Introduction :-
“Quality” by John Galsworthy was first published in “The Inn of Tranquillity: Studies and Essays” in 1912.
The story, written in first person narrative from an unknown narrator’s perspective, is a beautiful depiction of today’s cruel reality. The plot is set on the two traditional German shoemakers who did not compromise with quality and craftsmanship but met the sad fate of extinction in an age of marketing where success is determined “by advertisement, not by work.”
The story shows what our business world has become now: more the advertising, more the earning. No one pays attention to the poor traditional craftsmen who value art and quality of products. They have to suffer even though they don’t deserve that.
The main theme is commitment; commitment to one’s work, to one’s passion. Every worker is an artist if he loves his work and is immersed in it. The Gessler Brothers’ commitment towards their work is really touching. For them the struggles, the hardships are nothing as long as they keep doing their work.
There aren’t many characters in the story but those that are there are well portrayed, beautifully described and realistic.
The ending of the story is quite sad. There’s a sense of loss and grief. And that is what the author wants the readers to feel for those true craftsmen like the Gessler brothers who value quality, as the title suggests.
About the Writer :-
Best known today as the author of "The Forsyte Saga," John Galsworthy (1867-1933) was a popular and prolific English novelist and playwright in the early decades of the 20th century. Educated at New College, Oxford, where he specialised in marine law, Galsworthy had a lifelong interest in social and moral issues, in particular, the dire effects of poverty. He eventually chose to write instead of pursuing law and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932.
In the narrative essay "Quality," published in 1912, Galsworthy depicts a German craftsman's efforts to survive in an era where success is determined "by advertisement, nod by work." Galsworthy depicts shoemakers attempting to stay true to their crafts in the face of a world driven by money and immediate gratification — not by quality and certainly not by true art or craftsmanship.
"Quality" first appeared in "The Inn of Tranquillity: Studies and Essays" (Heinemann, 1912). A portion of the essay appears below.
Plot Summary :-
‘Quality’ written by John Galsworthy in 1912 is about the German shoemakers, Gessler Brothers.
The story starts with the description of the boot shop; on top was the name plate ‘Gessler Brothers’ and a few shoes displayed on the window. They make shoes on order. The narrator then narrates one of his meetings with Mr. Gessler. He says it has not been possible to go to him much because the shoes he made have lasted very long and are the best of their kind.
One day the narrator goes to their shop to get a pair of Russian-leather shoes. Mr. Gessler retreats upstairs and comes back after some time holding a fine golden Russian leather piece. After the narrator’s approval he says he’ll get his shoes tomorrow fortnight.
One day the narrator goes to their boot shop and tells him that the last shoes he got from him creak. After a long pause Mr. Gessler asks him to bring the shoes to him. He assures that if he can’t repair them, he will give the money back.
Another day he goes to Gessler Brothers to order a new pair, wearing a pair of shoes which he bought due to some emergency from a big firm. Mr. Gessler at once recognizes that the shoes are not made by him. He touches a particular spot on the narrator’s shoe where it isn’t comfortable for the narrator and says that it hurts there. He expresses his contempt that those large firms attract customers through shiny impressive advertisements to sell their inferior quality products. Then the author explains to him under what circumstances he had to buy those shoes.
The new shoes lasted nearly two years. And in his next visit he receives quite a shock. When he enters the shop, he sees the younger Gessler brother who informs him of elder Gessler’s death. That day he orders several pairs. It takes longer to make them but the quality is even better than the previous ones.
Soon after, the narrator leaves for abroad and returns after over a year. The first shop he goes to is Mr. Gessler’s. Mr. Gessler, now seventy-five, is unable to recognize him at first. Narrator gives a huge order. The wait is longer than ever but the quality only gets better.
After a week, while passing the little street, the narrator thinks to go in and tell Mr. Gessler that the boots are perfect. But when he goes to the place where the shop was, the name plate is no longer there.
