"Bartleby the Scrivener"

"Bartleby the Scrivener"
by Herman Melville

Well well, it is time to talk about a very odd and complicated character: Bartleby.  One of the obvious and most defining traits/habits of Bartleby's is his stubborn refrain: "I would prefer not to."  The majority of the story is centered around Bartleby's preferences, most his preference to do nothing.  There are many theories as to why Bartleby is like this, some personal, some medical, some work related.  In fact, there could be many different reasons for why he is why he is, some of which are symbolic.  Bartleby is clearly socially awkward and does  not pick up on suggestions or cues.  When the lawyer first tries to fire Bartleby, he tries to suggest his leaving: "After you have removed your things from the office, Bartleby, you will of course lock the door...I shall not see you again, so good-bye to you" (Melville, 662).  But even with this suggestion, Bartleby stays.  He even stays after the lawyer moves out of the building.  Through all this, he repeats his refrain calmly.
As odd as he may be, I felt empathy for Bartleby throughout the whole story.  I figured there was some sort of reason why he acted that way, whether he was disabled, awkward, scarred from his last job, or was simply emotionless.  I felt that the lawyer didn't treat the situation very well.  He wasn't stern or demanding, and he moved his office before moving Bartleby.  The lawyer wasn't too bright.  Part of me actually admired Bartleby: he never did anything he didn't want to do.  Even in prison, he made the choice not to eat.  The exact reason behind this behavior though, is unclear.
The subtitle, "A Story of Wall Street," ties in with the symbolism I mentioned earlier.  Bartleby might symbolize the common worker of the time, beaten down by the economy and a mediocre job to the point of near soullessness.  Though Bartleby tried to be stubborn, everything got to be too much for him and he simply died.  But because his death and imprisonment happened so quickly, the reader focuses more on what led up to it, the cause of the tragic end: depression caused by the previous job, a feeling of mediocrity, a general unhappiness.  This kind of thing can happen on Wall Street (but usually less dramatic).