These various approaches to "Bartleby " have deepened our understanding of the issues in the story, even if they have not solved the riddle of Bartleby's behavior. ... The effort it took to create Melville's works of fiction demonstrate that he must have had at least a glimmer of hope that they could somehow make a difference to the world. ... Ahab desires to know the ultimate meaning of all things, but he is frustrated because he cannot penetrate beyond the surfaces or the tangible world. ... In "Bartleby the Scrivener,"" Melville explores similar philosophical issues in a different...

• Word Count: 2093
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate