STD-IX Three men in a boat - Question answers for reference

1.What were the friends discussing about one evening? What did they decide to do? One evening, the friends were discussing their ailments. George and Harris thought they suffered from giddiness. The narrator felt he suffered from the ailment of liver because he had the same symptoms as described on the patent liver pill. The friends came to the conclusion that the remedy for their ailments was rest and change. They decide to take a boating trip up the River Thames. The idea appealed to everyone except Montmorency, the dog but, he was outvoted.

2.Why does the narrator say,’ the students would have no need to walk the hospitals if they had me. I was a hospital in myself’? The narrator went to the British Museum one day to learn about hay fever from he was slightly suffering. He read about hay fever and then began reading about other diseases listed in the alphabetical order in the book. He realized that he had the symptoms of all the diseases listed there. The only disease he didn’t have was the housemaid’s knee. This convinced him that he was an interesting case from the medical point of view. The students would have to only study him and then take their diploma.

3.What do the three friends decide about sleeping arrangements during the trip? At first, the narrator and George were in favour of camping out during the trip for it would be idyllic in the open air as the sun sets along a river bank under a shimmering moon. Harris brings up the possibility of rain and the problems they would face during the wet weather.They finally decided to sleep out on fine nights and sleep in a hotel / inn or pub when it raining or they felt inclined for a change. This decision was liked byall including Montmorency.

4.Why does the narrator compare Harris to his Uncle Podger? The three friends decided to go on a boat trip. Harris took charge and said that the first thing they need to settle is what to take on the trip.  He began giving instructions to others – asked the narrator to get him a bit of paper, George to get the grocery catalogue and someone to give him a pencil. Thus, Harris was ready to take the burden of everything on himself and put it on the backs of others. He recalls how his Uncle Podger once undertook the project of hanging a picture. He involved everyone in the task. In the end a simple task took a very long time, was not done right and exhausted everyone.

5.What philosophy does the narrator give about the trip up the river of life? The narrator remarks that people load up their boat with a lot of useless things, thus making it heavy to pull, causing anxiety. There is no time to rest and enjoy the beauty of nature. He advises us to throw the useless articles overboard and to live a life of simplicity. The boat of life must be light, packed with only what one needs. It will be easier to pull and one will have time to drink in life’s sunshine.