Plot

What background information does the narrator relate that gives us a greater understanding of the events unfolding?
Why does the information about Bartleby's previous employment come at the end of the story rather than at the beginning?
Complication-
How does the Boss react when Bartleby repeatedly refuses to perform his duties? How does his reaction intensify? What is the Boss's dilemma?

Climax-Where do you feel the events reach their pinnacle? Where is the conflict most intense, the clash most "explosive"?

Resolution-What's the outcome of the explosion? 
Epiphany-who has gained insight in this story, Bartleby or the Boss, or anybody?


In Bartelby the Scrivener, the narrator (lawyer) gives us information on his office. The office is located on Wall Street. The lawyer describes his employees and Bartleby's arrival to the office.By given this information, we the readers have a clue of what the story is about. I beleive that Bartelby's previous emplyment comes at the end of the story because, the author wanted to make the short story suspenseful. If the author mentioned Bartelby's previous occupation in the beginning of the story, readers wouldn't find the story as interesting because there would be nothing to look foward to.Throughout the story, Bartleby refuses to do any type of work other than copying papers. Every time Bartleby says his infamous line "I prefer not to" , it shocks the boss because no one ever declined him before. At one point in the story, the lawyer questions whether or not he's wrong for asking Bartelby to do anything. However after consulting the other scriveners, the lawyer notices he's done nothing wrong.. One day after being fed up with Bartelby's "I prefer not to", the boss finally asks why he does prefers not to do any work. As Bartelby stays silent, the lawyer just accept him. I believe that the lawyer's dilemma is that he wants to terminate Bartleby due to his poor work ethic. On the other hand,, the boss admires Bartelby's personality and doesn't have the guts to terminate him.. I believe the climax of the story is when the lawyer asks Bartleby to pack his possesions and leave the office, but Bartleby refuses. By doing this forced the boss to pack up and move his office, all because of Bartleby. As a result, the lawyer loses sympathy for Bartelby. The outcome of this explosion is that the boss leaves Bartleby in his office and moves his business elsewhere.I don't believe that anyone gained insight, however I think that the boss gave up on Bartleby,.