The Island Pharisees

The novel revolves around the lives of a group of people living on an island who are obsessed with their own moral superiority and self-righteousness. They believe themselves to be above the law and society, but in reality, they are hypocrites who engage in corrupt and immoral behavior. The story centers around a young man who is sent to the island as a punishment for his crimes, and he becomes disillusioned with the island's inhabitants and their pretentious ways. He begins to question the morality of the islanders and challenges them to live up to their own ideals. Through the protagonist's experiences, the novel critiques the social elite and their hypocrisy, highlighting the tension between appearance and reality. The story explores themes of morality, class, and the human condition, raising questions about the nature of right and wrong.

By John Galsworthy · First published 1904 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Drama · 33 chapters · 86,014 words

First lines

A quiet, well-dressed man named Shelton, with a brown face and a short, fair beard, stood by the bookstall at Dover Station. He was about to journey up to London, and had placed his bag in the corner of a third-class carriage.

What this Textopian page supports

The Island Pharisees is listed on Textopian as a novel by John Galsworthy, dated 1904 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: John Galsworthy
• Date: 1904 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Literary Fiction, Social Commentary, Drama, Philosophical Fiction, Historical Fiction
• Length: 86,014 words
• Structure: 33 chapters, 1,980 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Island Pharisees by John Galsworthy
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering The Island Pharisees?
• How does this novel by John Galsworthy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

• Had A Horse by John Galsworthy
• The Black Godmother by John Galsworthy
• The Pitfall by Mary Cholmondeley
• Other Kingdom by E. M. Forster
• The Man Who Kept His Form by John Galsworthy
• The Silence by John Galsworthy

Genres

• Literary Fiction — The work explores complex characters and themes, focusing on societal issues and moral dilemmas.
• Social Commentary — It critiques social norms and the hypocrisy of society, particularly through the lens of class and morality.
• Drama — The narrative involves intense emotional conflicts and character interactions that drive the plot.
• Philosophical Fiction — It delves into existential questions and the nature of human behavior and ethics.

Tags

Social Commentary · Realism · Class Conflict · Morality · Critique of Society · English Literature · Novel · Fiction · Satire · Philosophical Themes · Psychological Insight · Character Study

Contents

• Society
• Antonia
• A Zoological Garden
• The Play
• The Good Citizen
• Marriage Settlement
• The Club
• The Wedding
• The Dinner
• An Alien
• The Vision
• Rotten Row
• An "at Home"
• The Night Club
• Pole to Pole
• The Indian Civilian
• A Parson
• Academic
• An Incident
• Holm Oaks
• English
• The Country House
• The Stained-Glass Man
• Paradise
• The Ride
• The Bird 'of Passage
• Sub Rosa
• The River
• On the Wing
• The Lady from Beyond
• The Storm
• Wilderness
• The End

More by John Galsworthy

• The Forsyte Saga, Part 2: Indian Summer Of A Forsyte (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 4: Awakening (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 5: To Let (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 3: In Chancery (1921)
• The Forsyte Saga, Part 1: The Man of Property (1921)
• Buttercup-Night (1903)
• The Dark Flower (1899)
• The Freelands (1924)
• All works by John Galsworthy