++For Dog's Sake++ 3 Men in a boat . Review on Three Men In a Boat - Jerome K Jerome

If you want to write a story, what would be the initial steps which you may want to follow? There should be a plot, characters, linear or non linear narration, connects events and characters with plot ---- well, I am not elaborating the technique of story writing. Whenever I come across a novel that cannot be fit into any of these constraints but yet demand your attention, transcends the constraints of time and space; there we relish “alternate literary experience”. A gourmet and literature lover got something common to share. They espy in unison to have “alternate experience”. They are open to experimentation.

At any given point of time, I go with D H Lawrence, Joyce, Sartre, Tolstoy, Chekhov, & Dostoevsky. But again, those powerful journalistic dossiers from Orwell, fight against odds by Hemmingway, spine chilling tales by Conan Doyle, rib tickling tales of Wodehouse – all of them provide the variety which we are looking for.

I vividly remember a small chapter from Jerome K Jerome Novel in high school. The title was “Cheeses of Liverpool”. Three gentlemen and a dog rowing across Thames with their fancy cum abhorrence regarding the cheese was the central theme. Well, this chapter always ignited laughter riot in the class. Well, I got an urge to read the book – Three men in a boat (To say nothing of the Dog). It flowed like a gentle stream. Less than 200 pages was the main attraction. Quite simple narration of events, apt humor and at the same time engages you till the end. After so many years, I read the story again and started laughing like a toddler. There is something more to what I have experienced before years. Might be, this book offer something novel when you grow old and isn’t that we consider as classic piece of literature? Well, it is not a classic as per the literary definition but yet retain a class of its own.

You have three hypochondriacs – Mr. J (Could be Jerome himself), George (a real life character who was a Barclay’s Bank Manager) and Harris (another real life character, Carl who is a pioneer in London Printing Business). Not forgetting the most sensible dog (compared to other gentlemen) Montmerency who was the silent spectator to the antics of these men.

J is leading a torpid life style (same for other gentlemen) who started reading a book on diseases and suddenly started realizing that he is having the symptom of almost all diseases that has been detailed in the book. He wonders, the doctor might pass away before he complete the list of maladies he got. It is impossible him for to complete the catalogue of a medicine without identifying himself to be the victim of that disease for which the medicine is prescribed. He realized that he is a victim of all diseases ranging from Typhoid to St. Vitus’s dance. Thankfully, he is not having the symptom of House Maid’s knee. Same goes with other two gentlemen.

How well Jerome put across the psychosomatic disorder or the stress related syndrome of city life before a hundred years with the tinge of humour! A topic of great relevance in twentieth century which Jerome conceptualized in1889.

Together three gentlemen jaunted up for Thames camping skiff along with the dog Montmorency. Not many have noticed that it was a spoof on the English Man’s attitude (in the wake of colonial era) where in they want a silent and loyal spectator to their ventures. Take a bow on this point blank shot.

From here, the flavor of the story is giving way to that of a travelogue with great deal of information about the various points in Thames ranging from Magnacarta Island, Hampton Court Palace etc. One would even wonder whether he intended to write a travel guide.

While we read the story giving our full attention; we will come across the ribald humour sense of Jerome.

To quote a few

At first – these gentlemen decided to go for a sea voyage but developed cold feet. – Wow, British men afraid of sea and ventured into river voyage. Does that indicate the imminent downfall of British Empire?

Difficulty in spotting the train in Waterloo Station – A classic spoof on the renowned Victorian Architecture which is aesthetically appealing but not user friendly.

Hypochondriacs – Signify the miseries out of gluttony, the cardinal sin. Their worry is uncalled for and the way in which they handle the same is also outlandish. Also, keeping a silent dog in their company, they might be trying to pacify the inflated ego but he emerge as the most sensible among the four living beings in the boat.

In short – this book has got something for all sorts of readers. It is a story without plot or a focused story line. Jerome’s narration is similar to that of Wodehouse but again, he is not focused like Wodehouse in characterization and building the plot. It is the commotion of unrelated events, mishaps, arguments; characters connected by common string but still are diverse. Read it for fun, to develop serious food for thought or at least as a travelogue.

After all, it demands only a few hours from your side but pays back tenfold.