- description
- # Narrator's reflections and Bartleby's peculiar behavior causing concern
## Overview
This segment, titled "Narrator's reflections and Bartleby's peculiar behavior causing concern," is an extracted portion of the short story [Bartleby, The Scrivener](arke:01KG8AJ8SS2R5YVRHT1BCDZZNP). It spans lines 1135 to 1176 of the source text and details the narrator's internal struggle and growing alarm regarding Bartleby's uncooperative and unsettling presence in his office.
## Context
The segment is part of [Bartleby, The Scrivener](arke:01KG8AJ8SS2R5YVRHT1BCDZZNP), a short story by Herman Melville, which is itself contained within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It was extracted from the digital text file [bartleby_the_scrivener.txt](arke:01KG89J1CRGPEZ66W67EZPAMPE). This segment follows [Bartleby's Continued Presence and Narrator's Reflection](arke:01KG8AJNQ2ZC7HM5963ZYR99P9), where the narrator initially resigns himself to Bartleby's presence, and precedes [Narrator's resolve to remove Bartleby and attempts to persuade him](arke:01KG8AJNQCK4QC16JW75NZDEMB), marking a turning point in the narrator's approach to Bartleby.
## Contents
The segment captures the narrator's shift from a state of resigned acceptance to one of deep concern and resolve. Initially, the narrator expresses contentment with Bartleby's presence, viewing it as his "mission" to provide office space. However, this peace is disrupted by the "unsolicited and uncharitable remarks" of professional friends who visit the office and are struck by Bartleby's peculiar behavior. The narrator describes instances where Bartleby refuses to provide information or run errands, remaining "immovable" and "tranquilly declin[ing]" requests. This behavior leads to a "whisper of wonder" among the narrator's acquaintances, scandalizing his professional reputation. Overwhelmed by "dark anticipations" of Bartleby's perpetual occupancy and the continuous remarks from his friends, the narrator undergoes "a great change" and resolves to "for ever rid me of this intolerable incubus."
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:08.794Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- Narrator's reflections and Bartleby's peculiar behavior causing concern
- end_line
- 1176
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:37.562Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 1135
- text
- I am content. Others may have loftier parts to enact; but my mission in
this world, Bartleby, is to furnish you with office-room for such
period as you may see fit to remain.
I believe that this wise and blessed frame of mind would have continued
with me, had it not been for the unsolicited and uncharitable remarks
obtruded upon me by my professional friends who visited the rooms. But
thus it often is, that the constant friction of illiberal minds wears
out at last the best resolves of the more generous. Though to be sure,
when I reflected upon it, it was not strange that people entering my
office should be struck by the peculiar aspect of the unaccountable
Bartleby, and so be tempted to throw out some sinister observations
concerning him. Sometimes an attorney having business with me, and
calling at my office and finding no one but the scrivener there, would
undertake to obtain some sort of precise information from him touching
my whereabouts; but without heeding his idle talk, Bartleby would
remain standing immovable in the middle of the room. So after
contemplating him in that position for a time, the attorney would
depart, no wiser than he came.
Also, when a Reference was going on, and the room full of lawyers and
witnesses and business was driving fast; some deeply occupied legal
gentleman present, seeing Bartleby wholly unemployed, would request him
to run round to his (the legal gentleman’s) office and fetch some
papers for him. Thereupon, Bartleby would tranquilly decline, and yet
remain idle as before. Then the lawyer would give a great stare, and
turn to me. And what could I say? At last I was made aware that all
through the circle of my professional acquaintance, a whisper of wonder
was running round, having reference to the strange creature I kept at
my office. This worried me very much. And as the idea came upon me of
his possibly turning out a long-lived man, and keep occupying my
chambers, and denying my authority; and perplexing my visitors; and
scandalizing my professional reputation; and casting a general gloom
over the premises; keeping soul and body together to the last upon his
savings (for doubtless he spent but half a dime a day), and in the end
perhaps outlive me, and claim possession of my office by right of his
perpetual occupancy: as all these dark anticipations crowded upon me
more and more, and my friends continually intruded their relentless
remarks upon the apparition in my room; a great change was wrought in
me. I resolved to gather all my faculties together, and for ever rid me
of this intolerable incubus.
- title
- Narrator's reflections and Bartleby's peculiar behavior causing concern