, a human copy machine, back in the pre-Xerox days - working for a Manhattan-based lawyer who is the narrator of the tale. His co-workers: two other irritable scriveners of dubious temperament, and a office boy, identified only by their odd nicknames. Initially an industrious employee, Bartleby declines to participate in certain normal office tasks, giving no reason other than his oft-repeated mantra: "I would prefer not to." <----If you say if often and implacably enough, other people will grudgingly accept it and move on.
But as Bartleby's reluctance to do his work expands to more and more tasks until it becomes all-consuming, his employer, though sympathetic to Bartleby's forlorn, lonely life, has to decide what to do with him.
Bartleby is an elusive work. It's partly a cry out against materialism and the dehumanizing effect of the pursuit of money (the subtitle is "A Story of Wall Street") and partly an examination of isolation and depression, but there's much more to it, and it defies easy explanation. Some observations toward the ending are heart-wrenching:
And just because it's interesting, I'll share the one observation my college English professor made that has stuck with me through the years. There's a reference in the end to Bartleby sleeping "with kings and counselors" that the professor pointed out is a reference to these lines from the Bible:
Bartleby is a scrivener - essentially, a human copy machine, back in the pre-Xerox days - working for a Manhattan-based lawyer who is the narrator of the tale. His co-workers: two other irritable scriveners of dubious temperament, and a office boy, identified only by their odd nicknames. Initially an industrious employee, Bartleby declines to participate in certain normal office tasks, giving no reason other than his oft-repeated mantra: "I would prefer not to." <----If you say if often and implacably enough, other people will grudgingly accept it and move on.
But as Bartleby's reluctance to do his work expands to more and more tasks until it becomes all-consuming, his employer, though sympathetic to Bartleby's forlorn, lonely life, has to decide what to do with him.
Bartleby is an elusive work. It's partly a cry out against materialism and the dehumanizing effect of the pursuit of money (the subtitle is "A Story of Wall Street") and partly an examination of isolation and depression, but there's much more to it, and it defies easy explanation. Some observations toward the ending are heart-wrenching:
Dead letters! does it not sound like dead men? Conceive a man by nature and misfortune prone to a pallid hopelessness, can any business seem more fitted to heighten it than that of continually handling these dead letters, and assorting them for the flames? ... a bank-note sent in swiftest charity:鈥攈e whom it would relieve, nor eats nor hungers any more; pardon for those who died despairing; hope for those who died unhoping; good tidings for those who died stifled by unrelieved calamities. On errands of life, these letters speed to death.Gah! Those last lines killed me!
And just because it's interesting, I'll share the one observation my college English professor made that has stuck with me through the years. There's a reference in the end to Bartleby sleeping "with kings and counselors" that the professor pointed out is a reference to these lines from the Bible:
"13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept; then would I have been at restJob 3:13-15 (KJV) - It's a reference not just to death, but to a certain equality men have in death, despite their differences in worldly fortunes. Food for thought, like so much of this story!
14 with kings and counselors of the earth, who built desolate places for themselves,
15 or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver"
June 21, 2017
兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 兀賰鬲亘 兀賷 卮賷亍 毓賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞貙 賵 賱賰賳 賮賷 賳賮爻 丕賱賵賯鬲 賵 亘賳賮爻 丿乇噩丞 丕賱廿賱丨丕丨 賮賷 毓丿賲 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 兀賮囟賱 兀賳 兀賰鬲亘 兀賷 卮賷亍貙 卮毓賵乇 賲鬲賳丕賯囟 兀賱賷爻 賰匕賱賰 責 .
" 賰賷賮 賴匕丕 責 賯丕賱 賲賲賵賳 丕賱胤毓丕賲 賲禺丕胤亘丕 廿賷丕賷 賵 賴賵 賷丨丿賯 亘匕賴賵賱 賮賷 : 廿賳赖 睾乇賷亘 兀賱賷爻 賰匕賱賰 責 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵丕賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 廿賳赖 睾乇賷亘
" 賱賵 賰丕賳 孬賲丞 兀賷 卮賷亍 亘卮乇賷 亘氐賵乇丞 毓丕丿賷丞 賮賷賴 賱賰賳鬲 胤乇丿鬲賴 賲賳 丕賱賲亘賳賶 丨丕賱丕 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵丕賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 賴賵 賱賷爻 亘卮乇丕 賲孬賱賳丕 .
" 賰卮亘丨 賲噩乇丿 馗賴乇 亘毓丿 丕賱賳丿丕亍 丕賱孬丕賱孬 毓賳丿 賲丿禺賱 氐賵賲毓鬲賴 毓賱賶 賳丨賵 睾乇賷亘 賷賳爻噩賲 賲毓 賯賵丕賳賷賳 丕賱鬲毓丕賵賷匕 丕賱爻丨乇賷丞 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵丕賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 賴賵 卮亘丨
" 賯乇乇鬲 兀賳 丕爻鬲噩賲毓 賰賱 賯賵丕賷貙 賵 兀賳 兀鬲禺賱氐 賱賱兀亘丿 賲賳 賲賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賰丕亘賵爻 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賷胤丕賯 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 賴賵 賰丕亘賵爻
.... 賵 賱賰賳 賲賳 賷賰賵賳 責
廿賳赖 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺....
睾乇賷亘 亘賰丌亘鬲賴 賵 賷兀爻賴 賵 丨夭賳賴貙 賴賵 乇爻丕賱丞 賲賷鬲丞 賮賯丿鬲 氐丕丨亘賴丕 賵 亘丕賱鬲丕賱賷 賮賯丿鬲 賵 噩賴鬲賴丕貙 賳毓賲 賴賵 賱丕 賷賳鬲賲賷 廿賱賶 毓丕賱賲 丕賱亘卮乇 賱兀賳賴 乇爻丕賱丞貙 賴賵 賵丨賷丿 鬲賲丕賲丕 賮賷 丕賱賰賵賳 , 賯胤毓丞 賲賳 丨胤丕賲 爻賮賷賳丞 賮賷 毓乇囟 丕賱兀胤賱賳胤賷貙 鬲鬲賯丕匕賮賴丕 兀賲賵丕噩 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱毓丕鬲賷丞貙 賴賵 卮亘丨 廿賳爻丕賳貙 兀卮賱丕亍 廿賳爻丕賳 鬲賳丕孬乇鬲 賯胤毓賴 賵 鬲睾乇亘鬲貙 賴賵 廿賳爻丕賳 賲丕 亘毓丿 丕賱氐丿賲丞貙 乇賵丨 毓丕賱賯丞 賮賷 噩爻丿貙 乇賵丨 賲鬲兀賱賲丞 賲鬲丨爻乇丞 鬲丕卅賴丞 囟丕卅毓丞 賲睾賷亘丞 賵 亘丿賵賳 毓賳賵丕賳
廿賳赖 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺
" 賯丿 兀賲賳丨 氐丿賯丕鬲 賱噩爻丿賴 賱賰賳 噩爻丿賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷丐賱賲賴 .. 賰丕賳鬲 乇賵丨賴 賴賷 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲兀賱賲 賵 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 兀爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賷賴丕 "
丌賴 賷丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 ! 丌賴 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞
" 賰賷賮 賴匕丕 責 賯丕賱 賲賲賵賳 丕賱胤毓丕賲 賲禺丕胤亘丕 廿賷丕賷 賵 賴賵 賷丨丿賯 亘匕賴賵賱 賮賷 : 廿賳赖 睾乇賷亘 兀賱賷爻 賰匕賱賰 責 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵丕賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 廿賳赖 睾乇賷亘
" 賱賵 賰丕賳 孬賲丞 兀賷 卮賷亍 亘卮乇賷 亘氐賵乇丞 毓丕丿賷丞 賮賷賴 賱賰賳鬲 胤乇丿鬲賴 賲賳 丕賱賲亘賳賶 丨丕賱丕 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵丕賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 賴賵 賱賷爻 亘卮乇丕 賲孬賱賳丕 .
" 賰卮亘丨 賲噩乇丿 馗賴乇 亘毓丿 丕賱賳丿丕亍 丕賱孬丕賱孬 毓賳丿 賲丿禺賱 氐賵賲毓鬲賴 毓賱賶 賳丨賵 睾乇賷亘 賷賳爻噩賲 賲毓 賯賵丕賳賷賳 丕賱鬲毓丕賵賷匕 丕賱爻丨乇賷丞 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵丕賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 賴賵 卮亘丨
" 賯乇乇鬲 兀賳 丕爻鬲噩賲毓 賰賱 賯賵丕賷貙 賵 兀賳 兀鬲禺賱氐 賱賱兀亘丿 賲賳 賲賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賰丕亘賵爻 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賷胤丕賯 "
- 賳毓賲 兀賵賮賯賰 丕賱乇兀賷 鬲賲丕賲丕 : 賴賵 賰丕亘賵爻
.... 賵 賱賰賳 賲賳 賷賰賵賳 責
廿賳赖 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺....
睾乇賷亘 亘賰丌亘鬲賴 賵 賷兀爻賴 賵 丨夭賳賴貙 賴賵 乇爻丕賱丞 賲賷鬲丞 賮賯丿鬲 氐丕丨亘賴丕 賵 亘丕賱鬲丕賱賷 賮賯丿鬲 賵 噩賴鬲賴丕貙 賳毓賲 賴賵 賱丕 賷賳鬲賲賷 廿賱賶 毓丕賱賲 丕賱亘卮乇 賱兀賳賴 乇爻丕賱丞貙 賴賵 賵丨賷丿 鬲賲丕賲丕 賮賷 丕賱賰賵賳 , 賯胤毓丞 賲賳 丨胤丕賲 爻賮賷賳丞 賮賷 毓乇囟 丕賱兀胤賱賳胤賷貙 鬲鬲賯丕匕賮賴丕 兀賲賵丕噩 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱毓丕鬲賷丞貙 賴賵 卮亘丨 廿賳爻丕賳貙 兀卮賱丕亍 廿賳爻丕賳 鬲賳丕孬乇鬲 賯胤毓賴 賵 鬲睾乇亘鬲貙 賴賵 廿賳爻丕賳 賲丕 亘毓丿 丕賱氐丿賲丞貙 乇賵丨 毓丕賱賯丞 賮賷 噩爻丿貙 乇賵丨 賲鬲兀賱賲丞 賲鬲丨爻乇丞 鬲丕卅賴丞 囟丕卅毓丞 賲睾賷亘丞 賵 亘丿賵賳 毓賳賵丕賳
廿賳赖 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺
" 賯丿 兀賲賳丨 氐丿賯丕鬲 賱噩爻丿賴 賱賰賳 噩爻丿賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷丐賱賲賴 .. 賰丕賳鬲 乇賵丨賴 賴賷 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲兀賱賲 賵 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 兀爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賷賴丕 "
丌賴 賷丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 ! 丌賴 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞
March 6, 2022
Set in the 19th century, this novella centres around a lawyers office on Wall Street, where there are already three employees - two scriveners and an office boy. It鈥檚 decided that a fourth person is needed as a scrivener - enter Bartleby, a pallid, silent, mechanical individual, but to his credit, he is very industrious.
