Gessler's Work Ethic in Galsworthy's "Quality" Explained
This essay analyzes the character of Mr. Gessler in John Galsworthy's short story "Quality," arguing that his identity can be understood only through his attitude toward his work as a bootmaker. The paper examines how Gessler's near-fanatical devotion to craftsmanship — his refusal to advertise, his insistence on handmaking every pair of boots, and his contempt for mass-produced goods — shapes his relationships with customers and ultimately leads to his death by starvation. The essay also reads Gessler as a symbol of artisanal values in tension with commercialization and corporate trade.
- Introduction: Gessler as Character and Craftsman: Gessler's fanatical devotion to bootmaking introduced
- Personal Attention and the Antithesis of Commercialization: Gessler's personal service contrasted with corporate trade
- Work as Identity: Quality Over Profit: Gessler's self-worth tied entirely to craftsmanship
- Conclusion: The Cost of Devotion: Devotion to work leads to Gessler's death
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper opens with a well-chosen epitaph from the text, immediately grounding its argument in direct quotation and establishing the central tension between Gessler's character and his craft.
- It consistently connects close reading of specific passages to a broader thematic claim about artisanal identity versus commercial trade, keeping the argument focused throughout.
- The conclusion lands with emotional resonance by linking Gessler's death directly back to his defining devotion, giving the paper a satisfying arc.
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates effective use of textual evidence through selective, well-integrated quotation. Rather than paraphrasing loosely, the writer quotes Gessler's dialect directly — for example, "Id is an Ardt" and "dey get id by adverdisement, nod by work" — allowing the character's own voice to carry analytical weight. This technique grounds literary interpretation in the language of the primary source.
Structure breakdown
The essay moves in three logical steps: it introduces Gessler and the central argument, examines his relationships with customers as evidence of anti-commercial values, and then deepens the analysis by equating his identity with his craftsmanship. The conclusion resolves the argument by showing how this same devotion destroys him. Though brief, the structure is coherent and purposeful.
Introduction: Gessler as Character and Craftsman
"He was a character. But he made good boots" (7). This proves to be the epitaph of Mr. Gessler in John Galsworthy's short story "Quality." Gessler is a man characterized by a near-fanatical devotion to his work as a bootmaker. He insists on making all of the boots himself, refuses to advertise, and takes so long to complete his perfect work that even his customers grow frustrated. "Id is an Ardt," Gessler says of his labor, even though shoemaking is generally viewed as a humble trade (2). He is utterly devoted to customizing every pair of shoes to the needs of the individual customer — a devotion so profound that his death moves the narrator to tears at the end of the tale.
Personal Attention and the Antithesis of Commercialization
Personal attention is integral to the relationship between Gessler and the people who buy his boots. "One went in, not as into most shops, in the mood of: 'Please serve me, and let me go!'" (3). Gessler's relationship with the narrator stands as the antithesis of commercialization. Galsworthy suggests that care for the individual is characteristic of small, personal enterprises like Gessler's shoe shop — in sharp contrast to standardized, corporate places of trade. Gessler can recognize a manufactured boot from far away and will not charge for poorly made goods: "If I can do noding wid dem, I dake dem off your bill" (4). Of larger firms, he says, "dey get id by adverdisement, nod by work" (5).
Conclusion: The Cost of Devotion
Eventually, the narrator learns that Gessler prioritizes his craft over his own life, funneling all of the shop's profits back into the rent of the premises and the leather of his trade, until he starves to death. His story is a meditation on the human cost of absolute devotion to one's work — and on the incompatibility of pure artisanal values with the demands of a commercial world. Gessler's character can be understood fully only in terms of his attitude toward his work, for it is that attitude, and nothing else, that defines, sustains, and finally destroys him.
Works Cited
Galsworthy, John. "Quality." E-text from Project Gutenberg. 25 Sept. 2004. 23 Mar. 2007.
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