Melville, Bartleby, & When to Say No

New York City, 1819.

Herman Melville is born into a wealthy, influential, upper-class family. His is a life of privilege until, at age twelve, his father passes. With his passing the truth is revealed: the family resources are completely gone.

The family is ruined.

A 12-year old Melville quits school to support his now impoverished family. His formal education is over.

Many hard years later, and after five years at sea, Melville’s writing career booms. His stories of seafaring adventures are a commercial success.

In 1851 Moby Dick is released. The result: a critical and commercial failure. It would be long after Melville’s passing before Moby Dick became his magnum opus.

Melville hates where his career is. Commercial (and profitable) literature he doesn’t enjoy writing; his preference—more philosophical and sophisticated—proves to be a commercial disaster. Coming from poverty, Melville must continue to write stories for a paying audience.

Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street

Enter Bartleby, A two-part short story published in November and December of 1853. Bartleby is hired by a Manhattan Attorney, initially working hard. Then apathy sets in. Bartleby responds to any request with the phrase “I prefer not to”. The task doesn’t matter—he prefers not to do it.

As suits his preference, Bartleby won’t leave the building when his employer relocates. He dies in prison after (quite politely) preferring not to eat.

The book is a success. Melville’s Bartleby delivers not only a commercial victory (for “them”), but a philosophical masterpiece (for him). Both objectives accomplished.

Bartley, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is now an iconic piece of American literature. Few stories offer so many philosophical interpretations from a single book—a powerful return to Melville’s original intent.

Buckle up; verbatim interpretations of Bartleby:

The book rejects the ideal of American-Romanticism. The book is a searing indictment of the oppressive, soul-crushing nature of capitalist society. The book is a precursor to the absurdist literature movement. The book boldly reveals the true nature, and consequences, of clinical depression. The book is an anthem for civil disobedience. The book models transcendence and enlightenment. The book stands as a metaphor—an insurmountable wall in the American socio-economic system; a Marxist parable for the despair and malaise of an overworked underclass. The book is an allegory for Melville’s psyche, and his suppressed aspirations of freedom through isolation.

Yes, these are all actual literary themes cited from Melville’s work. Credible ones? To each their own. For an author aiming to incite philosophic conversations, Bartleby is clearly a tremendous success.

What is not questioned is the example Bartleby embodies: the power of saying NO. Simply, he will not be taken advantage of.

The leadership lesson is this.

You too must know when—and how—to say NO. Others will gladly take your work (and your time) for granted.

Don’t let them.

Say NO when overwhelmed. Colleagues who always expect—and get—a yes do not ever stop asking for more. The requests will only come more frequently.

How would they know to stop? If you have said nothing, you have trained them to keep asking.  

Perhaps they don’t understand the scope of your current work. Or understand their responsibilities versus yours. Or are simply comfortable taking advantage of you. You must establish precedent by saying NO.

Explain your NO directly.

Be candid with the manager that won’t quit piling it on. Explain that to start a new project others must be de-prioritized. This begins a realistic discussion of what the pressing projects are, any course corrections needed, and the time required to complete active projects without compromising quality.

A good manager will appreciate your candor—and respect you for establishing boundaries.

As for the colleague who won’t quit asking—go with a hard NO. Say yes—even once—and prepare to be asked forever.  Do not allow this.  Respond directly. “That is your responsibility—not mine—and what you are paid to do”.

If they ask again—have them email their request in writing.

Email holds the requester responsible for the request. There’s no “explaining away” an email—it is a document stating what one employee asks of another. It is permanent. It can be reviewed and discussed with appropriate Management. Demand this email before questionable work is even considered.

Be polite and professional, yet firm: my work is my responsibility; yours is yours. When it comes to doing your job for you, I’d prefer not to.

Mark Joseph Huckabee