THREE MEN IN A BOAT By Jerome K.Jerome

In the history of English literature Jerome K. Jerome occupies a modest place. He is famous for his art of story-telling, his vivid style and his humour which is generally expressed in laughter-provoking situations often based on misunderstanding. With sparkling humour he criticized the weak sides of human nature.
Jerome Klapka Jerome was born in England on May 2, 1859 into the family of ruined businessman. Jerome's childhood was poor and sad. He could not finish school because his father died in 1871 and the boy had to begin working to support his family. First he worked as a clerk. Later he took up teaching journalism and acting. For three years he was an actor and had to play different parts. He had very little money and often went hungry and had no place to sleep.
In his free moments Jerome tried to write. He wrote plays, stories and articles, but nothing was published. His first literary success was a one-act comedy which was performed in the Globe theatre in London in 1886.
In 1889 a collection of his articles was published. They were published as a book under the title "The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow". This book became very popular in England, and it was published 105 times in 4 years. In 1889 Jerome's best book "Three Men in a Boat" also came out. "The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow" and "Three Men in a Boat" made the author famous. The books were translated into several European languages. In the following years Jerome published several books and plays. Jerome's last book was his autobiography "My Life and Time". He died in 1927. The works of Jerome are full of humor and they can't but amuse the reader.

The plot is about that George suggested to cook an Irish stew. The men agreed with George and said that it was a fascinating idea. George gathered wood and made a fire, Harris and the narrator started to peel the potatoes. The narrator had never thought it to be difficult. When the first potato was finished, George came and had a look at it. Then he told Harris and the narrator to scrape them since the potato was about the size of pea-nut. So, they did four potatoes. But George thought that it was absurd, so they washed half a dozen or so more and put them in without peeling. Then the author goes on to say that toward the end Montmorency brought a dead water-rat in his mouth, which he evidently wished to present as his contribution to the dinner. That rat rose up a discussion between George and Harris. After all Irish stew turned out to be a great success. There was something so fresh and piquant about it. And it was nourishing, too.

As for the extract given in the book we can divide it into three logical parts. The first one is called “Sweet Sonning”. In this part the author describes a beautiful town in which the main characters put up for the night. The narrator tells us about his impressions of Sonning, he says it is the most fairy-like nook on the whole river.

The second part called “Irish Stew”, which falls into four subparts: “Peeling potatoes”, “Scraping Potatoes”, “Other Ingredients”, “Montmorency’s contribution”.

The first subpart consists of narration how these fellows try a good, slap-up supper. For everyone in this company it seems a fascinating idea. So George gathers wood and makes a fire while Harris and Jerome try to peel potatoes. After long and harassing attempts they have to admit that peeling potatoes is very undertaking, both of them try to do their best but it is really hard. Besides George criticizes their work.

The second subpart...

The main character of the story is George. In my opinion, he is very experienced and educated man, because he’ll find a way to solve all the problems, and he knows how to behave in any kind of situation. George is leader, he makes decisions and his friends follow him. Through the story I noticed: “George said”, “George did something”. Also, he is brave but on the other hand prefers to be on the safe side and “not try experiments”, he is careful. George is very economical.
The main theme of the story, in my opinion, is “three friends’ supper”, and the idea of the story is “extraordinary solving of the friends’ problem”. Actually, this phrase from the text may also show the idea: “I don’t think I ever enjoyed a meal more. There was something so fresh and piquant about it. ..Here was a dish with a taste like nothing else on earth.” It means their great success in cooking supper. The mood in the story is rather emotional and ironic, realistic. In some parts its cheerful, in some – quite and restful, lyrical for example in describing nature. Tonality in the story is very enthusiastic, rather bright and emotional.
Now I’d like to tell you about the realization of the idea on different levels. As for the choice of words, in this text author uses more bookish words, than colloquial. In the beginning, in the description of Sonning author uses bookish words to create the mood (for example: undertaking). He also uses colloquial words in the description of cooking process (get rid of, etc). Choice of vocabulary tells us about the characters of the story.
To express the idea, author uses many stylistic devices such as irony – because he wants to show humorous situations; metaphors, such as fairy-like nook, extraordinary shape, smothered in roses; epithet, for example, sweet Sonning; and zeugma – scraping potatoes/scraping ourselves. The story is full of funny comic situations, and he uses these stylistic devices to make them brighter. These devices help reader to understand the main idea of the text better.
All in all, the text presents that you can do something good even if you are not sure, you must try something new. As for my impression, after reading this story I realized, that before having something one should make it. So, I guess Jerome K. Jerome gives a wise lesson to his readers. I recommend this interesting story to everyone.

