"I would prefer not to.............."

In the first utterance of these words, " I would prefer not to" Bartleby , has established his defiance towards stepping out of his chosen role. In speaking those words in a quiet manner of defiance, Bartleby decided on how he is willing to engage the world. It made me wonder one what caused him to hold off the world in that manner, to prefer not to engage the world. In hiding behind the parchment and written word as a scribe, Bartleby passively has turned his back on daily affairs.
When Bartelby is first hired it was his " pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn " manner that was considered an asset. After his defiance his neat quietness and forlorn manner been looked at with an unease. What possessed this man to decided not to perform his job as required by his employer. What possessed him to say " I would prefer not to"...................