Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) is a humorous novel by English writer Jerome K. Jerome, first published in 1889. It has been adapted to several films, television shows and stage productions.
Plot Summary
The novel chronicles a two-week boating holiday on the River Thames from Kingston upon Thames to Oxford and back to Kingston. The three men in the boat are:
- Jerome: The narrator of the story, Jerome is a young man who is looking for an escape from the tedium of his everyday life.
- George: Jerome's best friend, George is a practical and level-headed man who is the responsible one of the group.
- Harris: Another of Jerome's friends, Harris is a shy and introverted man who is often the butt of the joke.
The three men are joined on their journey by Montmorency, Jerome's dog. Montmorency is a mischievous and troublemaking dog who causes the men a lot of headaches.
The novel is a lighthearted and humorous look at the misadventures of three friends on a boating holiday. It is full of funny anecdotes and observations about life, love, and friendship.
Themes
The novel explores a wide range of themes, including:
- Friendship: The novel is a celebration of friendship. The three men are good friends who support each other through thick and thin.
- Adventure: The novel is a story of adventure. The three men have many unexpected adventures on their boating holiday.
- Humor: The novel is full of humor. The author, Jerome K. Jerome, is a master of the comic turn of phrase.
Characters
The novel features a cast of memorable characters, including:
- Jerome: The narrator of the story, Jerome is a young man who is looking for an escape from the tedium of his everyday life.
- George: Jerome's best friend, George is a practical and level-headed man who is the responsible one of the group.
- Harris: Another of Jerome's friends, Harris is a shy and introverted man who is often the butt of the joke.
- Montmorency: Jerome's dog, Montmorency is a mischievous and troublemaking dog who causes the men a lot of headaches.
Impact
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) is a classic of English literature. It has been translated into many languages and has been enjoyed by readers of all ages for over a century.
Some of the novel's most famous quotes include:
- "A man is always happy when he is busy."
- "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
- "The only way to escape fear is to face it."
- "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
- "If we had a keen vision of all that is in our minds, it would be hard to find many who would not wish for a little stupidity now and then."
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