# The Politeness of Princes explained — School Stories

> Chapter companion for School Stories by P. G. Wodehouse.

## What happens

G. Montgomery Chapple, a student at Seymour's house, has a chronic habit of being late for breakfast. After receiving punishments from Mr. Seymour, he tries various schemes to wake up on time, including sleeping with fewer blankets and setting his watch forward half an hour. Both fail, and he ends up even later. The chapter concludes with Chapple eventually reforming after a series of mishaps.

## Themes in this chapter

### Authority and Rebellion

Chapple's repeated lateness and his attempts to outwit Mr. Seymour's authority, ultimately failing and being forced to conform.

### Trickery and Cunning

Chapple's schemes, such as sleeping with fewer blankets and setting his watch forward, which backfire humorously.

## Character check-ins

### G. Montgomery Chapple

The protagonist of the chapter, a chronic late riser who devises failed schemes to wake up on time.

### Mr. Reginald Seymour

Chapple's housemaster who punishes him for being late for breakfast.

### Brooke

A student from Appleby's house who inadvertently contributes to Chapple's lateness by distracting him in the carpenter's shop.

## Key lines

> Chapple’s speciality was being late for breakfast. He was late not once or twice, but every day.

Chapple was consistently late for breakfast, making it his defining habit.

_Introduces Chapple's central flaw._

> You will write a hundred lines of Virgil, and if you are late again tomorrow I shall double them.

Mr. Seymour assigns Chapple a punishment of copying Virgil and threatens to increase it if he is late again.

_Shows the escalating consequences of Chapple's lateness._

> He would at least have a dash at it.

Chapple decides to make an effort to improve his punctuality.

_Highlights Chapple's initial resolve, which soon falters._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/school_stories_se/chapters/the-politeness-of-princes
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/school_stories_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/school_stories_se/chapters