The Island Pharisees

"The Island Pharisees" by John Galsworthy is a story set in early 1900s Britain that looks at what happens when one man, Shelton, starts to question the strict rules of society and follow his own path. The book kicks off with Shelton on a train, where he meets different people and helps a young girl in need. This act makes him see how stuck-up and judgmental people can be, pushing him to wonder if everyone is just pretending to be good. As Shelton deals with the reactions of others, he begins a journey of self-discovery, challenging the accepted ways of doing things and seeking to understand what it truly means to be virtuous in a world obsessed with appearances.