Bartleby however has a particularly annoying problem, he prefers not to participate in certain office duties, his favourite mantra being 鈥� I prefer not to鈥�!
His boss isn鈥檛 sure how to deal with this, he feels both irritated by Bartleby鈥檚 attitude, but also feels some sympathy for him.
There appears to be hidden meanings within the storyline, and it certainly raises many questions, that I鈥檓 not sure I know the answer to, but Bartleby is a very mysterious character!
Bartleby however has a particularly annoying problem, he prefers not to participate in certain office duties, his favourite mantra being 鈥� I prefer not to鈥�!
His boss isn鈥檛 sure how to deal with this, he feels both irritated by Bartleby鈥檚 attitude, but also feels some sympathy for him.
There appears to be hidden meanings within the storyline, and it certainly raises many questions, that I鈥檓 not sure I know the answer to, but Bartleby is a very mysterious character!
April 20, 2023
賲卮賵卮 賯賱賷賱丕 .. 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賴賵 丨丕賱賷 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賯氐丞.
賲丨丿賯丕 賮賷 噩丿丕乇 丕賱氐賲鬲 賵 丕賱毓夭賱丞 丕賱匕賷 丕氐胤賳毓賴 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賱賳賮爻賴 賵賯賮鬲 氐丕賲鬲丕 兀賷囟丕 賲丨丕賵賱丕 丕賱鬲胤賱毓 賱賲丕 賵乇丕亍賴 賮賱賲 兀噩丿 廿賱丕 賲夭賷丿丕 賲賳 丕賱氐賲鬲 賵 丕賱廿丨亘丕胤 賵 丕賱賰丌亘丞
賱丕 噩丿賵賶 賲賳 賲丨丕賵賱丞 丕賱廿賳丿賮丕毓 賱賱兀賲丕賲 胤丕賱賲丕 爻賷賯賮 賴匕丕 丕賱噩丿丕乇 亘賵噩賴賳丕 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞
賰賳鬲 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 兀賰鬲亘 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丕噩毓丞 賱賵賱丕 丕賱丨丕噩丞 丕賱亘卮乇賷丞 廿賱賶 丕賱亘賯丕亍 賮賷 丕賱賳賵乇 賵 賱賵 兀賲丕賲 賳丕賮匕丞 氐睾賷乇丞 卮亘賴 賲毓鬲賲丞 賱丕 鬲胤賱 毓賱賶 卮賷亍 兀亘丿丕
丌賴 賷丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 .. 兀賴 賷丕 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞
December 13, 2024
Herman Melville (1819 - 1891) a redactat aceast膬 povestire 卯n 1853 葯i a publicat-o 卯n Putnam鈥檚 Magazine la sf卯r葯itul anului.
Nu era, probabil, 卯n dispozi葲ia cea mai fericit膬. Moby-Dick (1851) nu avusese un ecou notabil 葯i cele c卯teva recenzii 卯i repro葯au autorului bizareria temei, digresiunile plictisitoare (lec葲ia de 鈥瀋etologie鈥� a lui Ishmael), 葯i 鈥瀌efectele鈥� de construc葲ie. Nathaniel Hawthorne 卯i elogiase romanul, dar asta nu putea compensa proasta primire a 鈥瀍xper葲ilor鈥�. 脦n 1891, c卯nd a murit, Herman Melville era aproape uitat. Critica literar膬 卯l va redescoperi, vinovat膬, abia prin anii 20 ai secolului XX, dar asta nu mai putea consola pe nimeni. Melville a r膬mas, probabil, cel mai ilustru exemplu al unei ciudate orbiri critice.
Bartleby e povestea unui om care decide (?), brusc, s膬 nu mai fac膬 absolut nimic. R膬spunde mecanic la toate solicit膬rile: 鈥濧葯 prefera s膬 nu...鈥�. El nu e un insubordonat (gestul lui nu e un protest explicabil ra葲ional), un revolu葲ionar, un insurgent, un sabotor etc. Nimic din toate acestea. Pur 葯i simplu, a葯a i se n膬zare, s膬 nu mai 卯ndeplineasc膬 nici una dintre cererile b膬tr卯nului avocat, s膬 stea cu ochii goi 卯n birou, s膬 r膬m卯n膬 acolo 葯i duminicile, 卯ntr-un cuv卯nt s膬 nu se clinteasc膬 de pe scaun: 鈥濧colo disp膬rea Bartleby, 卯n spatele unui mare paravan verde. Livid, ma艧inal. Nu vorbea niciodat膬. Nu bea nici ceai, nici cafea. Nu se ducea niciodat膬 nic膬ieri鈥�.
Pentru c膬 Bartleby refuz膬 s膬 plece c卯nd este concediat (refuz膬, 卯n fond, s膬 fie ca to葲i ceilal葲i), pleac膬 avocatul. 脦葯i vinde biroul (cu tot cu Bartleby) 葯i se mut膬 卯n alt膬 parte. Peste o vreme, naratorul (= avocatul) afl膬 c膬 Bartleby a ajuns la 卯nchisoarea 鈥濼ombs鈥� pentru vagabondaj, c膬, probabil, a refuzat s膬 prefere ceva (a preferat s膬 nu prefere) 葯i c膬 a murit de foame: 鈥濻-a postat 卯n curte 卯n fa牛a zidului orb. Dup膬 care n-a mai vrut s膬 spun膬 nimic. Ghemuit 卯ntr-o pozi牛ie ciudat膬 la poalele zidului, cu genunchii str卯n艧i, l膬sat 卯ntr-o r卯n膬, cu capul pe pietrele reci, a艧a mi-a ap膬rut bietul Bartleby. Trupul lui 卯mpu牛inat nu se mi艧ca鈥�.
Jorge Luis Borges a apreciat povestirea 葯i a oferit o 鈥瀉daptare鈥� a ei 卯n spaniol膬. 脦n Prolog, Borges nu a uitat s膬-l aminteasc膬 pe Kafka. 葮i Bartleby chiar este un personaj kafkian, un precursor al 鈥瀉rtistului foamei鈥�, s膬 zicem. Nu-mi plac interpret膬rile care trimit la capitalism, la 鈥瀙uterea de a spune nu鈥�, la a葯a-zisul 鈥瀕imbaj al rezisten葲ei pasive鈥�, la refuzul exaltat de filosofii existen葲iali葯ti. Bartleby nu e un Sisif care se a葯az膬 pe 卯n膬l葲ime 葯i renun葲膬 s膬 care st卯nca 卯napoi.
Nu exclud faptul c膬 povestirea (doar pe jum膬tate amuzant膬) descrie, de fapt, un individ care se sminte葯te. 脦n fond, nu 葯tim c卯nd ne-apuc膬 葯i pe noi... 脦nclin, totu葯i, s膬 cred c膬 nu poate fi doar at卯t. M膬 al膬tur celor care au v膬zut 卯n aceast膬 povestire un auto-portret (de exemplu, Oliver Tearle). Copistul, scribul, e cel care ofer膬 duplicate, c貌pii, clone. 葮i editorii lui Melville i-au cerut prozatorului s膬 revin膬 la temele care l-au consacrat: c膬l膬torii pe ocean, explor膬ri prin 葲inuturi exotice, popasuri pe insule luxuriante, 卯nt卯lniri cu 鈥瀞膬lbaticii鈥� etc.
Prozatorul a refuzat s膬 devin膬 o copie a lui 卯nsu葯i. Dup膬 Moby-Dick, pentru Melville o astfel de 卯ntoarcere la subiectele cu succes garantat devenise imposibil膬. 葮i astfel autorul 卯nsu葯i 鈥瀉 preferat s膬 nu鈥�. Chiar cu pre葲ul de a fi uitat... (14.06.22, marti, 26.11.22, s)
Nu era, probabil, 卯n dispozi葲ia cea mai fericit膬. Moby-Dick (1851) nu avusese un ecou notabil 葯i cele c卯teva recenzii 卯i repro葯au autorului bizareria temei, digresiunile plictisitoare (lec葲ia de 鈥瀋etologie鈥� a lui Ishmael), 葯i 鈥瀌efectele鈥� de construc葲ie. Nathaniel Hawthorne 卯i elogiase romanul, dar asta nu putea compensa proasta primire a 鈥瀍xper葲ilor鈥�. 脦n 1891, c卯nd a murit, Herman Melville era aproape uitat. Critica literar膬 卯l va redescoperi, vinovat膬, abia prin anii 20 ai secolului XX, dar asta nu mai putea consola pe nimeni. Melville a r膬mas, probabil, cel mai ilustru exemplu al unei ciudate orbiri critice.
Bartleby e povestea unui om care decide (?), brusc, s膬 nu mai fac膬 absolut nimic. R膬spunde mecanic la toate solicit膬rile: 鈥濧葯 prefera s膬 nu...鈥�. El nu e un insubordonat (gestul lui nu e un protest explicabil ra葲ional), un revolu葲ionar, un insurgent, un sabotor etc. Nimic din toate acestea. Pur 葯i simplu, a葯a i se n膬zare, s膬 nu mai 卯ndeplineasc膬 nici una dintre cererile b膬tr卯nului avocat, s膬 stea cu ochii goi 卯n birou, s膬 r膬m卯n膬 acolo 葯i duminicile, 卯ntr-un cuv卯nt s膬 nu se clinteasc膬 de pe scaun: 鈥濧colo disp膬rea Bartleby, 卯n spatele unui mare paravan verde. Livid, ma艧inal. Nu vorbea niciodat膬. Nu bea nici ceai, nici cafea. Nu se ducea niciodat膬 nic膬ieri鈥�.
Pentru c膬 Bartleby refuz膬 s膬 plece c卯nd este concediat (refuz膬, 卯n fond, s膬 fie ca to葲i ceilal葲i), pleac膬 avocatul. 脦葯i vinde biroul (cu tot cu Bartleby) 葯i se mut膬 卯n alt膬 parte. Peste o vreme, naratorul (= avocatul) afl膬 c膬 Bartleby a ajuns la 卯nchisoarea 鈥濼ombs鈥� pentru vagabondaj, c膬, probabil, a refuzat s膬 prefere ceva (a preferat s膬 nu prefere) 葯i c膬 a murit de foame: 鈥濻-a postat 卯n curte 卯n fa牛a zidului orb. Dup膬 care n-a mai vrut s膬 spun膬 nimic. Ghemuit 卯ntr-o pozi牛ie ciudat膬 la poalele zidului, cu genunchii str卯n艧i, l膬sat 卯ntr-o r卯n膬, cu capul pe pietrele reci, a艧a mi-a ap膬rut bietul Bartleby. Trupul lui 卯mpu牛inat nu se mi艧ca鈥�.
Jorge Luis Borges a apreciat povestirea 葯i a oferit o 鈥瀉daptare鈥� a ei 卯n spaniol膬. 脦n Prolog, Borges nu a uitat s膬-l aminteasc膬 pe Kafka. 葮i Bartleby chiar este un personaj kafkian, un precursor al 鈥瀉rtistului foamei鈥�, s膬 zicem. Nu-mi plac interpret膬rile care trimit la capitalism, la 鈥瀙uterea de a spune nu鈥�, la a葯a-zisul 鈥瀕imbaj al rezisten葲ei pasive鈥�, la refuzul exaltat de filosofii existen葲iali葯ti. Bartleby nu e un Sisif care se a葯az膬 pe 卯n膬l葲ime 葯i renun葲膬 s膬 care st卯nca 卯napoi.
