Bartleby, the Scrivener: Herman Melville

This was a humorous story told by a lawyer who hired Bartleby to be a scrivener (a clerk or copyist). He starts out actually doing some work, but then when the lawyer asks him to do tasks, Bartleby does less and less work retorting with "I would prefer not to" when asked to do something. It is around this time that the lawyer realizes Bartleby has actually moved in to the office. The Lawyer tries to find him other career choices, but Bartleby replies to all the ideas with "I would prefer not to". The lawyer has become fond of Bartleby and doesn't have it in him to kick him out; he decides instead to move his office leaving Bartleby behind. He later finds out the new tenants have forcibly moved Bartleby out and he was living in Prison. The lawyer bribes a guard with money to ensure Bartleby eats, but when he returns a while later he finds Bartleby had died from starvation. He preferred not to eat.