Bartleby: "I prefer not to," "I prefer not to," also tells the reader about Bartleby isolating The phrase shows his lack of involvement, another form ofisolation. The narrator tells the reader exactly what he did toBartleby, very vividly, as shown below.In the novella, the author tells the reader, down to the smallestdetail, what he did to Bartleby to isolate him from the world. Hetells us in this passage, "I placed his desk close up to a smallside window in that part of the room, a window which originallyhad afforded a lateral view of certain grimy backyards, andbricks, but which, owning to insubsequent erections, commanded atpresent, no view at all, though it gave some light. Within threefeet of the panes was a wall, and the light came down from farabove between two lofty buildings, as from a very small opening ina dome. Still further to satisfactory arrangement, I procured agreen folding screen, which might entirely isolate Bartleby frommy sight, though, not remove him from my voice." The quotationdescribes how the narrator secludes Bartleby from society. Evenhis window, usually a form of escape, results in Bartleby beingtrapped behind another wall, thus reinforcing his totalisolation.The irony lies in the fact that the narrator, while trying toisolate Bartleby, becomes affected by it, so much so that heappears almost human. Instead of dismissing him on the spot forrefusing to copy, proofread or leave the premises, he tries tofind other employment for him, and even considers inviting him tolive in his residence as his guest. The narrator develops beforeour eyes into a caring person, very different from the cold,unsympathetic person at the beginning of the story. "To befriendBartleby, to humor him in his strange willfulness, will cost melittle or nothing, while I lay up in my soul what will eventuallyprove a sweet morsel for my conscience." The narrator wouldnormally befriend Bartleby or any other "sucker," but Bartlebyhas giv...
