The Way of All Flesh

"The Way of All Flesh" by Samuel Butler is a story set in Victorian England about the Pontifex family, where what you’re born into and the relationships in your family really matter. It starts with an old carpenter, Mr. Pontifex, whose life, marriage, and character are remembered by a young person telling the story; this sets the stage for learning about his son, George Pontifex. George wants to make something of himself, which is driven by how he was raised and born. How George gets along with his parents becomes a big idea in the story, which suggests what will happen later with his own kids. The author uses the family’s story to point out some issues with society, like the importance of class, money, and what people expect from you.