A response such as "No, I'm not doing that" is confrontational and aggressive, and invites a robust response. The Bartleby response, on the other hand, is more likely to result in bafflement: "Did he really just refuse to do what I, his boss, has asked him to?"

The Bartleby response is, in my opinion, one of the most quotable examples of American gothic literature.

Read more here: The Bartleby Response.