In this video created to shortly summarize Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” Michael Sommer and his Playmobil cast made this summary and analysis very easy to understand. I liked how he compared scriveners to human photocopying machine of documents since “Bartleby, the Scrivener” was written in a time where typewriters much less computers and printers were invented. The analysis occurs at the end of the video after the summary of the short story.

In the analysis, it is said that Bartleby did not like having to be told what to do by what the capitalist society. I found it ironic how the characters were portrayed as lego pieces; in which they do not have control of their own actions and movements. Also, when the narrator of the video mentioned how Bartleby was placed into the lower ranks of society he still displayed how he had some choice and independence; and that he was not just a mindless office worker.

As a student minoring in psychology and currently taking a social psychology course, I liked how this short story (and the narrator) really spoke on the topic of conformity. As emphasized in my post for the text “Song of Myself”, conformity, like all things, can be good and bad. It is extremely bad when society sees a bunch of horrible things happening and just considering it a norm and letting it happen, or just looking away and turning a blind eye to immoral behaviors and beliefs. As the commentator points out in the video, Bartleby did not do anything he did not want to (although I completely disagree with the fact that Bartleby was just allowed to not do his job and only say “I would prefer not to”). I liked the one point the commentator finds that, “when alternative facts are gaining ground and when populace is on the march and when you are pressured to adapt to beliefs that are unjust and illogical, you always have the choice to say ‘I prefer not to'” – just like how Bartleby often did in the short story.

I think it is important to keep this point in mind because it is easy to get swept up in and simply agree with what others are thinking and saying without researching and finding out facts for yourself, especially in today’s world where information is easily skewed just to persuade us to believe in or to take action and do something.

However, I believe we can not be like Bartleby and only simply say “I would prefer not to.” Instead, we have to explain to others why you would prefer not to and maybe come to a compromise as to how the problem or situation can be resolved. Simply stating that you prefer not to and not doing anything else makes YOU in turn seem like you are higher than everyone else and that you only do as you please. Bartleby was at work and up to a certain point, needs to listen to his boss, and if he disagrees, Bartleby needs to explain to his why and can not simply just go back to his desk and be at work and not do anything but still get paid.