The Way of All Flesh

This novel is largely autobiographical, detailing the familial strife which characterized Butler’s life and often figures in his work. Ernest, the novel’s hero, has an unhappy schooling and little success in romance; his sadness is exacerbated by his father, Theobald Pontifex, a bullying clergyman. An unfortunate marriage makes a happy adult life appear impossible, until Ernest begins to seek fulfillment in literature, finding meaning in the life of a writer.