John Galsworthy (1867–1933) was a famous English novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. He is best known for The Forsyte Saga. Galsworthy often wrote about social issues, justice, human values, and the struggles of ordinary people. His writing is simple yet powerful, and he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932.
His story “Quality” highlights honesty, dedication, and the dignity of hard work.
Main Characters
The Narrator
A loyal customer who admires the craftsmanship of the Gessler brothers.
Mr. Gessler (Elder Brother)
A skilled bootmaker known for his perfection, honesty, and commitment to quality.
Mr. Gessler (Younger Brother)
Equally talented, hardworking, quiet, and dedicated to making the best boots.
Modern Commercial Firms (Competitors)
Big companies who focus on advertisement and quicker production rather than quality.
Theme of the Story
Dedication to Quality: The story celebrates true craftsmanship and the value of hard work.
Struggle Against Modern Commercialism: Skilled workers like the Gesslers suffer because large companies use marketing and mass production.
Honesty and Integrity: The Gessler brothers prioritize quality over profit, showing the importance of sincerity in work.
Human Values & Sacrifice: Their devotion is so deep that they sacrifice their health and life for their art.
Summary of “Quality”
“Quality” tells the touching story of the Gessler brothers, German bootmakers in London, who are famous for making the finest, perfectly fitting boots. They work slowly because they make everything by hand, carefully and patiently.
The narrator has been their customer since childhood. He admires their dedication and the quality of their boots, which always last long. However, the brothers face a big challenge: large commercial shops that produce boots quickly and advertise heavily. Even though the Gesslers make better boots, they cannot compete with these big companies.
The brothers work day and night, eating very little and earning very little. Their commitment to perfection becomes their greatest struggle. First, the younger brother dies from overwork.
The elder brother continues alone, but his health declines too. Eventually, he also dies, exhausted and defeated by the commercial world.
The narrator realizes that the Gesslers’ downfall was not because of lack of skill, but because the modern business world prefers speed and advertisement over true craftsmanship.
The story ends as a tribute to their passion, honesty, and the “quality” they dedicated their lives to.
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