The Fatal Boots

"The Fatal Boots" is a satirical short story by William Makepeace Thackeray that humorously explores the absurd consequences of vanity and social pretension. When a young man dons a pair of ostentatious boots to impress at a party, his exaggerated swagger leads to a series of escalating mishaps, culminating in public humiliation. Through witty prose and sharp social observation, Thackeray lampoons the folly of chasing admiration through superficial means, revealing how trivial choices can spiral into personal disaster. The tale blends comedy with moral insight, characteristic of Thackeray’s critique of 19th-century manners.