Bartleby the Scrivener II

In Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivever, the narrator tells of the eccentric and mysterious Bartleby. He clearly admires Bartleby and puts up with his abnormalities because of his excellent work. However, when Bartleby eccentricities begin to effect his work ethic, the lawyer strives to find the cause of Bartleby's strangeness. While depression or his previous job may have effected Bartleby's mental staus, I believe an anxiety disorder is most likely the root of the problem. Throughout the story, Bartleby shows many signs of suffering some kind of mental disorder, such as autism or OCD. Firstly, Bartleby never intiates conversation, and rarely speaks at all beyond saying he "would prefer not to." He also seems oblivious to normal social conceptions, as shown by his obliviousness toward his co-worker's mockery. Also, he takes questions literally. This is shown when the lawyer asks what he is doing and Bartleby replies, "Sitting upon the banister" (Melville, 670). All these examples leader readers to conclude Bartleby suffers from a mental or anxiety disorder.