Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville (excerpt) Ginger Nut, the third on my list, was a lad some twelve years old. His father was a carman, ambitious of seeing his son on the bench instead of a cart before he died. So he sent him to my office, as student at law, errand boy, cleaner and sweeper, at the rate of one dollar a week. He had a little desk to himself, but he did not use it much. Upon inspection, the drawer exhibited a great array of the shells of various sorts of nuts. Indeed, to this quick- witted youth, the whole

B) Upon inspection, the drawer exhibited a great array of the shells of various sorts of nuts. Indeed, to this quick-witted youth, the whole noble science of the law was contained in a nutshell.

Explanation:

Verbal irony is a figure of speech when a speaker says something but means something else. The intended meaning of the spoken words is the opposite, contrasting with the literal meaning of the word.

In the given excerpt from Herman Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener," verbal irony is evident in the line where the narrator describes Ginger Nut. His description of the young lad as a "quick-witted youth" is ironic for, in truth, he doesn't seem to be so. Rather than being intelligent as was expected, he is dumb, taking no interest in the practice of law contrary to his father's high expectations. The narrator sums up the boy's knowledge as "whole noble science of the law was contained in a nutshell," which means his knowledge is rather dim/ low.

Thus, the correct answer is option B.

irony  

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~ashbelle