# Chapter XX explained — The Way of All Flesh

> Chapter companion for The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler.

## What happens

The birth of Ernest Pontifex opens Theobald's eyes to the nuisance of children. He and Christina have two more children, Joseph and Charlotte. Theobald, who never liked children, resolves to enforce strict obedience from infancy, subjecting Ernest to harsh discipline, early lessons, and frequent whippings. Christina, though fond of Ernest, supports this regimen.

## Themes in this chapter

### Parental Tyranny and Filial Rebellion

Theobald imposes harsh discipline and early education on Ernest, expecting implicit obedience, while Ernest feels only fear and shrinking toward his father.

### Education and Indoctrination

Ernest is taught to read, write, and learn Latin before age four, with whippings used to enforce learning and suppress self-will.

### Hypocrisy of Victorian Morality

Theobald and Christina profess leniency but practice severity; Theobald's dislike of children contrasts with his moralizing about obedience.

## Character check-ins

### Theobald Pontifex

Finds babies a nuisance; resolves to enforce strict obedience and begins training Ernest from infancy with harsh discipline.

### Christina Pontifex

Recovers slowly from confinement; supports Theobald's harsh methods despite her fondness for Ernest.

### Ernest Pontifex

The firstborn son; subjected to severe discipline and early education; feels only fear and shrinking toward his father.

### Charlotte Pontifex

The third child, a girl born plain; Christina's visit to the Royal Academy exhibition is blamed for her looks.

### Joseph

The second son, born about twelve months after Ernest.

### Alethea Pontifex

Warns Christina not to look at pictures of female beauty during pregnancy, but Christina persists.

## Key lines

> The birth of his son opened Theobald’s eyes to a good deal which he had but faintly realised hitherto. He had had no idea how great a nuisance a baby was.

Theobald finally understood how troublesome a baby could be, something he had not fully appreciated before.

_Theobald's initial reaction to fatherhood is irritation and inconvenience._

> Before Ernest could well crawl he was taught to kneel; before he could well speak he was taught to lisp the Lord’s prayer, and the general confession.

Ernest was made to kneel and pray even before he could crawl or speak properly.

_The early religious indoctrination of Ernest begins in infancy._

> He was fond of his mother, too, but as regards his father, he has told me in later life he could remember no feeling but fear and shrinking.

Ernest loved his mother but later recalled only fear and avoidance toward his father.

_The emotional distance and fear between Ernest and Theobald is established early._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/chapters/xx
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/chapters