Existentialism is one of the philosophical currents that most influenced the artistic movements of the 20th century. Various critics affirm that it emerged at the beginning of the 19th century, a time when the authors began to wonder if they existed in greater depth.

Within the literature of the United States we find one of the most celebrated nineteenth-century writers, along with authors such as Edgar Allan Poe or Walt Whitman, who is known worldwide for the monumental novel Moby Dick.

But Herman Melville's work goes beyond the story of the fearsome white whale and Captain Ahab. Bartleby the Scrivener is one of Melville's best writings, where he explores a nascent Existentialism, showing a humanity that touches every fiber of his main character.

Bartleby is a nouvelle that captivates from the beginning by exploring the interior of the human being, as can be seen in the works of 20th century writers such as Kafka or Camus, where Existentialism reigns, where doubts arise and feed existence in based on the absurd.