There are numerous ways in which the story of Adams and Colt compares to that of the narrator and Bartleby. First, both involve two people who have reached an impasse in an argument. In the case of Colt and Adams, the former was working for the latter and when the latter wanted him to move out of his shop, Colt killed him. The act was done in cold blood and could not have been anticipated. Whereas the narrator and Bartleby have not been described as violent people, their argument seems to be at its worse at that point. Bartleby refuses to leave the office despite the fact that he also does not want to pay rent. The narrator believes that Bartleby might be dangerous due to his behavior and attitude when he asks him why he has not moved out yet that was the agreement. It is important to note that the narrator states that he thought Bartleby was of a gentlemanly manner. However, his reaction to the eviction had started to prove otherwise. One can argue that it is in fact the realization that Bartleby can turn violent that makes the narrator cautious, and in turn, ensures the story does not end like that of Colt and Adams.
Secondly, the story of Adams and Colt is similar to that of the narrator and Bartleby due to the similarities of the situation the latter find themselves in. The narrator starts to imagine the way Colt murdered Adam. It is explained that the murder happened in an office in a near-abandoned building. As the narrator looks around, he realizes that the same place (he and Bartleby are in) has similar characteristics to where Colt and Adam were in. It is not a fancy office that has numerous employees. Additionally, the building itself did not have as many occupants as well. The structural similarities ensure that the narrator perceives himself as the one at a disadvantage. There are several things that can be mentioned in relation to why the narrator is believed to be at a disadvantage (highly likely to be murdered). The first is the fact that Bartleby did not have any need for the money the narrator had offered him to leave. This means that the matter was highly personal for Bartleby and he did not think money would solve his concerns. Secondly, the calm demeanor Bartleby presented himself as he refused to move out can also be perceived to be a characteristic of a psychopath.
To some extent, the two stories are also similar in regards to the identity of the victim and the crime perpetrator. Again, it is critical to note that this deduction is reached from the perceptions of the narrator who believes he is in danger. The narrator likens his situation to that of Adams, who was the victim (killed by Colt). Therefore, one can argue that Bartleby can be associated more with the murder perpetrator, Colt. One can debate that this point of view is biased due to the fact that it is held by the narrator of the story. Despite this, the fact that Bartleby appears more comfortable in the situation compared to the narrator also makes one lean to the bias presented. On the other hand, one of the key differences between the two stories is that one did not end in a murder. Whereas there is a lot of similarities between the four characters, the narrator does not get killed. Further, whereas Colt already had ill intentions towards Adams, Bartleby did not. In fact, as the narrator explains, the latter’s behavior was significantly gentlemanly.