Nu exclud faptul c膬 povestirea (doar pe jum膬tate amuzant膬) descrie, de fapt, un individ care se sminte葯te. 脦n fond, nu 葯tim c卯nd ne-apuc膬 葯i pe noi... 脦nclin, totu葯i, s膬 cred c膬 nu poate fi doar at卯t. M膬 al膬tur celor care au v膬zut 卯n aceast膬 povestire un auto-portret (de exemplu, Oliver Tearle). Copistul, scribul, e cel care ofer膬 duplicate, c貌pii, clone. 葮i editorii lui Melville i-au cerut prozatorului s膬 revin膬 la temele care l-au consacrat: c膬l膬torii pe ocean, explor膬ri prin 葲inuturi exotice, popasuri pe insule luxuriante, 卯nt卯lniri cu 鈥瀞膬lbaticii鈥� etc.
Prozatorul a refuzat s膬 devin膬 o copie a lui 卯nsu葯i. Dup膬 Moby-Dick, pentru Melville o astfel de 卯ntoarcere la subiectele cu succes garantat devenise imposibil膬. 葮i astfel autorul 卯nsu葯i 鈥瀉 preferat s膬 nu鈥�. Chiar cu pre葲ul de a fi uitat... (14.06.22, marti, 26.11.22, s)
April 10, 2019
"賱賰賳賴 賷亘丿賵 賵丨賷丿賸丕貙 賵丨賷丿賸丕 鬲賲丕賲賸丕 賮賷 丕賱賰賵賳貙 賯胤毓丞 賲賳 丨購胤丕賲 爻賮賷賳丞 賮賷 毓購乇囟 丕賱兀胤賱賳胤賷."
爻賲毓鬲 亘賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 賱兀賵賱 賲乇丞 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 賴匕丕 丕賱賲賵賯毓貙 賮乇兀賷鬲 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賯乇賾丕亍 賷乇丕噩毓賵賳賴丕 賵亘丿賵丕 賲鬲兀孬乇賷賳 亘賴丕 賰孬賷乇賸丕貙 賵賯丿 亘賯賷鬲 毓丕賱賯丞 賮賷 匕賴賳賷 賱賮鬲乇丞 賲賳 丕賱賵賯鬲貙 賵賯亘賱 毓丿丞 兀賷丕賲貙 丨賷賳 賰賳鬲 兀賯賵賲 亘鬲丨乇賷乇 賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賰鬲丕亘
Everybody lies
賯乇兀鬲 亘兀賳 亘毓囟 禺賷賵賱 丕賱爻亘丕賯 賯丿 鬲購氐丕亘 禺賱丕賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 亘賲丕 賷購毓乇賮 亘賭 "賲鬲賱丕夭賲丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷" 賵丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲賵賾賯賮 賮噩兀丞 亘賱丕 爻丕亘賯 廿賳匕丕乇 毓賳 丕賱噩乇賷! 賵賴匕丕 賲丕 丿毓丕賳賷 噩丿賷賸賾丕 賱賯乇丕亍丞 "亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻賾丕禺" 賱賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賮賱.
賲賳 賴賵 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賴匕丕責 賵賱賲丕匕丕 賷亘丿賵 亘丕卅爻賸丕 賴賰匕丕責 賵賱賲丕匕丕 賷賯乇乇 兀賳 賷鬲賵賯賮 毓賳 丕賱賳爻禺 賮噩兀丞 賵"賷賮囟賾賱 兀賱賾丕" 賷賯賵賲 亘兀賷 毓賲賱 丌禺乇 爻賵賶 丕賱鬲丨丿賷賯 賮賷 噩丿乇丕賳 丕賱賲亘賳賶 賵丕賱鬲賯賵賯毓 爻丕賰賳賸丕 賮賷 氐賵賲毓鬲賴責!
兀馗賳 亘兀賳 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賴賵 賰賱 廿賳爻丕賳 賲氐丿賵賲 賵賲購丨胤賾賲 賵鬲毓乇賾囟 賱賰丕乇孬丞 賰亘乇賶 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱丨賷丕丞貙 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賲爻賰賷賳 丕賱匕賷 乇兀賶 賮賷 毓賲賱賴 丕賱爻丕亘賯 兀卮丿 兀賳賵丕毓 丕賱亘丐爻 鬲兀孬賷乇賸丕 賮賷 丕賱賳賮爻 丕賱亘卮乇賷丞. 鬲賰丕賱亘鬲 毓賱賷賴 馗乇賵賮 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞 賮丨胤賲鬲 乇賵丨賴 賵賯賱亘賴貙 賵噩毓賱鬲賴 賷丨賷丕 禺丕乇噩 丿丕卅乇丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞貙 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 禺丕氐 亘賴貙 毓丕賱賲 賲賳 丕賱毓夭賱丞 丕賱鬲丕賲丞 賵丕賱禺賵丕亍貙 兀卮亘賴 亘丨噩乇 氐賱亘 兀賵 賲賯毓丿 賯丿賷賲 賮賷 夭丕賵賷丞 睾乇賮丞 賱丕 賷丿禺賱賴丕 兀丨丿. 賰丕賳 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賷毓賲賱 賰丕鬲亘賸丕 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘 賱賱乇爻丕卅賱 丕賱賲賷鬲丞貙 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇爻丕卅賱 丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 鬲氐賱 賱兀氐丨丕亘賴丕! 賵賱賲 賷賮乇丨賵丕 亘賴丕! 賵賱賲 賷賳鬲卮賵丕 亘爻毓丕丿丞 丕賱鬲賵丕氐賱 賲毓 兀丨亘丕卅賴賲! 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇爻丕卅賱 鬲購丨乇賯 賵鬲賲賵鬲 兀禺亘丕乇 賲賳 賮賷賴丕 賮賷 孬丕賳賷丞! 賰賷賮 賱廿賳爻丕賳 賷賲賱賰 乇賵丨賸丕 賳賯賷丞 爻賵賷賾丞 兀賳 賱丕 鬲鬲兀賱賲 賵賱丕 鬲毓丕賳賶 賮賷 賲孬賱 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱!
兀乇噩賵賰賲 賷丕 兀氐丿賯丕卅賷貙 兀乇噩賵賰賲 賷丕 賲賳 鬲賯乇丐賵賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賱丌賳貙 兀賳 鬲丨丕賵賱賵丕 噩丕賴丿賷賳 丿賵賲賸丕 賱兀賳 鬲賵氐賱賵丕 乇爻丕卅賱賰賲 賱賰賱 賲賳 鬲丨亘賵賳貙 兀賳 賱丕 鬲鬲乇丿賵丕 賱丨馗丞 賵賱兀賷 爻亘亘 賰丕賳 賮賷 毓丿賲 廿乇爻丕賱賴丕貙 賮賯丿 賷賰賵賳 賮賷 賰賱賲丕鬲賰賲 丕賱毓夭丕亍 賵丕賱賲賵丕爻丕丞 賵丕賱丨購亘 賵丕賱兀賲賱 賱賯賱賵亘 賲賳 鬲丨亘賵賳 賵賱賯賱賵亘 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 丕賱乇丕夭丨賷賳 鬲丨鬲 囟睾賵胤 丕賱丨賷丕丞.
賯氐丞 廿亘丿丕毓賷丞 睾丕賷丞 賮賷 丕賱乇賵毓丞 賵丕賱鬲兀孬賷乇貙 亘兀爻賱賵亘 爻乇丿賷 賲卮賵賾賯 噩賲賷賱 噩丿賸丕.
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爻賲毓鬲 亘賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 賱兀賵賱 賲乇丞 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 賴匕丕 丕賱賲賵賯毓貙 賮乇兀賷鬲 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賯乇賾丕亍 賷乇丕噩毓賵賳賴丕 賵亘丿賵丕 賲鬲兀孬乇賷賳 亘賴丕 賰孬賷乇賸丕貙 賵賯丿 亘賯賷鬲 毓丕賱賯丞 賮賷 匕賴賳賷 賱賮鬲乇丞 賲賳 丕賱賵賯鬲貙 賵賯亘賱 毓丿丞 兀賷丕賲貙 丨賷賳 賰賳鬲 兀賯賵賲 亘鬲丨乇賷乇 賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賰鬲丕亘
Everybody lies
賯乇兀鬲 亘兀賳 亘毓囟 禺賷賵賱 丕賱爻亘丕賯 賯丿 鬲購氐丕亘 禺賱丕賱 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 亘賲丕 賷購毓乇賮 亘賭 "賲鬲賱丕夭賲丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷" 賵丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲賵賾賯賮 賮噩兀丞 亘賱丕 爻丕亘賯 廿賳匕丕乇 毓賳 丕賱噩乇賷! 賵賴匕丕 賲丕 丿毓丕賳賷 噩丿賷賸賾丕 賱賯乇丕亍丞 "亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賳爻賾丕禺" 賱賴乇賲丕賳 賲賱賮賱.
賲賳 賴賵 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賴匕丕責 賵賱賲丕匕丕 賷亘丿賵 亘丕卅爻賸丕 賴賰匕丕責 賵賱賲丕匕丕 賷賯乇乇 兀賳 賷鬲賵賯賮 毓賳 丕賱賳爻禺 賮噩兀丞 賵"賷賮囟賾賱 兀賱賾丕" 賷賯賵賲 亘兀賷 毓賲賱 丌禺乇 爻賵賶 丕賱鬲丨丿賷賯 賮賷 噩丿乇丕賳 丕賱賲亘賳賶 賵丕賱鬲賯賵賯毓 爻丕賰賳賸丕 賮賷 氐賵賲毓鬲賴責!
兀馗賳 亘兀賳 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賴賵 賰賱 廿賳爻丕賳 賲氐丿賵賲 賵賲購丨胤賾賲 賵鬲毓乇賾囟 賱賰丕乇孬丞 賰亘乇賶 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱丨賷丕丞貙 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賲爻賰賷賳 丕賱匕賷 乇兀賶 賮賷 毓賲賱賴 丕賱爻丕亘賯 兀卮丿 兀賳賵丕毓 丕賱亘丐爻 鬲兀孬賷乇賸丕 賮賷 丕賱賳賮爻 丕賱亘卮乇賷丞. 鬲賰丕賱亘鬲 毓賱賷賴 馗乇賵賮 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞 賮丨胤賲鬲 乇賵丨賴 賵賯賱亘賴貙 賵噩毓賱鬲賴 賷丨賷丕 禺丕乇噩 丿丕卅乇丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞貙 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 禺丕氐 亘賴貙 毓丕賱賲 賲賳 丕賱毓夭賱丞 丕賱鬲丕賲丞 賵丕賱禺賵丕亍貙 兀卮亘賴 亘丨噩乇 氐賱亘 兀賵 賲賯毓丿 賯丿賷賲 賮賷 夭丕賵賷丞 睾乇賮丞 賱丕 賷丿禺賱賴丕 兀丨丿. 賰丕賳 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賷毓賲賱 賰丕鬲亘賸丕 賮賷 賲賰鬲亘 賱賱乇爻丕卅賱 丕賱賲賷鬲丞貙 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇爻丕卅賱 丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 鬲氐賱 賱兀氐丨丕亘賴丕! 賵賱賲 賷賮乇丨賵丕 亘賴丕! 賵賱賲 賷賳鬲卮賵丕 亘爻毓丕丿丞 丕賱鬲賵丕氐賱 賲毓 兀丨亘丕卅賴賲! 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇爻丕卅賱 鬲購丨乇賯 賵鬲賲賵鬲 兀禺亘丕乇 賲賳 賮賷賴丕 賮賷 孬丕賳賷丞! 賰賷賮 賱廿賳爻丕賳 賷賲賱賰 乇賵丨賸丕 賳賯賷丞 爻賵賷賾丞 兀賳 賱丕 鬲鬲兀賱賲 賵賱丕 鬲毓丕賳賶 賮賷 賲孬賱 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱!
