Bartleby the Scrivner

Analyzing the passive nature of the narrator is part of the joy in reading this borderline novella of a story. Not often do we get to see a narrator slowly lose pieces of his personality all brought about by the stubbornness of one man, Bartleby. We could spend eons theorizing about what his true issue is, but I prefer to hone in on the narrator. No where in the 21st century would a drunk scribe be allowed to keep his job.
It is evident that the memory of Bartleby severely haunts the narrator over the passing years. This is the whole reason he feels compelled to share the story with the reader in the first place aside from enjoying the sounds of his own voice. I  do enjoy the lack of true reason for Bartleby's personal behavior. In fact, I would prefer not to know. Being as curious as the narrator gives the reader a certain connection with the narrator as the story progresses. We get an attempted closure, sure. But the finer details of the dead letter job is speculation for another day.