Chapter 1
Bartleby, The Scrivener
The unnamed lawyer-narrator introduces himself, his Wall Street office, and his eccentric employees—Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. To handle an increase in work, he hires a new scrivener named Bartleby, who initially works diligently but soon begins to refuse tasks with the polite but firm phrase, 'I would prefer not to.' This passive resistance baffles and unsettles the lawyer, who discovers Bartleby is living in the office, creating the central conflict of the story.
