Question

summary of chapter Three Men in a Boat chapter 12

Answer 1

Hi Mehak,

Chapter 1

The novel ‘Three Men in a Boat’ is narrated by J who takes up a boat trip with his friends George, Harris and their pet dog Montmorency. One night, the three men get paranoid about their health and each believes that he is suffering from a host of diseases. For the sake of their good health, the three men decide to take up a boat ride along the River Thames.

Chapter 2

. They men come to  a consensus that camping outdoors may be difficult if it starts raining. So they decide to sleep in inns when the weather gets bad.  

Chapter 3

The three men start making a list for the items to be carried in the boat. The writer compares his friend Harris to his uncle Podger who always assumes responsibility before dumping on the work on the others. Ultimately, the list they prepared is very long. So they decide to carry only the things they cannot do without.

Chapter 4

The friends decide to carry a methylated spirit stove for cooking. They decide on easy to make meals such as eggs but decided against getting cheese owing to its smell. J narrates a story when his friend Tom once asked him to carry some cheese on a train. All the people had vacated the car J. was sitting in. When the cheese was given to Tom, his wife refused to set foot into the house because of its stench. The three men start packing but they keep forgetting things. They start quarrelling with each other while hilariously tripping over Montmorency.

Chapter 5

The three men oversleep and wake up at 9 when Mrs. Poppets arrives.  Harris, George and J. become disheartened when the weather turns bad. They carry their enormous luggage and hail a taxi to the train station. There they are told that the conductors are unaware of the train’s course and destination. After offering him a half-a-crown bribe, they move towards Kingston to start their journey.

Chapter 6

They start their adventurous journey rowing through Kingston. They pass by pubs that Queen Elizabeth was known to visit. In the boat, Harris and Montmorency drop the food hamper and spill its contents. They row past Hampton Court and admire its architectural beauty but conclude that it would be depressing to live. Harris discusses the time when he was trapped in a maze at Hampton Court.

Chapter 7

J. criticizes George for bringing an ugly blazer for the trap. He also reproaches Harris for wearing an ugly yellow outfit that does not suit him. At the Hampton Church, Harris suggests that they visit the graveyard to find a funny tombstone that was rumoured to be there. J recounts a story where once he refused to step into a graveyard. George goes to town to run some errands, and Harris and J. argue about visiting the graveyard. Harris also falls into the food hamper as he tried to retrieve the whiskey bottle.

Chapter 8

Harris and J. stop by the side of the river to have lunch. They are apprehended by a man who accuses them of trespassing. Harris frightens him and makes him leave. They conclude that the man had intended to bribe them. J. tells Harris that he cannot sing. George surprises them by announcing that he bought a banjo.

Chapter 9

George is assigned the task of untangling the tow-line while the other two make tea. While drinking tea, George narrates a story of how he tied his tow-line of his boat to a distracted couple’s boat.

Chapter 10

They feel too tired to travel to Magna Charta. So they stop the boat and decide to spend the night inside it. The try to cover the boat by dragging the canvas over it. After multiple attempts the manage to set it correctly.