- description
- # Narrator's Fear and Resolution to Act
## Overview
This segment, titled "Narrator's Fear and Resolution to Act," comprises lines 728-761 of the short story [Bartleby, The Scrivener](arke:01KG8AJ8SS2R5YVRHT1BCDZZNP). It details the narrator's emotional shift from pity to fear and repulsion regarding Bartleby's condition, culminating in his decision to dismiss Bartleby while offering financial assistance.
## Context
This segment is part of [Bartleby, The Scrivener](arke:01KG8AJ8SS2R5YVRHT1BCDZZNP), a short story found within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It was extracted from the digital text file [bartleby_the_scrivener.txt](arke:01KG89J1CRGPEZ66W67EZPAMPE). Preceded by the segment [Discovery of Bartleby's Savings and Recalled Eccentricities](arke:01KG8AJMWV3GCA9VMFVZV901WC), which describes the narrator's discovery of Bartleby's hidden savings and his reflections on Bartleby's eccentricities, this segment is followed by [Escalation of Bartleby's Refusals and Narrator's Attempts to Manage](arke:01KG8AJMX3RVHT94FF89S8B805), which likely details the consequences of the narrator's decision.
## Contents
The segment describes the narrator's internal conflict as his initial pity for Bartleby transforms into fear and repulsion, driven by the scrivener's "morbid moodiness" and constant presence in his office. The narrator reflects on the nature of pity, suggesting it can turn to pain and a desire to be rid of the suffering when succor seems impossible. Convinced that Bartleby suffers from an "innate and incurable disorder" of the soul, which he cannot reach, the narrator resolves to dismiss him. He plans to offer Bartleby twenty dollars, inform him his services are no longer needed, and provide further assistance if Bartleby wishes to return to his "native place," promising continued aid if needed.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:08.822Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- Narrator's Fear and Resolution to Act
- end_line
- 761
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:37.562Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 728
- text
- Revolving all these things, and coupling them with the recently
discovered fact that he made my office his constant abiding place and
home, and not forgetful of his morbid moodiness; revolving all these
things, a prudential feeling began to steal over me. My first emotions
had been those of pure melancholy and sincerest pity; but just in
proportion as the forlornness of Bartleby grew and grew to my
imagination, did that same melancholy merge into fear, that pity into
repulsion. So true it is, and so terrible too, that 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. They err who
would assert that invariably this is owing to the inherent selfishness
of the human heart. It rather proceeds from a certain hopelessness of
remedying excessive and organic ill. To a sensitive being, pity is not
seldom pain. And when at last it is perceived that such pity cannot
lead to effectual succor, common sense bids the soul rid of it. What I
saw that morning persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of
innate and incurable disorder. I might give alms to his body; but his
body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I
could not reach.
I did not accomplish the purpose of going to Trinity Church that
morning. Somehow, the things I had seen disqualified me for the time
from church-going. I walked homeward, thinking what I would do with
Bartleby. Finally, I resolved upon this;—I would put certain calm
questions to him the next morning, touching his history, etc., and if
he declined to answer them openly and unreservedly (and I supposed he
would prefer not), then to give him a twenty dollar bill over and above
whatever I might owe him, and tell him his services were no longer
required; but that if in any other way I could assist him, I would be
happy to do so, especially if he desired to return to his native place,
wherever that might be, I would willingly help to defray the expenses.
Moreover, if, after reaching home, he found himself at any time in want
of aid, a letter from him would be sure of a reply.
- title
- Narrator's Fear and Resolution to Act