# VII explained — Three Men in a Boat

> Chapter companion for Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome.

## What happens

The narrator describes the river on a Sunday, focusing on the fashionable boating costumes and the social scene at Moulsey Lock. He critiques Harris's and George's clothing choices, then recounts a miserable picnic with two fashion-plate ladies who were more concerned with their dresses than the trip. The chapter ends with Harris wanting to visit Mrs. Thomas's tomb, which the narrator dislikes, and a humorous anecdote about being accosted by a sexton.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Observation and Satire

The chapter satirizes fashionable dress and the absurdity of being overly concerned with appearance on a river trip.

### Humor and Absurdity

Humorous anecdotes include the fashion-plate ladies' misery and the narrator's encounter with the sexton.

### Escapism and Leisure

The river is depicted as a place of leisure and escape from dull London, with boating and picnicking.

## Character check-ins

### J.

The narrator describes his own taste in dress (red and black) and recounts a past picnic with overly dressed ladies.

### Harris

Harris is criticized for his poor taste in colors (orange/yellow) and wants to visit Mrs. Thomas's tomb.

### George

George bought a loud Oriental-design blazer that Harris and J. mock.

### Bill

Bow is the thickheaded oarsman who splashes the fashion-plate ladies and makes them wash up.

## Key lines

> It was while passing through Moulsey Lock that Harris told me about his maze experience.

As they went through Moulsey Lock, Harris recounted his adventure in a maze.

_Sets the scene for the lock passage and Harris's story._

> The river affords a good opportunity for dress. For once in a way, we men are able to show our taste in colours, and I think we come out very natty, if you ask me.

The river lets men display their fashion sense, and J. thinks they look quite smart.

_Introduces the theme of boating attire and personal taste._

> It utterly spoils an excursion if you have folk in the boat who are thinking all the time a good deal more of their dress than of the trip.

People who care more about their clothes than the outing ruin the experience.

_J. criticizes the fashion-plate ladies for prioritizing appearance over enjoyment._

> I don't know whether it is that I am built wrong, but I never did seem to hanker after tombstones myself.

J. admits he has no interest in visiting graves or tombs.

_Expresses J.'s aversion to sightseeing in churchyards._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/three_men_in_a_boat_se/chapters/vii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/three_men_in_a_boat_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/three_men_in_a_boat_se/chapters