Final answer:
In Herman Melville's 'Bartleby, the Scrivener,' Mr. Worthington does not state a specific consequence if Bartleby refuses to draw. Instead, he contemplates various unsuccessful strategies for dealing with Bartleby's passive resistance, reflecting the complex nature of human relations and behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage you've provided comes from Herman Melville's short story Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street. The story deals with a scrivener named Bartleby who is employed by the narrator, Mr. Worthington, and at one point refuses to do any more writing. Mr. Worthington is faced with a dilemma as Bartleby's passive resistance leaves him at a loss for how to proceed. This perplexity incites various strategies from Mr. Worthington to deal with Bartleby.
The specific instance you're referring to, where Mr. Worthington questions what course of action he should take if Bartleby refuses to draw (meaning write or work), is a point of introspection for Mr. Worthington rather than a direct threat or statement of action towards Bartleby. Mr. Worthington contemplates several options: ignoring Bartleby, thrusting him out physically, resorting to name-calling, involving the police, or pretending Bartleby isn't there. There is a sense of frustration and helplessness as he realizes that none of these methods are satisfactory or effective in dealing with the peculiar situation. The story is a rich exploration of human behavior, isolation, and the complexities of employer-employee relationships. In Melville's narrative, Mr. Worthington's varying methods of coping with Bartleby are metaphoric reflections of the human condition and the challenges that come with understanding and influencing another's actions.