Bartleby

In the heart of bustling, 19th-century Wall Street, a respectable lawyer hires a new clerk for his office. His name is Bartleby. At first, he is a model of silent, diligent work. But when asked to perform a routine task, he responds with a phrase that will become his haunting refrain: "I would prefer not to."
This simple, polite, yet absolute refusal begins a quiet, unnerving rebellion. Bartleby’s passive resistance unravels the orderly world of the law office, challenging the foundations of commerce, charity, and human obligation. He is not angry, nor does he make demands. He simply opts out, becoming an immovable, inscrutable presence.
Herman Melville’s Bartleby is a profound and enigmatic masterpiece, a darkly comic tale of workplace absurdity, a chilling psychological study, and a timeless metaphysical inquiry into isolation and the human spirit. Is Bartleby a symbol of passive resistance, a victim of a soul-crushing world, or something else entirely?
A cornerstone of American literature, this story poses unsettling questions about conformity, compassion, and the walls we build—both around us and within.