Bartleby the Scrivener Lesson Plan

Of all the things Bartleby did to the narrator, what was the worst offense? Why was this the worst?

Answers will likely vary on this question. Some students may say the worst offense was when Bartleby stopped working entirely because that was the primary function of his relationship with the narrator. Other students may say the worst thing Bartleby did was make the narrator look bad in front of his peers. This is what snaps the narrator out of his passivity. Students may also say that Bartleby’s decision not to take another job or go home with the narrator was the worst offense. This suggests that Bartleby was not looking out for his own well-being.

Why does the...