Key Facts
full title · "Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street"
author · Herman Melville
type of work · Short story
genre · Critique of mid-nineteenth century America
language · English (American)
time and place written · Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1855
date of first publication · 1853
publisher · Putnam's Magazine
narrator · The Lawyer (1st person narration)
climax · The Lawyer offers to take Bartleby into his home, but Bartleby refuses; the Lawyer leaves him to be arrested as a vagrant and imprisoned.
protagonist(s) · The Lawyer
antagonist · Bartleby
setting (time) · 1850s
setting (place) · New York
point of view · 1st person narration
falling action · Bartleby goes to prison and dies; the Lawyer hears a rumor that he worked in the dead-letter office.
tense · Immediate past (primarily retrospective, i.e. flashback)
foreshadowing · None
tone · The story is written by the Lawyer, who is reflecting on his experiences with Bartleby. The tone is one of interest, frustration, and regret.
themes · Charity; work ethics; middle-class boredom
motifs · Food (Turkey, Ginger Nut, Bartleby's refusal to eat, etc.)
symbols · None
full title · "The Encantadas or Enchanted Isles"
author · Herman Melville
type of work · Fictionalized impressions of the Galapagos Islands, told in ten "sketches"
genre · Travel literature
language · English (American)
time and place written · Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1855
date of first publication · 1855
publisher · Putnam's Magazine
narrator · Unnamed 1st person narrator
climax · If "The Encantadas" can be said to have a climax, it is probably the story of Oberlus the hermit, which is the longest and most involved of the ten "sketches."
protagonist(s) · The narrator
antagonist · None
setting (time) · 1840s
setting (place) · The Galapagos Islands, near Peru
point of view · 1st person narration
falling action · The tenth sketch
tense · Past (narrator's reflections)
foreshadowing · None
tone · "The Encantadas" has a romantic, reflective tone.
themes · Ruling over others; hermitic lifestyles; the dangers of the sea
motifs · None
symbols · Tortoises
full title · "Benito Cereno"
author · Herman Melville
type of work · Short story
genre · Mystery; adventure
language · English (American)
time and place written · Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1855
date of first publication · 1855
publisher · Putnam's Magazine
narrator · 3rd person narration
climax · When Benito Cereno leaps into Captain Delano's boat, and Delano realizes that the slaves are actually in control of the San Dominick.
protagonist(s) · Amasa Delano
antagonist · Babo
setting (time) · 1799
setting (place) · Off the island of Santa Maria, Peru
point of view · 3rd person narration
falling action · Benito Cereno gives his deposition, which reveals the truth of what happened on the San Dominick; Cereno dies.
tense · Immediate past; that is, real-time narration
foreshadowing · There are many clues throughout the story that hint at the slaves' control of the ship; for instance, Captain Delano twice sees slaves manhandle the white sailors without reprisal from either the sailors or Cereno.
tone · The tone of "Benito Cereno" is mysterious and anxious, as Delano tries to figure out what's going on around him.
themes · Race; slavery
motifs · Grayness
symbols · Alexandro Aranda's skeleton
