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Excerpt from Treatise on Parents and Children, by Bernard Shaw

The Child is Father to the Man

Is he? Then in the name of common sense why do we always treat children
on the assumption that the man is father to the child? Oh, these
fathers! And we are not content with fathers: we must have godfathers,
forgetting that the child is godfather to the man. Has it ever struck
you as curious that in a country where the first article of belief is
that every child is born with a godfather whom we all call "our father
which art in heaven," two very limited individual mortals should
be allowed to appear at its baptism and explain that they are its
godparents, and that they will look after its salvation until it is no
longer a child. I had a godmother who made herself responsible in this
way for me. She presented me with a Bible with a gilt clasp and edges,
larger than the Bibles similarly presented to my sisters, because my sex
entitled me to a heavier article. I must have seen that lady at least
four times in the twenty years following. She never alluded to my
salvation in any way. People occasionally ask me to act as godfather to
their children with a levity which convinces me that they have not the
faintest notion that it involves anything more than calling the helpless
child George Bernard without regard to the possibility that it may grow
up in the liveliest abhorrence of my notions.

A person with a turn for logic might argue that if God is the Father of
all men, and if the child is father to the man, it follows that the true
representative of God at the christening is the child itself. But such
posers are unpopular, because they imply that our little customs, or,
as we often call them, our religion, mean something, or must originally
have meant something, and that we understand and believe that something.

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of Bernard Shaw’s Treatise on Parents and Children Excerpt ​

1. Context of the Text ​

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) was an Irish playwright, critic, and polemicist known for his sharp wit, social criticism, and advocacy of progressive ideas. His Treatise on Parents and Children (1910) is part of his broader philosophical and social commentary, challenging conventional attitudes toward family, religion, and education.

This excerpt critiques societal assumptions about parenthood, religious rituals (like baptism and godparenthood), and the hypocrisy in how adults impose their authority on children while ignoring the idea that children shape their own futures. Shaw’s writing often satirizes institutions—religion, tradition, and social norms—and this passage is no exception.

2. Themes in the Excerpt ​

A. The Child as the "Father to the Man" (Autonomy vs. Authority) ​

Shaw begins with a paradoxical twist on Wordsworth’s famous line ("The Child is father of the Man"), which suggests that a person’s adult character is formed in childhood. However, Shaw argues that society behaves as if the opposite were true—that adults (fathers, godfathers) dictate a child’s destiny rather than the child shaping their own future.

  • "Why do we always treat children on the assumption that the man is father to the child?"
    • Society assumes adults (parents, godparents) have control over a child’s development, but Shaw questions why we don’t take the idea of childhood autonomy seriously.
    • He mocks the hypocrisy: if we believe children determine their own futures ("the child is father to the man"), why do we act as if adults are the sole architects of their lives?

B. Critique of Religious and Social Rituals (Baptism & Godparenthood) ​

Shaw attacks the hollow formalism of religious and social customs, particularly baptism and the role of godparents.

  • "Forgetting that the child is godfather to the man"

    • A play on words: if God is the "father" of all, and the child shapes the adult, then logically, the child itself should be its own "godfather"—yet society insists on appointing arbitrary adults to this role.
    • He mocks the absurdity of godparents—people who take on a symbolic role but rarely fulfill any real responsibility.

  • Personal Anecdote: The Neglectful Godmother

    • Shaw recounts his own godmother, who gave him a larger Bible (because of his gender—another jab at societal norms) but never actually guided his "salvation."
    • This exposes the performative nature of godparenthood—people take on the title without meaningful commitment.

  • "People occasionally ask me to act as godfather... with a levity which convinces me they have not the faintest notion that it involves anything more than calling the child George Bernard."

    • Shaw suggests that godparenthood is reduced to a naming ceremony, not a genuine moral responsibility.
    • The humor lies in the idea that parents might unknowingly burden their child with his controversial name (George Bernard)—implying that godparents impose their identities on children without considering the consequences.

C. Hypocrisy in Religion and Tradition ​

Shaw extends his critique to organized religion, particularly Christianity’s claim that God is the "father" of all.

  • "In a country where the first article of belief is that every child is born with a godfather whom we all call 'our father which art in heaven'..."

    • He points out the contradiction: if God is the ultimate father, why do we need human godfathers?
    • The implication is that religious rituals are more about social convention than spiritual meaning.

  • "Such posers are unpopular because they imply that our little customs... must originally have meant something."

    • Shaw argues that people prefer not to examine traditions too closely because doing so would reveal their arbitrariness or emptiness.
    • Society clings to rituals without questioning their purpose, making his logical critique unwelcome.

3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Techniques ​

A. Paradox & Irony ​

  • "The Child is Father to the Man" (Wordsworth’s line) is reversed ironically—Shaw highlights how society ignores the idea while claiming to believe it.
  • "Godfather" vs. "the child is godfather to the man" – A wordplay that undermines the authority of adult figures.

B. Satire & Sarcasm ​

  • Shaw’s tone is mockingly critical of:
    • Parental/godparental authority ("Oh, these fathers!")
    • Religious hypocrisy (godparents who do nothing)
    • Social conformity (people who don’t think about what godparenthood means)
  • "She presented me with a Bible... because my sex entitled me to a heavier article." – A sarcastic jab at gender norms (boys get bigger Bibles, as if they need more moral weight).

C. Rhetorical Questions & Logical Argumentation ​

  • "Has it ever struck you as curious that..." – Forces the reader to question accepted norms.
  • "A person with a turn for logic might argue..." – Shaw presents a logical deconstruction of godparenthood, only to note that such reasoning is unpopular because it exposes inconvenient truths.

D. Anecdotal Evidence (Personal Story for Effect) ​

  • The story of his neglectful godmother serves as proof that godparenthood is often meaningless.
  • The humorous detail (the Bible’s size based on gender) reinforces his critique of arbitrary traditions.

4. Significance of the Passage ​

A. Challenge to Authoritarian Parenting & Tradition ​

Shaw’s argument aligns with his progressive views on education and child-rearing. He rejects the idea that adults have absolute control over children’s development, advocating instead for childhood autonomy and rational thinking.

B. Critique of Religious Dogma ​

  • He exposes the performative nature of religious rituals, suggesting that baptism and godparenthood are social theatrics rather than spiritual commitments.
  • This reflects his skepticism of organized religion, a common theme in his works (e.g., Major Barbara, Androcles and the Lion).

C. Social Commentary on Hypocrisy ​

  • The passage unmasks the gap between what people claim to believe and how they act.
  • It’s a call for intellectual honesty—if we say the child shapes the adult, we should treat children as agents of their own futures, not as blank slates for adult projection.

D. Influence on Modern Parenting & Education ​

Shaw’s ideas prefigure modern progressive education (e.g., Montessori, Rousseau’s Émile), which emphasizes child-centered learning rather than authoritarian control.

5. Conclusion: Shaw’s Provocative Message ​

This excerpt is a brilliant satire on how society pays lip service to the idea that children determine their own destinies while acting as if adults are the sole architects of their lives. Through wit, irony, and logical dismantling of traditions, Shaw:

  1. Exposes the hypocrisy in parenting, religion, and social customs.
  2. Challenges the reader to question why we cling to rituals that have lost their meaning.
  3. Advocates for a more rational, child-centered approach to upbringing.

His sharp humor and incisive logic make the critique entertaining, but the underlying message is serious: if we truly believe that "the child is father to the man," then we must stop treating children as passive recipients of adult will and instead recognize their agency.

Would you like a deeper dive into any particular aspect, such as Shaw’s broader philosophical views or comparisons to other works?