兀乇噩賵賰賲 賷丕 兀氐丿賯丕卅賷貙 兀乇噩賵賰賲 賷丕 賲賳 鬲賯乇丐賵賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賰賱賲丕鬲 丕賱丌賳貙 兀賳 鬲丨丕賵賱賵丕 噩丕賴丿賷賳 丿賵賲賸丕 賱兀賳 鬲賵氐賱賵丕 乇爻丕卅賱賰賲 賱賰賱 賲賳 鬲丨亘賵賳貙 兀賳 賱丕 鬲鬲乇丿賵丕 賱丨馗丞 賵賱兀賷 爻亘亘 賰丕賳 賮賷 毓丿賲 廿乇爻丕賱賴丕貙 賮賯丿 賷賰賵賳 賮賷 賰賱賲丕鬲賰賲 丕賱毓夭丕亍 賵丕賱賲賵丕爻丕丞 賵丕賱丨購亘 賵丕賱兀賲賱 賱賯賱賵亘 賲賳 鬲丨亘賵賳 賵賱賯賱賵亘 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 丕賱乇丕夭丨賷賳 鬲丨鬲 囟睾賵胤 丕賱丨賷丕丞.
丌賴賺 賷丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷! 丌賴賺 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞!
賯氐丞 廿亘丿丕毓賷丞 睾丕賷丞 賮賷 丕賱乇賵毓丞 賵丕賱鬲兀孬賷乇貙 亘兀爻賱賵亘 爻乇丿賷 賲卮賵賾賯 噩賲賷賱 噩丿賸丕.
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March 23, 2025
丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 亘鬲丕乇賷禺 佟侉 / 伲 / 佗贍佗佶
賲孬賱賲丕 賯丕賱鬲 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲丞 賮賷 丕賱賲賯丿賲賴 : " 賰丕賳 卮亘丨 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賴夭賷賱 賷卮禺氐 兀賲丕賲賷" .......
"賲丕匕丕 賰丕賳 毓爻丕賷 兀賮毓賱 賵賴賵 賷購賱丕丨賯賳賷 賮賷 氐丨賵賷 賵賳賵賲賷 "
賯乇兀鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 賱丕賵賱 賲乇丞 賮賷 佗贍佟侃 賵亘丕賱胤亘毓 賳爻賷鬲 賰賱 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕 賱賰賳 賰丕賳鬲 噩賲賱鬲賴 丕賱卮賴賷乇丞 " 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 " 毓丕賱賯丞 賮賷 匕丕賰乇鬲賷 賱丕 兀爻鬲胤賷毓 賳爻賷丕賳賴丕 賵賲丐禺乇丕 馗賱鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 鬲爻鬲毓丿賷賳賷 賱賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕 賲乇丞 丕禺乇賶 賮賮毓賱鬲 賰賲丕 賮毓賱 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷 丕賱匕賷 賷賯氐 毓賱賷賳丕 丨賰丕賷丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賰賲丕 賷毓乇賮賴丕: "賲賲鬲孬賱丕賸 賲噩丿丿丕賸 賱鬲賱賰 丕賱爻胤賵丞 丕賱毓噩賷亘丞 丕賱鬲賷 賮乇囟賴丕 毓賱賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺 丕賱睾丕賲囟."
丕爻鬲爻賱賲鬲 丕賳丕 丕賷囟丕 賱爻胤賵丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵兀毓丿鬲 賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕 賵兀毓丿鬲 賲毓賴丕 賲卮丕毓乇賷 鬲噩丕賴 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賮兀賳丕 兀匕賰乇 賯乇亘賴 賲賳賷 賵匕賰乇鬲賳賷 賲乇丕噩毓鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 亘賲卮丕毓乇賷 賳丨賵賴 賵賲孬賱賲丕 賱丕賲爻賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賲乇丞 丕賱丕賵賱賶 賱賲爻賳賷 賲乇丞 兀禺乇賶 賵鬲賲賳賷鬲 賱賵 賰丕賳鬲 丕賰孬乇 胤賵賱丕 賵鬲賮丕氐賷賱丕賸 賵 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 鬲爻丕亍賱鬲 賴賱 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 兀賮毓賱 賲孬賱 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵兀賯賵賱 賲孬賱賴 丨賷賳 賷購胤賱亘 賲賳賷 賲丕 賱丕 兀乇睾亘 賮賷 賮毓賱賴 : " 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕" 乇睾賲 兀賳賶 丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳賶 亘丕賱賮毓賱 賮毓賱鬲 卮卅 賲卮丕亘賴 賲毓 丕賱亘毓囟 .
賵賱丕夭丕賱 鬲爻丕丐賱賷 賰賲丕 賴賵 賮賷 賯乇丕卅鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶: 賲丕匕丕 丨丿孬 賱賰 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷責!
賵賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 鬲賲賳賷鬲 賱賵 賰丕賳 賴賳丕賰 乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丨賷丕丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵乇亘賲丕 亘賱爻丕賳賴 乇睾賲 丕賳賴 丨賷賳賴丕 爻賷賯賵賱 : 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 貙 賱賰賳賷 兀賮囟賱 兀賳 丕爻賲毓賰 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賱賰賳賷 兀毓賱賲 丕賳賰 賱賳 鬲賯賵賱 卮賷卅丕賸 賵亘丿丕禺賱賰 賰賱 卮卅 賱賰賳賷 爻兀賯賵賱 賱賰 : 賱爻鬲 賵丨丿賰 賮兀賳丕 丕賷囟丕 賲孬賱賰 " 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 "
賵爻兀賰鬲賮賷 亘賴匕丕 賮賲乇丕噩毓鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 鬲賰賲賱 賲丕 兀乇睾亘 亘賯賵賱賴 .
賲乇丕噩毓鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 :
賲賳匕 賮鬲乇丞 賯乇賷亘丞 賰丕賳鬲 氐丿賷賯鬲賶 乇丨賲丞 賯丿 賰鬲亘鬲 賲乇丕噩毓鬲賴丕 毓賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵賵氐賮鬲賴 亘丕賳賴" 毓丕賷卮 賲賷鬲 丕賶 丕賳賴 賷毓賷卮 賱賰賳賴 賲賷鬲 毓丕胤賮賷丕 賵賵噩丿丕賳賷丕 "
賵賰丕賳鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱噩賲賱丞 賰賮賷賱丞 丕賳 鬲噩毓賱賳賶 丕賯乇丕 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞
丨爻賳丕 賴賱 丕賯賵賱 乇丕賶 毓賳賴 責
"兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 "
賲賳 賯乇兀 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 爻賷賮賴賲 噩賲賱丞 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 丕賲丕 賲賳 賱賲 賷賯乇兀賴丕 丕賮囟賱 丕賳 鬲賯乇兀賴丕 亘賳賮爻賰
賴匕丞 丕賱噩賲賱丞 賰丕賳鬲 賮賶 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 賰賮賷賱丞 亘廿囟丨丕賰賶 孬賲 鬲丨賵賱 丕賱囟丨賰 丕賱賶 睾囟亘 賵毓氐亘賷丞 賵氐乇丕禺 丕乇噩賵賰 丕賳 鬲爻賰鬲 丕賳鬲 鬲丐賱賲賳賶 .
"賯丿 丕賲賳丨 氐丿賯丕鬲 賱噩爻丿賴 賱賰賳 噩爻丿賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷丐賱賲賴 貙賰丕賳鬲 乇賵丨賴 賴賷 丕賱鬲賶 鬲丐賱賲賴 "
乇賵丨賴 賴賶 丕賱鬲賶 鬲丐賱賲賴 賴匕賴 丕賱噩賲賱丞 賲夭賯鬲 賯賱亘賶 貙 賯丿 賳噩丿 毓賱丕噩 賱丕賱賲 丕賱噩爻丿 賱賰賳 兀賱賲 丕賱乇賵丨 !!馃挃
"賱賰賳賴 賷亘丿賵 賵丨賷丿丕 貙 賵丨賷丿丕 鬲賲丕賲丕 賮賶 丕賱賰賵賳 貙 賯胤毓丞 賲賳 丨胤丕賲 爻賮賷賳丞 賮賷 毓乇囟 丕賱兀胤賱賳胤賶 "
卮毓賵乇賶 賳丨賵 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 馗賱 賲丕亘賷賳 丕賱囟丨賰 丕賱賴爻鬲賷乇賶 賲毓 賰賱 "兀賮囟賱 丕賳 " 賵丕賱乇睾亘丞 賮賶 丕賱亘賰丕亍 賵丕賱丨夭賳 丕賱卮丿賷丿 貙 卮毓賵乇 賲賳 賵噩丿 卮賷卅丕 賷賱賲爻賴 亘卮賰賱 睾賷乇 胤亘賷毓賷 貙 賷匕賰乇賴 亘卮卅 賷乇毓亘賴 賵賷賮囟賱 丕賳 賷鬲噩丕賴賱賴 賱賰賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賷氐乇 毓賱賶 丕賳 賷囟睾胤 毓賱賶 賲賵囟毓 丕賱丕賱賲 亘丿丕禺賱賶 .
賴賳丕賰 噩賲賱 兀賵賯賮鬲賳賶 禺丕氐丞 噩夭亍 賲賳 丕賱丨賵丕乇 亘賷賳 丕賱乇丕賵賶 賵亘賷賳 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賯賵丕賱賴
" 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 兀丨丿孬 丕賶 鬲睾賷乇 ...
賱賷爻 賱丿賶 兀賴鬲賲丕賲 禺丕氐 ......
賱丕賷爻鬲賵賯賮賳賶 丕賶 卮卅 賲丨丿丿 . 兀乇賷丿 丕賳 丕賰賵賳 爻丕賰賳丕 貙 賱賰賳 賱賷爻 賱丿賷 丕賴鬲賲丕賲 禺丕氐 "
賴賱 鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賳 鬲鬲禺賷賱 卮毓賵乇 賴匕丕 丕賱卮禺氐 賴賱 鬲鬲禺賷賱 丕賳 鬲賰賵賳 賲賰丕賳賴 . 毓賱賶 賯賷丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞 禺丕乇噩賷丕 賱賰賳 乇賵丨賰 賯丿 賲丕鬲鬲 丕賷丕 賰丕賳 丕爻亘丕亘 賲賵鬲賴丕 , 賴匕賴 丕賱噩賲賱 囟乇亘鬲賳賷 賮賶 賲賯鬲賱.
