Teacher Guide

Bartleby the Scrivener Lesson Plan

About the Author

Herman Melville is an American author who was born in 1819 in New York City. His family were merchants and his father lost a lot of money when Herman was young. As a result, Herman lived in poverty for much of his childhood. After his father died, he dropped out of school and worked as a bank clerk, a teacher, a farmer, and other jobs. His most influential job was as a seaman. His time working on a merchant ship informed much of his writing, including Redburn (1849), Typee: A Peep at Polynesia Life (1846), and Omoo (1847). While he was working on a ship near the modern day Philippines, Melville began to criticize Western imperialism and appreciate the limits of the Western lens. Melville...

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