Question

what similarities does the narrator find in harris an uncle podger

Answer 1

Jerome uses the example of his uncle to bring out the similarities in the characters of Harris and his uncle. Uncle Podger raised a hue and cry when he started the job. He took off his coat and began fixing the picture. First he sent the girl out for bringing six pence worth of nails. Then he sent one of the boys after her to tell her the size of the nail. He then asked for his hammer, ruler, ladder, kitchen chair, spirit level etc. He lifted the picture, but dropped it. It came out of its frame. He cut himself in saving the glass. Then he looked for his handkerchief which was in his coat pocket. But he forgot where he had put his coat. he shouted for it. But, soon he saw that he had been sitting on it. When he started fixing the picture again, he dropped the hammer. He took the ruler to measure the line but the tape slipped and the string shifted. And when he was ready to mark, everything got messed up. In the same manner, Harris always volunteered to help and lead the others, but ended up assigning the job to others. In other words, both of them were bossy and loved to supervise the work done. 

Answer 2

When the narrator J. tells us the story of his Uncle Podger in Chapter III, he says that his friend Harris always reminds him of his relative, because he is “so ready to take the burden of everything himself, and put it on the backs of other people.” But we hardly know Harris at this point in the book. So we must have faith that J. can see a similarity between the two men. Later