What card am I? (Literary clue) - 25 Jan - Solved

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Jan 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ncefafn	24 Jan 2004
"I prefer not to." Herman Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener" This may be too easy, but it's my first time, so please be gentle. Kim

jmd	24 Jan 2004
The Fool?

ncefafn	24 Jan 2004
Not the Fool. Kim

jmd	25 Jan 2004
Tower? (I prefer not to fall?)

mercenary30	25 Jan 2004
Four of Cups?

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
Not the Tower nor the 4 of Cups, though you're on the right track, Merc! Kim

jmd	25 Jan 2004
Ahhh! RWCS pip imagery...? how about seven of wands?

mercenary30	25 Jan 2004
Eight of Cups?

Jewel-ry	25 Jan 2004
Lovers! Choices! J :)

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
No to JMD, Merc and Jewel-ry, but Merc continues to be closest. Kim

mercenary30	25 Jan 2004
I might be getting colder, but I am going to say Hanged Man.

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
Nope, not the Hanged Man. If no one's got it by this evening, I'll throw in another quote that might help out. Kim

gloria	25 Jan 2004
How about Temperance?

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
Nope, not Temperance either. Here's a link to the online text. Consider Bartleby's nature, and how it develops through the story. What is he doing? http://www.litrix.com/bartleby/bartl001.htm Kim

MattDouglas	25 Jan 2004
From what I've perused of the story, I'd say.... The Hermit. Just doing his own thing, and very content with that.

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
Matt, you're on the right track, but missed the mark. It's not the Hermit. Kim

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
All right, as promised, here's another clue: Quote: "Now one of two things must take place. Either you must do something, or something must be done to you. Now what sort of business would you like to engage in? Would you like to re-engage in copying for someone?" "No; I would prefer not to make any change." "Would you like a clerkship in a dry-goods store?" "There is too much confinement about that. No, I would not like a clerkship; but I am not particular." "Too much confinement," I cried; "why you keep yourself confined all the time!" I don't know how I could make it any simpler! Kim

mercenary30	25 Jan 2004
Four of Swords?

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
No, not the 4 of Swords. Kim

jmd	25 Jan 2004
3 Coins?

ncefafn	25 Jan 2004
Nope, not the 3 of Coins. Focusing on the wrong part of the second quote, JMD. Kim

MattDouglas	25 Jan 2004
The High Priestess!!! Receptive but resolute.

Dark Eyes	26 Jan 2004
Could it be Justice ? Weighing up all factors and making a decision after being given a choice??

ncefafn	26 Jan 2004
No, not Justice nor the High Priestess. Let me try this one more time: Quote: "Too much confinement," I cried; "why you keep yourself confined all the time!" Kim

Kissa	26 Jan 2004
five of cups? K.

ncefafn	26 Jan 2004
No, not 5 of Cups. Kim

MattDouglas	26 Jan 2004
The Devil!!!!!! Sure those chains are loose fitting and they could easioy be removed, but the people choose to saty chained to him.

Lady Mary	26 Jan 2004
Two of Swords?

Dark Eyes	26 Jan 2004
8 of swords... ? It must be !!! ;)

Dark_angel	26 Jan 2004
I reckon DarkEyes has it, but just in case... Eight of Wands? or Nine of Swords?

ncefafn	26 Jan 2004
Lady Mary is the lucky winner! The 2 of Swords figure sits with her eyes blindfolded, yet her arms are unbound, so she could take off her blinders if she wanted to. She prefers not to. Her arms are crossed over her heart, closing it off. She could open her arms to allow the world in. She prefers not to. Yet this self-confinement takes place not in some quiet cell, as in the 4 of Swords, but out in the world. Like her, Bartleby progressively closes himself off to human experience and to human interaction, replying when asked, "I would prefer not to." After the narrator takes new offices in order to escape from Bartleby, Bartleby continues to sit on the stairs outside the old offices, gently refusing to move when requested, demanded or threatened. He prefers not to. Until finally he is taken to the Tombs. Upon arrival, he tells the warder he prefers not to dine and "slowly moved to the other side of the inclosure and took up a position fronting the dead-wall." Even in the isolation of a prison, he finds a way to isolate himself further. Over to you, Lady Mary . . .

ncefafn	26 Jan 2004
I should add, too, that I considered the 8 of Swords for this quote as well, but the figure in that card is bound, so someone had to wrap those cloths around her and plant the swords in the ground before taking off. Bartleby was the author of his own fate. In fact, Bartleby is considered by some critics as the father of existential refusal. I also considered the 4 of Swords, but rejected it because the figure has hidden herself away from the world inside the safety of the church. Bartleby brought his isolation out into the world, which accounts for the violent reactions he often provoked. Kim

The What card am I? (Literary clue) - 25 Jan - Solved thread was originally posted on 24 Jan 2004 in the Tarot Games & Fun board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Games & Fun, or read more archived threads.