賲賳 丕賱賲丐賰丿 丕賳 丕賱賲丨丕賲賶 丕賵 丕賱乇丕賵賶 丨丕賵賱 鬲賮賴賲 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵毓胤賮 賵兀卮賮賯 毓賱賷賴 賵丨丕賵賱 賲爻丕毓丿鬲賴 賱賰賳賴 賰丕賳 賷賮囟賱 兀賱丕 貙 乇亘賲丕 賱丕賳賴 賱賲 賷毓丿 賷賴鬲賲 貙 丕賵 賱丕賳賴 胤毓賳 賰孬賷乇丕 貙 賮賮賯丿 丕賱孬賯丞 賵丕賱乇睾亘丞 賮賶 丕賴鬲賲丕賲 丨丿 賵氐丿賯 賲爻丕毓丿丞 丕丨丿 .
" 兀賮囟賱 兀賳 兀鬲乇賰 賵丨賷丿丕 "
丕賱爻丐丕賱 丕賱匕賶 賷乇丕賵丿賳賶 賴賵 賲丕匕丕 丨丿孬 賱賰 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賱鬲氐賱 丕賱賶 賴匕丕 丕賱丨丿 賲賳 丕賱氐賲鬲 賵賲賵鬲 噩賲賷毓 丕賱乇睾亘丕鬲 賵賮賯丿丕賳 丕賴鬲賲丕賲賰 亘賰賱 卮卅 責責
賵噩賵丕亘 賷鬲乇丿丿 亘丿丕禺賱賶 :
賱賷爻 亘丕賱囟乇賵乇丞 丕賳 鬲賰賵賳 丕卮賷丕亍 賰亘賷乇丞 亘賱 鬲乇丕賰賲 丕賱丕卮賷丕亍 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賴賵 賲丕賷氐賷亘賳丕 賮賶 賲賯鬲賱 . 賵賰賱賲丕 亘丿兀 卮毓賵乇 丕賱賱丕賲亘丕賱丕丞 賷賳賲賵 賮廿賳赖 賷鬲囟禺賲 亘賱丕 丨丕噩夭 賷賲賳毓賴 .
丌賴 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 !丌賴 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 !
伽 / 侑 / 佗贍佟侃
賲孬賱賲丕 賯丕賱鬲 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲丞 賮賷 丕賱賲賯丿賲賴 : " 賰丕賳 卮亘丨 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 丕賱賴夭賷賱 賷卮禺氐 兀賲丕賲賷" .......
"賲丕匕丕 賰丕賳 毓爻丕賷 兀賮毓賱 賵賴賵 賷購賱丕丨賯賳賷 賮賷 氐丨賵賷 賵賳賵賲賷 "
賯乇兀鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 賱丕賵賱 賲乇丞 賮賷 佗贍佟侃 賵亘丕賱胤亘毓 賳爻賷鬲 賰賱 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕 賱賰賳 賰丕賳鬲 噩賲賱鬲賴 丕賱卮賴賷乇丞 " 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 " 毓丕賱賯丞 賮賷 匕丕賰乇鬲賷 賱丕 兀爻鬲胤賷毓 賳爻賷丕賳賴丕 賵賲丐禺乇丕 馗賱鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 鬲爻鬲毓丿賷賳賷 賱賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕 賲乇丞 丕禺乇賶 賮賮毓賱鬲 賰賲丕 賮毓賱 丕賱賲丨丕賲賷 丕賱匕賷 賷賯氐 毓賱賷賳丕 丨賰丕賷丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賰賲丕 賷毓乇賮賴丕: "賲賲鬲孬賱丕賸 賲噩丿丿丕賸 賱鬲賱賰 丕賱爻胤賵丞 丕賱毓噩賷亘丞 丕賱鬲賷 賮乇囟賴丕 毓賱賷 丕賱賳爻丕禺 丕賱睾丕賲囟."
丕爻鬲爻賱賲鬲 丕賳丕 丕賷囟丕 賱爻胤賵丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵兀毓丿鬲 賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕 賵兀毓丿鬲 賲毓賴丕 賲卮丕毓乇賷 鬲噩丕賴 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賮兀賳丕 兀匕賰乇 賯乇亘賴 賲賳賷 賵匕賰乇鬲賳賷 賲乇丕噩毓鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 亘賲卮丕毓乇賷 賳丨賵賴 賵賲孬賱賲丕 賱丕賲爻賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賲乇丞 丕賱丕賵賱賶 賱賲爻賳賷 賲乇丞 兀禺乇賶 賵鬲賲賳賷鬲 賱賵 賰丕賳鬲 丕賰孬乇 胤賵賱丕 賵鬲賮丕氐賷賱丕賸 賵 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 鬲爻丕亍賱鬲 賴賱 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 兀賮毓賱 賲孬賱 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵兀賯賵賱 賲孬賱賴 丨賷賳 賷購胤賱亘 賲賳賷 賲丕 賱丕 兀乇睾亘 賮賷 賮毓賱賴 : " 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕" 乇睾賲 兀賳賶 丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳賶 亘丕賱賮毓賱 賮毓賱鬲 卮卅 賲卮丕亘賴 賲毓 丕賱亘毓囟 .
賵賱丕夭丕賱 鬲爻丕丐賱賷 賰賲丕 賴賵 賮賷 賯乇丕卅鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶: 賲丕匕丕 丨丿孬 賱賰 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷責!
賵賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 鬲賲賳賷鬲 賱賵 賰丕賳 賴賳丕賰 乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 丨賷丕丞 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵乇亘賲丕 亘賱爻丕賳賴 乇睾賲 丕賳賴 丨賷賳賴丕 爻賷賯賵賱 : 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 貙 賱賰賳賷 兀賮囟賱 兀賳 丕爻賲毓賰 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賱賰賳賷 兀毓賱賲 丕賳賰 賱賳 鬲賯賵賱 卮賷卅丕賸 賵亘丿丕禺賱賰 賰賱 卮卅 賱賰賳賷 爻兀賯賵賱 賱賰 : 賱爻鬲 賵丨丿賰 賮兀賳丕 丕賷囟丕 賲孬賱賰 " 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 "
賵爻兀賰鬲賮賷 亘賴匕丕 賮賲乇丕噩毓鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 鬲賰賲賱 賲丕 兀乇睾亘 亘賯賵賱賴 .
賲乇丕噩毓鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 :
賲賳匕 賮鬲乇丞 賯乇賷亘丞 賰丕賳鬲 氐丿賷賯鬲賶 乇丨賲丞 賯丿 賰鬲亘鬲 賲乇丕噩毓鬲賴丕 毓賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵賵氐賮鬲賴 亘丕賳賴" 毓丕賷卮 賲賷鬲 丕賶 丕賳賴 賷毓賷卮 賱賰賳賴 賲賷鬲 毓丕胤賮賷丕 賵賵噩丿丕賳賷丕 "
賵賰丕賳鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱噩賲賱丞 賰賮賷賱丞 丕賳 鬲噩毓賱賳賶 丕賯乇丕 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞
丨爻賳丕 賴賱 丕賯賵賱 乇丕賶 毓賳賴 責
"兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 "
賲賳 賯乇兀 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 爻賷賮賴賲 噩賲賱丞 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 丕賲丕 賲賳 賱賲 賷賯乇兀賴丕 丕賮囟賱 丕賳 鬲賯乇兀賴丕 亘賳賮爻賰
賴匕丞 丕賱噩賲賱丞 賰丕賳鬲 賮賶 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 賰賮賷賱丞 亘廿囟丨丕賰賶 孬賲 鬲丨賵賱 丕賱囟丨賰 丕賱賶 睾囟亘 賵毓氐亘賷丞 賵氐乇丕禺 丕乇噩賵賰 丕賳 鬲爻賰鬲 丕賳鬲 鬲丐賱賲賳賶 .
"賯丿 丕賲賳丨 氐丿賯丕鬲 賱噩爻丿賴 賱賰賳 噩爻丿賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賷丐賱賲賴 貙賰丕賳鬲 乇賵丨賴 賴賷 丕賱鬲賶 鬲丐賱賲賴 "
乇賵丨賴 賴賶 丕賱鬲賶 鬲丐賱賲賴 賴匕賴 丕賱噩賲賱丞 賲夭賯鬲 賯賱亘賶 貙 賯丿 賳噩丿 毓賱丕噩 賱丕賱賲 丕賱噩爻丿 賱賰賳 兀賱賲 丕賱乇賵丨 !!馃挃
"賱賰賳賴 賷亘丿賵 賵丨賷丿丕 貙 賵丨賷丿丕 鬲賲丕賲丕 賮賶 丕賱賰賵賳 貙 賯胤毓丞 賲賳 丨胤丕賲 爻賮賷賳丞 賮賷 毓乇囟 丕賱兀胤賱賳胤賶 "
卮毓賵乇賶 賳丨賵 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 馗賱 賲丕亘賷賳 丕賱囟丨賰 丕賱賴爻鬲賷乇賶 賲毓 賰賱 "兀賮囟賱 丕賳 " 賵丕賱乇睾亘丞 賮賶 丕賱亘賰丕亍 賵丕賱丨夭賳 丕賱卮丿賷丿 貙 卮毓賵乇 賲賳 賵噩丿 卮賷卅丕 賷賱賲爻賴 亘卮賰賱 睾賷乇 胤亘賷毓賷 貙 賷匕賰乇賴 亘卮卅 賷乇毓亘賴 賵賷賮囟賱 丕賳 賷鬲噩丕賴賱賴 賱賰賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賷氐乇 毓賱賶 丕賳 賷囟睾胤 毓賱賶 賲賵囟毓 丕賱丕賱賲 亘丿丕禺賱賶 .
賴賳丕賰 噩賲賱 兀賵賯賮鬲賳賶 禺丕氐丞 噩夭亍 賲賳 丕賱丨賵丕乇 亘賷賳 丕賱乇丕賵賶 賵亘賷賳 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賯賵丕賱賴
" 兀賮囟賱 兀賱丕 兀丨丿孬 丕賶 鬲睾賷乇 ...
賱賷爻 賱丿賶 兀賴鬲賲丕賲 禺丕氐 ......
賱丕賷爻鬲賵賯賮賳賶 丕賶 卮卅 賲丨丿丿 . 兀乇賷丿 丕賳 丕賰賵賳 爻丕賰賳丕 貙 賱賰賳 賱賷爻 賱丿賷 丕賴鬲賲丕賲 禺丕氐 "
賴賱 鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賳 鬲鬲禺賷賱 卮毓賵乇 賴匕丕 丕賱卮禺氐 賴賱 鬲鬲禺賷賱 丕賳 鬲賰賵賳 賲賰丕賳賴 . 毓賱賶 賯賷丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞 禺丕乇噩賷丕 賱賰賳 乇賵丨賰 賯丿 賲丕鬲鬲 丕賷丕 賰丕賳 丕爻亘丕亘 賲賵鬲賴丕 , 賴匕賴 丕賱噩賲賱 囟乇亘鬲賳賷 賮賶 賲賯鬲賱.
