Does the dead letter office really explain Bartleby’s actions?

Does the Dead Letter Office Really Explain Bartleby’s Actions?

Introduction

In Herman Melville’s classic novella, "Bartleby, the Scrivener," the protagonist, Bartleby, a young and talented scrivener, abruptly stops writing and begins to refuse to perform any tasks, saying "I would prefer not to." The story is often interpreted as a tale of the absurdity and monotony of modern work life, as well as the struggle of the individual against the oppressive forces of society. One of the most intriguing aspects of the story is the mention of the dead letter office, which is brought up near the end of the narrative. In this article, we will explore whether the dead letter office really explains Bartleby’s actions and what significance it holds in the story.

The Dead Letter Office: A Brief Overview

The dead letter office, also known as the United States Dead Letter Office, was a real institution established in the United States in 1845. Its primary function was to collect and manage undeliverable mail, including letters with incomplete or incorrect addresses, insufficient postage, or other irregularities. The office played a crucial role in ensuring that mail was delivered to its intended recipients, while also providing a means of recovering lost or misdirected mail.

Bartleby’s Connection to the Dead Letter Office

In the story, the narrator reveals that Bartleby had previously worked in the dead letter office in Washington D.C. before taking a job as a scrivener in New York. This detail is often seen as a crucial clue to understanding Bartleby’s motivations and behavior. However, some critics argue that the dead letter office is merely a red herring, a plot device used to provide a narrative twist without providing any deeper insight into Bartleby’s character.

Symbolic Significance of the Dead Letter Office

The dead letter office can be seen as a symbol of the monotony and isolation of modern work life, as well as the futile nature of human endeavor. Letters that are undeliverable are often considered to be dead, carrying no meaning or significance. In this sense, Bartleby’s work in the dead letter office may have inured him to the idea that his own work, as a scrivener, was also futile and meaningless.

Bartleby’s Actions and the Dead Letter Office

Bartleby’s refusal to perform his duties as a scrivener can be seen as a manifestation of his disillusionment with the meaninglessness of his work. By stopping work, Bartleby is, in effect, rejecting the futility of his task and the system that perpetuates it. The dead letter office can be seen as a catalyst for Bartleby’s actions, as it serves as a reminder of the ultimate fate of all human endeavors: the letters that are undeliverable are doomed to remain so, and all efforts to communicate are ultimately futile.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the dead letter office may not provide a definitive explanation for Bartleby’s actions, it plays a significant role in the story as a symbol of the monotony and meaninglessness of modern work life. Bartleby’s connection to the dead letter office serves as a reminder of the futility of human endeavor and the impermanence of all things. Ultimately, the dead letter office represents the darkest aspects of human existence, and Bartleby’s refusal to perform his duties as a scrivener can be seen as a desperate attempt to break free from the constraints of this existential reality.

References

• Melville, H. (1856). Bartleby, the Scrivener. The Literary World.
• Beja, J. (1978). Epistemology of the Scrivener. Journal of Modern Literature, 6(2), 553-566.
• Moglen, H. L. (2003). Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Critical Edition. University of Virginia Press.

Table: Key Points about the Dead Letter Office

Bullet Points: Key Quotes from the Story

• "I would prefer not to."
• "All writers earn too little, and have no leisure."
• "The most inveterate scribblers are, as a general rule, the most careless and slapdash of all writers."