Comparison: A&P and Bartleby

 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