賲賳 丕賱賲丐賰丿 丕賳 丕賱賲丨丕賲賶 丕賵 丕賱乇丕賵賶 丨丕賵賱 鬲賮賴賲 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賵毓胤賮 賵兀卮賮賯 毓賱賷賴 賵丨丕賵賱 賲爻丕毓丿鬲賴 賱賰賳賴 賰丕賳 賷賮囟賱 兀賱丕 貙 乇亘賲丕 賱丕賳賴 賱賲 賷毓丿 賷賴鬲賲 貙 丕賵 賱丕賳賴 胤毓賳 賰孬賷乇丕 貙 賮賮賯丿 丕賱孬賯丞 賵丕賱乇睾亘丞 賮賶 丕賴鬲賲丕賲 丨丿 賵氐丿賯 賲爻丕毓丿丞 丕丨丿 .
" 兀賮囟賱 兀賳 兀鬲乇賰 賵丨賷丿丕 "
丕賱爻丐丕賱 丕賱匕賶 賷乇丕賵丿賳賶 賴賵 賲丕匕丕 丨丿孬 賱賰 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賱鬲氐賱 丕賱賶 賴匕丕 丕賱丨丿 賲賳 丕賱氐賲鬲 賵賲賵鬲 噩賲賷毓 丕賱乇睾亘丕鬲 賵賮賯丿丕賳 丕賴鬲賲丕賲賰 亘賰賱 卮卅 責責
賵噩賵丕亘 賷鬲乇丿丿 亘丿丕禺賱賶 :
賱賷爻 亘丕賱囟乇賵乇丞 丕賳 鬲賰賵賳 丕卮賷丕亍 賰亘賷乇丞 亘賱 鬲乇丕賰賲 丕賱丕卮賷丕亍 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賴賵 賲丕賷氐賷亘賳丕 賮賶 賲賯鬲賱 . 賵賰賱賲丕 亘丿兀 卮毓賵乇 丕賱賱丕賲亘丕賱丕丞 賷賳賲賵 賮廿賳赖 賷鬲囟禺賲 亘賱丕 丨丕噩夭 賷賲賳毓賴 .
丌賴 賷丕亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 !丌賴 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 !
伽 / 侑 / 佗贍佟侃
October 21, 2015
I could ask you to look beyond your desk if you are at work or peep down your balcony if you are at home and spot a Bartleby.
But I would prefer not to.I could urge you to frame that calamitous Bartleby whose 'selective' inveterate muteness is either enhancing your tolerance reserves or sharpening your fighting skills.
But I would prefer not to.I could exhort you to unsuccessfully debase this Bartleby鈥檚 assiduity in light of his proven peculiarity.
But I would prefer not to.I could ask you the reason behind your acquiescence of this Bartleby's presence in your life and compel you to accept this Bartleby's apparent expertise in disarming your faculties.
But I would prefer not to.I could challenge you to tear open your heart and then smirk at the sight of Bartleby's shades in it.
But I would prefer not to.I could ask you to stop reading this annoying review right now and instead read the amusing novella by Herman Melville chartering the life of a benevolent employer and his eccentric scrivener, Bartleby.
But I would prefer not to.
January 27, 2019
My favorite short story of all time! "I prefer not to" is the best answer ever.
May 23, 2017
Tulsa Doom: Bartleby the Scrivener, contemplate this on the tree of woe.
Bartleby the Scrivener: I would prefer not to.
Monica Bellucci: Bartleby, come to me!
Bartleby the Scrivener: Um ...
Melville as a pre-existentialist, good read, and funny, also a precursor to absurdist theater, it reads like a long joke, I was left waiting for the punch line
Bartleby the Scrivener: I would prefer not to.
Monica Bellucci: Bartleby, come to me!
Bartleby the Scrivener: Um ...
Melville as a pre-existentialist, good read, and funny, also a precursor to absurdist theater, it reads like a long joke, I was left waiting for the punch line
January 8, 2021
"i perefer not to"
A very touching and sad story about passive resistance! That encourages me to think. How i would behave in the situation? Would I accept him like that or would I fire him? I really dont know?! oh book. "oh Bartleby, oh mankind."
A very touching and sad story about passive resistance! That encourages me to think. How i would behave in the situation? Would I accept him like that or would I fire him? I really dont know?! oh book. "oh Bartleby, oh mankind."
June 6, 2021
...happiness courts the light, so we deem the world is gay; but misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none. (15)
I see a blurred silhouette. A person is sitting at the table. He is writing. He is not looking up. Nobody could have ever seen his face. It's been hours and he doesn't get up. A man, a chair, a table and a million papers. The spitting image of desolation. Does he have any life outside that place? Probably not.
I hope he does.
I read about this particular theme concerning jobs that drain the life out of people, before. I am talking about Benedetti's , a collection of masterfully written poems that I highly recommend. I wrote some little notes in the form of a "review" so, I really don't have anything more to add.
This is a new side of Melville for me. I am not proud of my experience with . At the same time, I am not sure if I will ever come back to that book. Perhaps, I should. Because the writing I found in this short story captivated me. Maybe it is because I could also relate to the story. The kind of story at which good-natured gentlemen might smile, and sentimental souls might weep. I see people writing and reading and filing old papers, new papers, somebody else's papers. Same rhythm, same tired-looking eyes, same purpose in life: to survive. It has been said that happiness is not doing what you want but wanting what you do. I agree. Otherwise, living becomes mere existing. Mechanical breathing. Surviving.
Conceive a man by nature and misfortune prone to a pallid hopelessness, can any business seem more fitted to heighten it than that of continually handling these dead letters, and assorting them for the flames? (30)
Melville, I feel an uplifting joy. Our relationship has been rekindled thanks to this short story. A perfect combination of vivid sorrow and a tender, subtle humor.
His words resorted to the saddest yet most endearing beauty to describe one of the feelings every human being has experienced at least once: that raw feeling of loneliness. A lonely character in the middle of a crowd. A crowd of all countries and of all times. A passive, mild person who can elicit a violent reaction and a sense of sympathy at the same time.
I finished writing these rambling thoughts and I still see that man writing on his desk. The amount of papers is increasing, so is his weariness. And now, he hardly blinks. Cold and unable to move, like a snowman made by some kid after school.
The night is coming. Soon, he will be in complete darkness. He can't move but he could speak. He seems weak but he stood up for himself once, because he simply preferred not to do something.
I salute you, silent man. And I wish everyone to never have to experience the slow vanishing that dead letters can cause.
I can see that figure now鈥攑allidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn! (7)
I see Bartleby. A human mirror.
May 7, 14
* Also on .
** Photo credit: Bartleby the Scrivener via
June 25, 2017
鈥淎h Bartleby! Ah humanity!鈥�
Reading the closing lines of this novella, one part of my self immediately exclaims:
鈥淭hat was unexpected, brilliant, absolutely perfect, let鈥檚 write a review!鈥�
Another part of me, confused, stubborn, rebellious, rejoins:
鈥淚 prefer not to!鈥�
My social self, eager to share my reading experience, and to act according to the established patterns and traditions I have set up for my literary projects, cannot understand that attitude, as it doesn鈥檛 make any sense.
鈥淏ut WHY?鈥�
鈥淚 prefer not to!鈥�
And thus the review has to wait for a day, until the effect of Bartleby鈥檚 stubborn attitude towards conventional agreements and social behaviour has worn off enough for my regular self to reappear.
Bartleby leaves me bewildered in many ways.
I partly understand him, and sympathise with his wish to decide for himself what he is willing to do, and what he 鈥減refers not to do鈥�, regardless of the external expectations. I cheer him on in his rebellion against 鈥渨hat people are supposed to do鈥�, and feel a liberating power emanating from his strong sense of integrity.
At the same time, he drives me nuts - just like he drives his environment to passionate rage and confusion, most notably his caring, compassionate employer, who simply can鈥檛 deal with Bartleby鈥檚 straight refusal to do what is expected of him.
Over the course of my professional life, I have known many Bartlebys, - people who put their own needs, wishes and preferences first and reject the very idea of working together to achieve a common goal. Those are the colleagues who add to the workload of other people, who can鈥檛 compromise, who don鈥檛 see the need to help out and support others. Whenever there is an additional task that needs to be done, they say:
鈥淚 prefer not to!鈥�
And it is incredibly hard to argue against a wish. If a person offers a rationale for his or her preference, it can be challenged. But the simple statement disarms most people, who are used to finding compromises. More often than not, somebody else in the room offers to do what the Bartlebys of the world 鈥減refer not to鈥� do.
The short story describes the dilemma of individual and collective responsibility in a narrative that is both sad and humorous, and intensely engaging. I often identify with Bartleby鈥檚 wish to separate himself from mainstream rules and conventions, but to make life run smoothly, I end up saying:
鈥淚 prefer not to, but if there is no other way of solving this problem, I will do it!鈥�
Most people rely on the majority sticking to unwritten rules of social conduct, and Bartleby shows our incapability to deal with rule-breakers.
An absolutely absorbing must-read for people interested in humanity鈥檚 balance between self and the world!
Reading the closing lines of this novella, one part of my self immediately exclaims:
鈥淭hat was unexpected, brilliant, absolutely perfect, let鈥檚 write a review!鈥�
Another part of me, confused, stubborn, rebellious, rejoins:
鈥淚 prefer not to!鈥�
My social self, eager to share my reading experience, and to act according to the established patterns and traditions I have set up for my literary projects, cannot understand that attitude, as it doesn鈥檛 make any sense.
鈥淏ut WHY?鈥�
鈥淚 prefer not to!鈥�
And thus the review has to wait for a day, until the effect of Bartleby鈥檚 stubborn attitude towards conventional agreements and social behaviour has worn off enough for my regular self to reappear.
Bartleby leaves me bewildered in many ways.
I partly understand him, and sympathise with his wish to decide for himself what he is willing to do, and what he 鈥減refers not to do鈥�, regardless of the external expectations. I cheer him on in his rebellion against 鈥渨hat people are supposed to do鈥�, and feel a liberating power emanating from his strong sense of integrity.
At the same time, he drives me nuts - just like he drives his environment to passionate rage and confusion, most notably his caring, compassionate employer, who simply can鈥檛 deal with Bartleby鈥檚 straight refusal to do what is expected of him.
Over the course of my professional life, I have known many Bartlebys, - people who put their own needs, wishes and preferences first and reject the very idea of working together to achieve a common goal. Those are the colleagues who add to the workload of other people, who can鈥檛 compromise, who don鈥檛 see the need to help out and support others. Whenever there is an additional task that needs to be done, they say:
鈥淚 prefer not to!鈥�
And it is incredibly hard to argue against a wish. If a person offers a rationale for his or her preference, it can be challenged. But the simple statement disarms most people, who are used to finding compromises. More often than not, somebody else in the room offers to do what the Bartlebys of the world 鈥減refer not to鈥� do.
