Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American writer. He is quite famous nowadays and is acknowledged to be one of the classics. In his days, however, the situation wasn't so bright for him. His first books were a huge success, but later works were considered too strange. He was forgotten afterwards until the readers rediscovered him in the XX century. "The Bartleby" tells a story of a scrivener hired to copy documents for an attorney on Wall Street. Exposed to everyday grind he suddenly changes and chooses to stare at the wall instead, a decision that resonates well with modern readers.