Melville's Bartleby & Anantha Murthy's Mouni

In Melville's novella "Bartleby the Scrivener", the protagonist starts off normally enough as a clerk. But gradually he begins to refuse to work, saying "I would prefer not to." His employer, kind-heartedly moves his office elsewhere rather than evict him. But his successor, calls the police & Bartleby is imprisoned. But he declines to eat & gives up his ghost. His aberration is variously diagnosed as depression, anorexia or even catatonic schizophrenia.

In Anantha Murthy's story "Mouni", the title character is a Brahmin living on the land provided by his Mutt. But due to his cantankerous nature, ill-luck & the machinations of a rival street-smart Brahmin, he loses everything & withdrawing into silence, sits inside his house. The Mutt authorities & his other creditors bodily shift him outside the house & lock the house. Still he does not break his silence. This story was also made into a good Kannada film.

The American Bartleby & the Indian "Mouni",even though seperated by time & space, display similar reactions towards their known or unknown inner ghosts.