The short story describes the dilemma of individual and collective responsibility in a narrative that is both sad and humorous, and intensely engaging. I often identify with Bartleby鈥檚 wish to separate himself from mainstream rules and conventions, but to make life run smoothly, I end up saying:
鈥淚 prefer not to, but if there is no other way of solving this problem, I will do it!鈥�
Most people rely on the majority sticking to unwritten rules of social conduct, and Bartleby shows our incapability to deal with rule-breakers.
An absolutely absorbing must-read for people interested in humanity鈥檚 balance between self and the world!
December 6, 2021
I can see that figure now -- pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn! It was Bartleby.
One more on my reading list that comes from a 欧宝娱乐 tip. Thanks again, folks! I've read it in an hour or so, but I believe it will stay with me for a lot longer.
I had to check twice the year this novella was first published : 1853!!! I couldn't wrap my mind around how modern and fresh and relevant the story of Bartleby, the human xerox machine, still is. Decades before Franz Kafka or Eugene Ionesco or Haruki Murakami toyed with the theatre of the absurd and with the meaningless of existence, Herman Melville was exploring these territories through the meek character of a clerk on Wall Street.
Another striking aspect of the story for me is the humour, something than passed unnoticed in the ponderous weight of Moby Dick (my only previous experience with Melville's prose). Here the funny observation and the wordplay have a strong presence right from the opening paragraphs, but always with an undercurrent of melancholy, hinting at a deep seated despair.
Ah, happiness courts the light, so we deem the world is gay, but misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none.
The story is not told by Bartleby, but by his employer, a middle aged, laidback, financially successful and quietly witty attorney for the bigwigs of industry, who needs clerks to make copies of his legal papers. With a great sense of comedic timing, enter Turkey and Nippers, followed by errand boy Ginger Nut. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and what I missed in their first introduction, became apparent as the novella unfolds. They are the prototypes of the wage slave, tied to their desk day after day, lost in menial and unsatisfying work. One is productive in the mornings, one in the afternoons, and both try to hide their basic alienation (one through drink, one through compulsive rearranging of his desk set). The patron is a kindly soul, so instead of firing both their asses, 21 century style, he proposes to hire a third scrivener. Enters Bartleby and out goes normality. He starts as the perfect employee until an innocent request throws us into unexplored territories.
Side note : I was considering the advisability of including the story in a high school literary curriculum, until I had a clear picture of a full class of unruly teenagers answering : " I would prefer not to! " when asked for their homework. Maybe that's why my English teacher was mum on the subject and I had to discover Bartleby so late in my life.
I see Bartleby as the spanner thrown in the well greased wheels of bourgeois complacency and wilful ignorance. Ignorance of precious time wasted on meaningless pursuits, ignorance of the suffering and needs of our fellow humans, ignorance of the broken communication channels between same fellow humans.
The ending prefers emotion over explanations, with the motivations behind Bartleby's passive resistant anarchy ( He was more a man of preferences than assumptions ) becoming insignificant in the face of his immense sadness. I wonder though, how many readers will read the final words, and then go on as they had each day before, in this age where the constant bombardment with news of catastrophe and murder on every TV screen / newspaper page / internet blog has desensitized our minds to suffering that is not immediate and personal.
Instead of ending my review with the devastating closing epitaph of our humanity, I went back to an earlier passage that shows a less pessimistic approach on the part of the narrator:
Aside from higher considerations, charity often operates as a vastly wise and prudent principle -- a great safeguard to its possessor. Men have committed murder for jealousy's sake, and anger's sake, and hatred's sake, and selfishness' sake, and spiritual pride's sake; but no man that ever I heard of ever committed a diabolical murder for sweet charity's sake. Mere self-interest, then, if no better motive can be enlisted, should, especially with high-tempered men, prompt all beings to charity and philanthropy.
One more on my reading list that comes from a 欧宝娱乐 tip. Thanks again, folks! I've read it in an hour or so, but I believe it will stay with me for a lot longer.
I had to check twice the year this novella was first published : 1853!!! I couldn't wrap my mind around how modern and fresh and relevant the story of Bartleby, the human xerox machine, still is. Decades before Franz Kafka or Eugene Ionesco or Haruki Murakami toyed with the theatre of the absurd and with the meaningless of existence, Herman Melville was exploring these territories through the meek character of a clerk on Wall Street.
Another striking aspect of the story for me is the humour, something than passed unnoticed in the ponderous weight of Moby Dick (my only previous experience with Melville's prose). Here the funny observation and the wordplay have a strong presence right from the opening paragraphs, but always with an undercurrent of melancholy, hinting at a deep seated despair.
Ah, happiness courts the light, so we deem the world is gay, but misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none.
The story is not told by Bartleby, but by his employer, a middle aged, laidback, financially successful and quietly witty attorney for the bigwigs of industry, who needs clerks to make copies of his legal papers. With a great sense of comedic timing, enter Turkey and Nippers, followed by errand boy Ginger Nut. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and what I missed in their first introduction, became apparent as the novella unfolds. They are the prototypes of the wage slave, tied to their desk day after day, lost in menial and unsatisfying work. One is productive in the mornings, one in the afternoons, and both try to hide their basic alienation (one through drink, one through compulsive rearranging of his desk set). The patron is a kindly soul, so instead of firing both their asses, 21 century style, he proposes to hire a third scrivener. Enters Bartleby and out goes normality. He starts as the perfect employee until an innocent request throws us into unexplored territories.
Side note : I was considering the advisability of including the story in a high school literary curriculum, until I had a clear picture of a full class of unruly teenagers answering : " I would prefer not to! " when asked for their homework. Maybe that's why my English teacher was mum on the subject and I had to discover Bartleby so late in my life.
I see Bartleby as the spanner thrown in the well greased wheels of bourgeois complacency and wilful ignorance. Ignorance of precious time wasted on meaningless pursuits, ignorance of the suffering and needs of our fellow humans, ignorance of the broken communication channels between same fellow humans.
The ending prefers emotion over explanations, with the motivations behind Bartleby's passive resistant anarchy ( He was more a man of preferences than assumptions ) becoming insignificant in the face of his immense sadness. I wonder though, how many readers will read the final words, and then go on as they had each day before, in this age where the constant bombardment with news of catastrophe and murder on every TV screen / newspaper page / internet blog has desensitized our minds to suffering that is not immediate and personal.
Instead of ending my review with the devastating closing epitaph of our humanity, I went back to an earlier passage that shows a less pessimistic approach on the part of the narrator:
Aside from higher considerations, charity often operates as a vastly wise and prudent principle -- a great safeguard to its possessor. Men have committed murder for jealousy's sake, and anger's sake, and hatred's sake, and selfishness' sake, and spiritual pride's sake; but no man that ever I heard of ever committed a diabolical murder for sweet charity's sake. Mere self-interest, then, if no better motive can be enlisted, should, especially with high-tempered men, prompt all beings to charity and philanthropy.
June 12, 2021
丌賴 賷丕 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 ! 丌賴 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 !
鬲賯賵賱 亘孬賷賳丞 丕賱毓賷爻賷 賮賷 丕賯鬲亘丕爻 賲丕 兀毓噩亘賳賷 ...
兀賲丕 毓賳 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 ...
賮爻賷乇丕賵丿賰 廿丨爻丕爻 賱丕 賷賯丕賵賲 賮賷 乇睾亘鬲賰 賮賷 丕賳 鬲氐乇禺 賮賷 賵噩賴 賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲 亘毓丿 賯乇丕卅鬲賰 賱賴丕
爻賷乇丕賵丿賰 廿丨爻丕爻 賮馗賷毓 亘兀賳賰 鬲乇賷丿 兀賳 鬲夭賷丨 賴匕賴 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 丕賱賲夭賷賮丞 賲賳 丕賱賵噩賵丿
兀賳 鬲夭賷賱賴丕 亘賰賲 賲毓胤賮賰 ..
兀賳 鬲購賲丨賷賴丕 賰賲丕 鬲購賲丨賷 卮賵丕卅亘 賳馗丕乇丕鬲賰 ..
兀賳 鬲氐丨賵 賷賵賲丕 賲丕 賵賱丕 鬲噩丿賴丕 鬲丨鬲賱 亘丕亘鬲爻丕賲鬲賴丕 丕賱氐賮乇丕亍 賵賯賳丕毓賴丕 丕賱賲夭賷賮 睾乇賮鬲賰
賰賷賮 賷賲賰賳賳丕 兀賳 賳鬲禺賱氐 賲賳賴丕 責
賰賷賮 賷賲賰賳賳丕 兀賳 賳鬲禺賱氐 賲賳 氐乇丕禺賳丕 丕賱氐丕賲鬲 亘丿丕禺賱賳丕 賵賷兀爻賳丕 丕賱匕賷 鬲毓丿賷 丨丿賵丿 丕賱賷兀爻 責
兀乇賷 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 賴賳丕 ..
賵兀乇賷 亘胤賱 乇賵丕賷丞 丿賷爻鬲賵賷賮賷爻賰賷 (賮賷 賯亘賵賷) 貙 賵兀乇賷 亘胤賱 (丕賱鬲丨賵賱) 賱賰丕賮賰丕 貙 賵兀乇賷 亘胤賱 (丕賱睾孬賷丕賳) 賱爻丕乇鬲乇貙 賵兀乇賷 亘胤賱 (丕賱睾乇賷亘) 賱兀賱亘賷乇 賰丕賲賷貙 賵兀乇賷 亘胤賱 (丕賱乇賴丕賳) 賱鬲卮賷賰賵賮 .. 賵廿匕丕 兀乇丿鬲 賷賲賰賳賰 丕賳 鬲囟賷賮 毓賱賷賴賲 亘胤賱 (賲賵賳賵賱賵噩 毓丕夭賮 丕賱亘賷丕賳賵) 賱 亘丕乇賷賰賵貙 賵(丕亘鬲爻丕賲丞 毓賳丿 賯丿賲 丕賱爻賱賲) 賱賴賳乇賷 賲賷賱賱乇
賰賱赖賲 賳賮爻 丕賱亘胤賱貙 賰賱赖賲 亘丕乇鬲賱亘賷 ..
賰賱赖賲 丕賱氐乇禺丞 丕賱氐丕賲鬲丞 匕丕鬲賴丕貙 丕賱賷兀爻 匕丕鬲賴貙 丕賱睾乇亘丞 匕丕鬲賴丕 賵丕賱丨囟賵乇 丕賱賲賯賳毓 亘丕賱睾賷丕亘 匕丕鬲賴
賰賱赖賲
...
賷賮囟賱賵賳 兀賱丕
... !!
June 5, 2022
Bartleby,
Let me assume that...
... to ask you for your preferences, I prefer not.
Kall.
January 31, 2024
In a Nutshell: A classic novella combining comedy and tragedy in a memorable way. Might not be everyone鈥檚 cup of tea as the themes are quite subtle. I am still not sure if I got them all. But I liked it enough, and that鈥檚 what counts. 馃槉
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Story Synopsis:
This story was first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine and reprinted with minor textual alterations in Melville鈥檚 鈥楾he Piazza Tales鈥� in 1856. It received critical disdain on publication, to the dismay of Melville who was already struggling with the negative reception to his 鈥楳oby Dick鈥� published just before this story. Soon after this story collection, Melville gave up publishing fiction. It is much later that both works were considered modern classics.