The passage presents a piece of narration intercepted with a description.
It may be split into two logically complete parts. The first part describes the place the three friends got out of the boat and put up for the night. The second part narrates how they cooked Irish stew. (Give titles to the parts.)
The first part presents a piece of description. The author describes the place the characters got out very colourfully and vividly. The vividness of the description has been achieved, firstly, by the use of bookish words and word-combinations (“to be smothered in”, “dainty”, “splendour”), secondly, by the use of the epithets which disclose the author’s emotionally coloured individual attitude towards the place described
(“fairy-like”, “dainty”, “veritable”, “sweet”), thirdly, by the similes “fairylike nook”, (Sonning) “like a stage village”, which also create a picturesque image, and, finally, by the metaphors “smothered in roses” and “clouds of dainty splendour” which contribute to the same effect – to a more colourful presentation of the setting.
All these language means create a lyrical romantic mood of this part.
The second part presents a piece of narration which deals with the proceedings of making an Irish stew. This part is written in a humorous and ironical key
(slant). It is the humour of the laughter provoking situations in which the three friends found themselves when cooking the stew. (Give a summary of this part.)
Besides, a special choice of words also produces a humorous and, especially, an ironical effect. That is due to the author’s mock-serious manner of treating the trifling incident of making the stew as a big event. The formal words and phrases
(evince, proceedings, throughout, reappear, contribution, desire, assist, etc.) are out of place in this context, they create a contrast between the situation and the language units chosen to reproduce it. As a result, the sentences acquire a definite ironical sounding. The other device of revealing the author’s irony is оverstatrment. The following statements sound exaggerated: “The job turned out to be the biggest thing of its kind that I had ever been in.”; “We worked steadily for five-and-twenty minutes, and did four potatoes.”; “We said we should require the rest of the evening for scraping ourselves”; “The more we peeled, the more peel there seemed to be left on.”; “It seemed difficult to believe that the potato-scrapings in which Harris and I stood, half-smothered, could have come off four potatoes.” Irony is also strongly felt in the sentences: “It shows you what could be done with economy and care.”; “He said that was the advantage of Irish stew: you got rid of such a lot of things.” The words in the sentences are marked by positive connotation, but it is obvious, that these connotative shades of their meanings contradict the situation, and consequently, the sentences sound absurd and imply mockery.
The passage, as the novel itself, presents a remarkable example of
Jerome K.Jerome’s vivid style and sparkling humour.

The extract begins with the description of the beautiful view and comfortable destination of the place where the action comes to pass. From the very beginning we see the narrator admiring Sonning: “It is the most fairylike little nook on the whole river. It is more like a stage village than one built of bricks and mortar. Every house is smothered in roses…” From those exact sentences we can guess that the narrator is a kind of a person who admires beauty and can give his own estimation.

Later this fact is easily proved when three men decided to prepare a supper for themselves. The scrupulous side of the narrator is marked everywhere: “I should never have thought that peeling potatoes was such an undertaking. The job turned out to be the biggest thing of its kind that I had ever been in.” If we look at the way how the friends prepare the potatoes we realize they may have never done it before. And the fact that those potatoes were about the size of a peanut makes us wonder and even smile: such an easy task sometimes turns out for men quite difficult. The next sentence: “Scrapping was even harder than peeling” makes us completely sure the author wanted to show the humor of the situation. And it comes as no surprise that the narrator says: “I never saw such a thing as potato scrapping for making a fellow in a mess”, which truly confirms our guesses. As well we can’t take for granted the fact of working steadily over the four potatoes for such a long time. What’s more, later the fellows added some more potatoes in their Irish stew without even peeling them, and lots of other odds and ends and the remnants.

The author doesn’t forget to outline the role of their dog in the story – Montmorency made his own contribution to the meal, it brought a dead water-rat which was added in the supper.

The most interesting fact concerning all this fuss is that their supper was a great success: “I don’t think I ever enjoyed a meal more. There was something so fresh and piquant about it. …here was a dish with a new flavor, with a taste like nothing else on earth.” So, we should admit their work wasn’t in vain, if they liked it so mush.

If to look at the extract from the other point, speaking about its general definition we should note the text is told in the 1st person narrative. The narration is interlaced with the descriptive passages and rare dialogues of the personages. The account of events is interwoven with a humorous portrayal of the young fellows. The prevailing mood of the extract is rather optimistic and cheerful, is seen in their admiration of the place and the meal. The author makes use of the long and complicated sentences as well as the short and simple ones.

All in all, the extract under the study can present enough food for thought for those who is able to think it over. What concerns me, the extract revised me the proverb “After the dinner comes the reckoning” which proves that before having something one should make it. The fellows must have forgotten that even preparing the meal needs time and effort, that’s why were so wondered. So, I guess Jerome K. Jerome gives a wise lesson to those who are lazy-bones and afraid of hard work.