Final answer:
The summary for "Better Never to Have Met At All" involves reflections on solitude in relationships and life, the lonely nature of death, and the search for meaning, all presented through different lenses such as personal, professional, and existential narratives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpt titled "Better Never to Have Met At All" reflects on the complex emotions and eventual solitude surrounding human relationships, loss, and profession. It covers personal reflections on acquaintances, the isolated process of dying, the contemplative life of a literary figure, the yearning for a missed connection, the creation of online friendships, and the lack of desire to conform to expectations. Additionally, it contemplates the unrevealed history of a character named Bartleby, the foggy existence of unimportant lives, the solitary death bewailed in a play, and the abrupt cessation of labor by an indifferent worker.
The various excerpts convey a sense of existential melancholy, questioning the value of relationships and the deep human desire to find meaning in life's experiences. These narratives also illustrate the notion that sometimes, the pursuit of understanding and making connections may seem futile or even lead to more sorrow.