This story worked for me on multiple aspects:
馃憣 The pacing: For a mid-19th century novella (this is somewhere around 60 pages long), the writing is surprisingly smooth and quick. There are descriptions but not so extensive as to bog down the pacing. It is probably one of the fastest novellas I have read from this period. (Not to be compared to modern works, of course.)
馃憣 The characters: Within the limited page space, Melville develops a clear character profile of the narrator and the other employees, except for Bartleby, who remains an enigma.
The titular Bartleby is obviously the focus of the tale. With his reclusive attitude and his quirky responses, he makes for a compelling main character. But the story鈥檚 narrator left me intrigued more than Bartleby did. As a business owner, he would have been entirely justified in scolding or even firing his employee 鈥� no one would have questioned him if he became aggressive with such a person who refused to work as per his job profile. However, the narrator seems more sympathetic than antagonistic towards his charge, and tries every method of coaxing before finally resorting to severe measures.
I wonder how such a situation would pan out in 2024, where most firms have no regard for individual employees, and most employees too work more out of duty than passion. This would have been a Human Resources nightmare.
馃憣 The writing approach: The story balances comic and tragic elements fairly well, though the tragic component becomes too much towards the end. Melville doesn鈥檛 provide any explanation for why Bartleby did what he did. It could be that he was simply an eccentric, or it might be that he was struggling with some extreme form of depression and just didn鈥檛 know how to handle it. Whatever the reason, Melville doesn鈥檛 aid us with hints, and we are left to use our own imagination to interpret the whys while reading the whats.
馃憣 The themes: This is where it gets a bit tricky for me. What exactly is this story trying to convey? Corporate servitude and the right to say 鈥榥o鈥� to assigned work? The difference between free will and determination while handling one鈥檚 job? Where to draw a line between being a boss and being a concerned human? How far can one go towards self-sabotage while in throes of some emotional chaos? How to realise when to seek help if the problems of life seem unsurmountable? How to behave with someone who refuses to respond even to friendly overtures? All of these apply to the tale to some extent or the other, though I can鈥檛 figure out Melville鈥檚 intent behind this work. But the fact is 鈥� each of these points is as (or probably even more) relevant today as it might have been in the 1850s.
All in all, this ended up as an interesting story with memorable characters and an unusual plot. Though the ending caught me unawares, I still enjoyed most of the journey. Definitely recommended for classic story lovers, as long as you don鈥檛 mind the lack of closure.
4 stars.
As this story is in the public domain, you can read it free of cost on various sites online. I read it from the below link:
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Connect with me through:
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Story Synopsis:
The unnamed first-person narrator is an elderly gentleman who owns a law firm on Wall Street. He has two scriveners (scribe/clerk) working for him, along with an office boy. However, when the work gets hectic, he decides to hire another scrivener.
Enter Bartleby 鈥� a pallid young man who does his copy work most meticulously. But he has a 鈥渇law鈥�. Whenever he is asked to do anything outside of his core duty, he replies, 鈥业 prefer not to.鈥� The narrator is in turn flummoxed and frustrated and furious, but as Bartleby does his copy work well, he is still retained in employment. As time passes by, Bartleby鈥檚 鈥減references鈥� become even more restrictive. How will the owner tackle such dogmatic yet polite refusals to work?
This story was first serialized anonymously in two parts in the November and December 1853 issues of Putnam's Magazine and reprinted with minor textual alterations in Melville鈥檚 鈥楾he Piazza Tales鈥� in 1856. It received critical disdain on publication, to the dismay of Melville who was already struggling with the negative reception to his 鈥楳oby Dick鈥� published just before this story. Soon after this story collection, Melville gave up publishing fiction. It is much later that both works were considered modern classics.
This story worked for me on multiple aspects:
馃憣 The pacing: For a mid-19th century novella (this is somewhere around 60 pages long), the writing is surprisingly smooth and quick. There are descriptions but not so extensive as to bog down the pacing. It is probably one of the fastest novellas I have read from this period. (Not to be compared to modern works, of course.)
馃憣 The characters: Within the limited page space, Melville develops a clear character profile of the narrator and the other employees, except for Bartleby, who remains an enigma.
The titular Bartleby is obviously the focus of the tale. With his reclusive attitude and his quirky responses, he makes for a compelling main character. But the story鈥檚 narrator left me intrigued more than Bartleby did. As a business owner, he would have been entirely justified in scolding or even firing his employee 鈥� no one would have questioned him if he became aggressive with such a person who refused to work as per his job profile. However, the narrator seems more sympathetic than antagonistic towards his charge, and tries every method of coaxing before finally resorting to severe measures.
I wonder how such a situation would pan out in 2024, where most firms have no regard for individual employees, and most employees too work more out of duty than passion. This would have been a Human Resources nightmare.
馃憣 The writing approach: The story balances comic and tragic elements fairly well, though the tragic component becomes too much towards the end. Melville doesn鈥檛 provide any explanation for why Bartleby did what he did. It could be that he was simply an eccentric, or it might be that he was struggling with some extreme form of depression and just didn鈥檛 know how to handle it. Whatever the reason, Melville doesn鈥檛 aid us with hints, and we are left to use our own imagination to interpret the whys while reading the whats.
馃憣 The themes: This is where it gets a bit tricky for me. What exactly is this story trying to convey? Corporate servitude and the right to say 鈥榥o鈥� to assigned work? The difference between free will and determination while handling one鈥檚 job? Where to draw a line between being a boss and being a concerned human? How far can one go towards self-sabotage while in throes of some emotional chaos? How to realise when to seek help if the problems of life seem unsurmountable? How to behave with someone who refuses to respond even to friendly overtures? All of these apply to the tale to some extent or the other, though I can鈥檛 figure out Melville鈥檚 intent behind this work. But the fact is 鈥� each of these points is as (or probably even more) relevant today as it might have been in the 1850s.
All in all, this ended up as an interesting story with memorable characters and an unusual plot. Though the ending caught me unawares, I still enjoyed most of the journey. Definitely recommended for classic story lovers, as long as you don鈥檛 mind the lack of closure.
4 stars.
As this story is in the public domain, you can read it free of cost on various sites online. I read it from the below link:
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January 13, 2022
鈥淧refiero no hacerlo鈥�
Mucho se ha dicho ya de Bartlevy, el escribiente (1853), el popular cuento de Herman Melville (1819-1891), el famoso autor de Moby Dick ( 1851 ). La historia del anodino empleado que se niega a trabajar, pero tambi茅n a abandonar su lugar de trabajo, queda abierta a m煤ltiples interpretaciones, ya que no conocemos en ning煤n momento qu茅 lleva a nuestro protagonista a actuar de esta manera. 驴Contra qui茅n o qu茅 se est谩 rebelando Bartlevy realmente? 驴Contra su jefe? 驴Contra el trabajo rutinario? 驴Contra la sociedad? 驴Contra el mero hecho de la existencia?
Se ha considerado una reacci贸n ante la absurdidad de la vida (puro existencialismo), pero tambi茅n, de un modo m谩s concreto, se podr铆a entender como un acto revolucionario contra el sistema establecido. Una sublevaci贸n pac铆fica, sin causa aparente, sin perder el tiempo en una justificaci贸n, ya que el sistema posee los suficientes mecanismos de respuesta para rebatir nuestros argumentos, cualesquiera que sean. As铆 que lo mejor parece ser evitar cualquier explicaci贸n sobre esa obstinada negativa a la acci贸n (una moderna procastinaci贸n llevada a su m谩xima expresi贸n).
Como contrapunto a Bartlevy, a su individualidad, a su locura, el autor nos presenta al narrador (su jefe), como su antagonista y representante del mundo, del sistema, del resto de la sociedad en general. Su progresivo aumento de incredulidad acompa帽a a la del lector hasta desembocar en una especie de compasi贸n final. A la vez que al narrador conocemos a los compa帽eros de Bartlevy (descritos par贸dicamente) y el propio discurrir de la historia, con algunos momentos surrealistas. Incredulidad, parodia y absurdo son definiciones del mundo contra el que Bartlevy se rebela. Visto as铆 no parece que Melville le tenga mucho aprecio.
Melville escribe claro y conciso, pero tambi茅n se aprecia cierta rigidez y sobriedad en el relato. Quiz谩 sea el estilo decimon贸nico o el intento de realzar a煤n m谩s la rutinaria e insulsa vida de nuestro protagonista. En cualquier caso, el inter茅s esta garantizado con ese juego de ausencias y con el deseo de conocer ad贸nde conducir谩 a Bartlevy su inusual comportamiento. Estamos ante un relato relevante y original que no hay que dejar pasar.
鈥溌y, Bartlevy! 隆Ay, la humanidad!
Mucho se ha dicho ya de Bartlevy, el escribiente (1853), el popular cuento de Herman Melville (1819-1891), el famoso autor de Moby Dick ( 1851 ). La historia del anodino empleado que se niega a trabajar, pero tambi茅n a abandonar su lugar de trabajo, queda abierta a m煤ltiples interpretaciones, ya que no conocemos en ning煤n momento qu茅 lleva a nuestro protagonista a actuar de esta manera. 驴Contra qui茅n o qu茅 se est谩 rebelando Bartlevy realmente? 驴Contra su jefe? 驴Contra el trabajo rutinario? 驴Contra la sociedad? 驴Contra el mero hecho de la existencia?
Se ha considerado una reacci贸n ante la absurdidad de la vida (puro existencialismo), pero tambi茅n, de un modo m谩s concreto, se podr铆a entender como un acto revolucionario contra el sistema establecido. Una sublevaci贸n pac铆fica, sin causa aparente, sin perder el tiempo en una justificaci贸n, ya que el sistema posee los suficientes mecanismos de respuesta para rebatir nuestros argumentos, cualesquiera que sean. As铆 que lo mejor parece ser evitar cualquier explicaci贸n sobre esa obstinada negativa a la acci贸n (una moderna procastinaci贸n llevada a su m谩xima expresi贸n).
Como contrapunto a Bartlevy, a su individualidad, a su locura, el autor nos presenta al narrador (su jefe), como su antagonista y representante del mundo, del sistema, del resto de la sociedad en general. Su progresivo aumento de incredulidad acompa帽a a la del lector hasta desembocar en una especie de compasi贸n final. A la vez que al narrador conocemos a los compa帽eros de Bartlevy (descritos par贸dicamente) y el propio discurrir de la historia, con algunos momentos surrealistas. Incredulidad, parodia y absurdo son definiciones del mundo contra el que Bartlevy se rebela. Visto as铆 no parece que Melville le tenga mucho aprecio.
Melville escribe claro y conciso, pero tambi茅n se aprecia cierta rigidez y sobriedad en el relato. Quiz谩 sea el estilo decimon贸nico o el intento de realzar a煤n m谩s la rutinaria e insulsa vida de nuestro protagonista. En cualquier caso, el inter茅s esta garantizado con ese juego de ausencias y con el deseo de conocer ad贸nde conducir谩 a Bartlevy su inusual comportamiento. Estamos ante un relato relevante y original que no hay que dejar pasar.
鈥溌y, Bartlevy! 隆Ay, la humanidad!
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