The Effects of Bartleby on the Lawyer In Herman Melville's short story, “Bartleby the Scribe,” a lawyer tells the story of a strange scribe who had once worked for him. Scribe Bartleby is strange in his refusal to do anything with the calm reply, “I would rather not.” After realizing that Bartleby was influencing him, the lawyer says: “I trembled at the thought that my contact with the scribe had already seriously affected me mentally. And what further and deeper aberration could it still produce? The lawyer is afraid of becoming more like Bartleby himself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The lawyer says, “I trembled to think that my contact with the scribe had already affected me mentally” because he and his other scribes, Turkey and Nippers, had begun using the word “prefer.” After dismissing Nippers by using the word prefer, the lawyer says "somehow lately, I had gotten into the habit of unintentionally using this word 'prefer' on all sorts of not-so-suitable occasions" (para. 115). He was surprised when he saw that his other scribes also started using the word prefer when Turkey asked if Bartleby would "rather have a quart of good beer" and when Nippers asked the lawyer if he would "prefer that a certain document was copied." on blue or white paper” (par. 117-125). The lawyer then came to the conclusion that Bartleby had influenced him and the other scribes mentally because Bartleby had already "to some extent turned his tongue...mine and the clerks" (para. 125). Since Bartleby had already influenced his speech, the lawyer fears that it may influence him further. Bartleby had already mentally affected the lawyer because the lawyer had taken up Bartleby's use of the word "prefer", but the lawyer is also afraid of "further and deeper aberrations" that his contact with Bartleby may produce in him. The character of the lawyer is already similar to that of Bartleby. Introducing himself, the lawyer states that he is “one of those unambitious lawyers” and that he believes that the simplest way in life is the best” (par. 3). Similar to the lawyer, but to the extreme, Bartleby is also unambitious and prefers a simple lifestyle preferring to do nothing but “[star] out his window in his reverie of the dead wall (par. 126). Introducing himself, the lawyer also says that he "belongs to a proverbially energetic and nervous profession, to the point of turbulence at times, and yet I have never suffered anything of the kind to take me away from my peace" (para. 3). This characteristic of the lawyer is extremely similar to that of Bartleby. Bartleby always remained calm and emotionless in every situation, even when others showed extreme frustration towards him. For example, the first time Bartleby “preferred not” to help the lawyer compare copies, the lawyer was stunned. The lawyer "rising with great excitement and crossing the room with a long stride", repeated his request but Bartleby again replied "I would rather not" with his "thin and composed face, his gray eye vaguely calm, [ and] not a wrinkle of agitation agitated him” (par. 25). Although the lawyer and Bartleby are already similar, the “aberration” that the lawyer fears is that Bartleby may influence him and increase his nature. already unambitious. Lawyer would then become more like Bartleby and therefore an aberration because it would not be seen as normal. Keep in mind: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now.