Disturbed, he goes into the shop and a young English face greets him. The narrator enquires about Mr. Gessler and comes to know of younger Gessler’s death. Upon hearing this the narrator is quite shocked.
The young man explains to him that Gessler died from starvation; he used to devote himself to shoe making so much that he used to forget about everything else. All the money went in the rents and leather. The fate was quite obvious from the beginning. But both the narrator and the young man agrees that the Gessler brothers made good quality boots.
Themes of the Story :-
The rise of large corporations
"Quality" is partly about the rise of large corporations in the 20th Century. Published in 1912, this short account chronicles the beginnings of mass consumerism and the development of large corporations, both of which had a devastating impact on small businesses. Overall, the narrator's experience buying his shoes from a larger business is depicted as impersonal and of a lesser quality compared to the intimacy of the Gessler brothers' store.
The importance of small businesses
In this short narrative, Galsworthy stresses the better quality of items bought from smaller businesses, hence the title "Quality." As a customer at the Gessler store, Galsworthy is given personal and high-quality service. In addition to this, the shoes he buys are of an impeccable standard and are fitted to his individual feet. However, Gessler then buys some shoes from a larger corporation, which are not as good.
Financial struggle
Galsworthy critiques the capitalist economic structure of the 20th century, in which big corporations could outperform small businesses. This leads to an unfair distribution of wealth, meaning that small business owners often struggle to make ends meet, despite many being committed to providing the best quality of products. This is reflected in this story about the Gessler brothers, who both die as a result of their devotion to creating high-quality shoes.
Characters of the Story :-
Narrator
The narrator is not disclosed by name, but it is inferred that he is male. He takes frequent trips to the shoe store, and purchases more than necessary – thus, indicating his wealth and love for fashion. He becomes a little attached to the brothers and becomes quick friends with them. By the end of the book, he is taken aback that the brothers’ shop has closed and states that they made the finest shoes he’d ever bought.
Mr Gessler (Older)
The older Gessler brother is the initial owner of the shoe-making store. He is highly devoted to his work and goes above and beyond to make the narrator happy with his purchases. He is also outspoken about his dislike for larger companies manufacturing low-quality shoes. He eventually dies and his store is taken over by the younger Mr Gessler.
Mr Gessler (Younger)
The younger Mr Gessler is shown to have the same passion for shoemaking as his older brother. Indeed, he too gains the favour of the narrator, who compliments him throughout for the quality of his work. Eventually, he too dies because he becomes consumed with his shoes and stops caring for himself.
Symbols of the Story :-
The Boots
The Gessler's boots are a key symbol of their artistic talent. The narrator describes them in a flattering tone, praising the Gessler brothers' high-quality products; for example, the narrator describes how the shoes are so well-made that they never seem to wear out: "they were better than ever. One simply could no wear them out."
The Gessler Shop
The Gessler Shop is a symbol of small businesses, with owners who work hard to create high-quality products. In this story, the Gessler's struggle to survive in a capitalist economic climate, with the younger brother ultimately dying of starvation before the shop is closed for good. The closure of the shop is a symbol of the imminent collapse of small businesses, which Galsworthy predicts in this story.
The death of the brothers
The deaths of the Gessler brothers symbolise the decline of smaller businesses as a result of larger corporations and a lack of customers. The eldest brother explains to the narrator that business and demand had declined in recent years, as customers were flocking to the large firms. In addition to this, the brothers make great quality shoes, meaning that they last a lot longer. As a result, customers do not buy shoes from them as often. Due to these two reasons, the brother's struggle to make ends meet, and eventually both die due to financial depravity.
Conclusion :-
In the end, we see that this commitment to quality ultimately drains the life out of an old Mr. Gessler who could not make ends meet. However, he is the real hero in the reader's heart, for he stood true to his principles. The other Quality by John Galsworthy themes is dedication and integrity.
No comments:
Post a Comment