Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener” dives into the story of an employee who gradually becomes uninterested in doing the work he is assigned and uses only the phrase “I would prefer not to” (1489) as his defense to his employer for having not completed his work. Even though Bartleby becomes more ineffective and idle, his boss begins to justify Bartleby’s laziness; this justification is seen when Bartleby’s boss says, “Poor fellow!... he means no mischief; it is plain he means no insolence; his aspect sufficiently evinces that his eccentricities are involuntary. He is useful to me. I can get along with him” (1492) This rationalization of employees’ laziness is seen more often in today’s workforce and in schools, and Melville’s work should
