When comparing “A&P” by John Updike and "Bartleby,
the Scrivener" by Herman Melville there are several differences in the way the bosses act
towards their employees, the way characters interact with each other, and the
efficiency of the workers in the story. In A&P the boss is very strict, he
comes out and tells the young girls that the must leave the store and put
clothes on if they want to buy something. “Girls, I don’t want to argue with
you. After this come in here with your shoulders covered. It’s out policy.” Pg.
(602). In contrast to A&P the boss in Bartleby is very passive and rather
than telling his employees what to do, he asks them. For example he says things
like, “Why do you refuse?” and “Will you not speak?” (Pgs. 412 and 413). All this
shows is that passive bosses get less out of their employees as opposed to
strict and firm bosses.
Another difference between “A&P” and
“Bartleby” is the relationship between the coworkers. In A&P the only
coworker that is mentioned is a man named Stokesie. The relationship between
him and the main character Sammy is a very friendly one and they joke around
together while at work. “Oh Daddy.. I feel so faint.’ Darling, I said Hold me
tight.’” (Pg.600). This is a huge difference from the coworkers in Bartleby.
The coworkers of Bartleby are very judgmental and they really don’t like him at
all. They complain and call him names. “I think sir, he is a little loony” and
“I think I should kick him out of the office” (Pg. 413) The significance of
this difference has to do with the feeling the reader is left behind with. At
the end of A&P you feel good for Sammy and like he did a good thing
sticking up for “His girls”. But in Bartleby you have a sense of sadness
because Bartleby had no one on his side.
One more difference between these stories
is the efficiency of the workers. In A&P Sammy is a very lackadaisical. He
is very judgmental of the customers that come in and you get a sense that he
really doesn't enjoy his place of work. “”She’s one of those cash register
watchers, a witch about fifty with rogue on her cheek bones and no eyebrows“
and “There was this chunky one with a two piece..” (Pg. 599). But in Bartleby
he shows a lot of enthusiasm in the beginning of the story. “At first, Bartleby
did an extraordinary quantity of writing” (Pg. 411). This shows irony, because
the boss in A&P was very strict and his employee was very lazy. But in
Bartleby the boss was very passive and Bartleby was excited to work and very
willing
