Character sketch of Harris in 50 words?
Answers
The character Harris in Three Men in A Boat is an extremely vain person who often shows that he works very hard. According to the narrator, he is adept at undertaking a job and then putting it on others’ backs. When he undertakes a job, he creates a commotion much like the narrator’s uncle Podger. Harris is very outspoken and does not mind offending his friends with his frankness. In the novel, he tells George that his new blazer could be hung over a flower-bed to frighten the birds away in early spring. In the bargain, he upset George. Harris also deludes himself by thinking he has a good voice. But in reality, the author states that all of Harris’ friends think that he does not. In the novel, he forgets the words of the song and blames the musicians for his failure. He also has a fascination for tombs and this annoys J. He also has a foul temper and his friends prefer to let him have his rant rather than talk to him when he is angry. Harris is extremely fond of alcohol and can accompany his friends for a drink at any time of the day. According to the narrator, he always knows a place round the corner where one can get a brilliant drink. He is unmarried and always lives for the moment.
Harris’s Character
Harris is the funniest character in the story 'Three Men in a Boat'. His extreme ideas about certain things in life were quite funny and ridiculous. Singing was one of them. He had a conceited misconception about his singing abilities. Harris's friends who had heard him sing believe he must not be allowed to sing. Once, Harris got an opportunity to sing at a party. Everyone was quite excited to hear him sing. He surprised everyone by saying he would sing a comic song! As Harris began singing, he paid least botheration to follow the singing conventions such as correct phrasing, vocalization, maintaining proper scale and pitch of voice. While singing, he would stop in the middle of the song, and start arguing with the pianist. He would restart the song and keep on repeating just the first three lines until he forgot the song and again stop singing. Then he would start again, this time standing in front of the piano and ask the gathering to sing with him in chorus. The gathering would start singing, nobody knowing what to sing. Then the pianist would complain about Harris's song and scale. Harris would change the pianist. Thus Harris would make such a donkey of himself trying to sing a comic song!
Harris’s maze adventure at Hampton Court was another very funny incident. Harris thought the maze was too simple to be called a maze. As he went inside, he found people struggling to find their way out. He scolded them for their inability to find the way out. He told them to keep taking the first turning to the right for ten minutes, and they will find the way out. Harris began walking, taking the right turn; many people began following him. Even after walking for a long time they could not find the way out. Harris suggested they would go back and start afresh. However hard Harris tried, he could not find the way out. Finally people became angry with him, and the experienced maze keeper was called and took everyone out.
Similarly, Harris keeps amusing the readers with his funny actions and words throughout the novel.