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Class 9 : Packing, By Jerome K Jerome (an extract from Three Men in a Boat), Summary of Packing, Packing is a story about three friends who are getting ready to go for a journey. Thus, Packing summary, will help students understand this story in a simplified form. It follows the packing session of three, friends, Jerome, Harris, and George. Thus, it begins with them starting the most important thing of a, journey, packing! This story is an extract taken from Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. In here,, Jerome is the narrator himself and writes about the experience he has while his friends decide to start, packing. Further, it takes us on a hilarious ride about three adults who struggle to do a basic thing as, packing. Packing summary will take you through the nuisances they experience in addition to their dog,, Montmorency‘s contribution. Similarly, it also shows how his other two friends are not that great, when it comes to packing., As Jerome, Harris, and George are ready to set out on a journey, they start packing for it. Being the, narrator, Jerome describes how the packing experience went. We can see that Jerome is quite confident, with his packing skills as he handles it all alone. While in reality, he wishes to simply supervise the, packing session while making his friends do the work under him. However, they listen to him and let him, handle it all by himself, while they sit and relax. This does not impress Jerome; nonetheless, he gets to it., Finally, after a long packing session, he packs the bag up while his friends watch him quietly do all the, work. Soon, Harris tells him about the shoes that he did not pack and Jerome will have to reopen the, bag to make space for them. Thus, after learning about the shoes, Jerome remembers his toothbrush, which he did not pack. In order to find it, he empties the whole just for one toothbrush. Alas, he finds it, inside a boot and packs the bag again., After that, we see that one more query arises for the soap by George. Consequently, this irritates, Jerome so much that he does not pay heed to it and packs the bag anyway. However, to his mistake, he, has to reopen it again due to his spectacles being locked inside the bag. This packing session finally, concludes at 10 o‘clock., So, we see that after taking such a long time to pack, Jerome‘s other two friends pack the hampers, themselves to show him how it’s actually done. However, they are also similarly gawky and break, many things including a cup into pieces. Further, they squash tomatoes and tread on butter while also, smashing the pies. In addition, there is salt flying here and there during this process. Thus, after much, chaos, they try to put things back in order., However, it is not as successful as their pet dog, Montmorency, worsen things. He sits on things meant, to be packed and climbs into the jam as well as crushes lemons as if they were rats. But, finally, the final, packing ends at around 12:50 in the night. After a tiring packing session, they decide the time to get up, for the next morning and George dozes off before engaging in this conversation. In the end, Jerome and, Harris mark 6:30 as the wake-up time and go off to sleep.
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Conclusion of Packing, To sum up, Packing summary, we learn how packing can also be a tedious task if not done correctly, and, that life is always better with friends., Lesson and explanation, I SAID I‘d pack., The writer Jerome liked to pack luggage for trips and announced that he would do the packing., I rather pride myself on my packing. Packing is one of those many things that I feel I know more about, than any other person living. (It surprises me myself, sometimes, how many such things there are.) I, impressed the fact upon George and Harris and told them that they had better leave the whole matter, entirely to me. They fell into the suggestion with a readiness that had something uncanny about it., George spread himself over the easy-chair, and Harris cocked his legs on the table., Pride myself on: am proud of, Fell into: here, accepted, Uncanny: strange, weird, Cocked his legs: bent the legs on the knee as he sat, Jerome thought that his ability to pack luggage was better than others. He asked his friends George and, Harris to leave the task of packing to him. The two friends agreed to his offer instantly which was, strange. George sat comfortably on the easy – chair and Harris bent his knees as he sat on the sofa and, kept his feet on the table., This was hardly what I intended. What I had meant, of course, was that I should boss the job, and that, Harris and George should potter about under my directions, I pushing them aside every now and then, with, “Oh, you!” “Here, let me do it.” “There you are, simple enough!” — really teaching them,, as you might say. Their taking it in the way they did irritate me. There is nothing that irritates me more, than seeing other people sitting about doing nothing when I‘m working., Intended: planned, meant, Potter about: do some unimportant things, By saying that he would pack, the writer did not mean that his friends would sit and relax while he, would do all the work. He had meant that he would boss upon them while they would do all the chores., He would nag them and curse them for not knowing the work well and then, he would chip in to sort out, the mess that they would create.He was irritated to see them sitting while he did all the work.
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I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way. He would loll on the sofa and watch me, doing things by the hour together. He said it did him real good to look on at me, messing about., Now, I‘m not like that. I can’t sit still and see another man slaving and working. I want to get up and, superintend, and walk around with my hands in my pockets, and tell him what to do. It is my energetic, nature. I can‘t help it., Loll on the sofa: to recline or lean in a relaxed manner, Messing about: to waste time doing something without a particular purpose, Sit still: sit without doing anything, Superintend: supervise, manage, He recollects that once he lived with a man who would sit lazily on the sofa all day through and would, watch the writer do all the work. The man would say that he enjoyed watching him go around, doing all, the work., This would make the writer mad with anger. The writer adds that he could not sit idle and watch others, work like slaves., On the other hand, he liked to check their work, walk around with his hands in his pockets and direct, them on how to do the work properly. He feels that as he was energetic, it was a part of his nature to, behave in that manner., However, I did not say anything but started packing. It seemed a longer job than I had thought it was, going to be; but I got the bag finished at last, and I sat on it and strapped it., “Ain‘t you going to put the boots in?” said Harris. And I looked round, and found I had forgotten, them. That’s just like Harris. He couldn‘t have said a word until I’d got the bag shut and strapped,, of course. And George laughed — one of those irritating, senseless laughs of his. They do make me so, wild., Strapped it: closed it, Wild: mad with anger, The writer did not say anything to his friends and started packing. As he closed it, Harris said that he had, forgotten to pack the boots., The writer felt that Harris could have reminded him before he had closed the bag but he thought that, Harris was like that! This was followed by irritating laughter by George which made Jerome wild with, anger.
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I opened the bag and packed the boots in; and then, just as I was going to close it, a horrible idea, occurred to me. Had I packed my toothbrush? I don‘t know how it is, but I never do know whether I’, ve packed my toothbrush., Jerome opened the bag to keep the boots in it. As he was about to close it, he was struck by a strange, thought that had he kept the toothbrush or not. He says that he never remembers if he has packed the, toothbrush or not., My toothbrush is a thing that haunts me when I‘m traveling and makes my life a misery. I dream that I, haven’t packed it, and wake up in a cold perspiration, and get out of bed and hunt for it., And, in the morning, I pack it before I have used it, and have to unpack again to get it, and it is always, the last thing I turn out of the bag; and then I repack and forget it, and have to rush upstairs for it at the, last moment and carry it to the railway station, wrapped up in my pocket-handkerchief., Haunts: to repeatedly give trouble, Misery: sad, Cold perspiration: sweat, Hunt: search, Jerome adds that while traveling, he always messes up with carrying his toothbrush. He has nightmares, of not having packed it, wakes up in a sweat and looks for it. In the morning, he packs it before using it,, then unpacks the bag to get the brush and uses it., As it is the last thing that comes out of the bag and he has repacked the bag, he forgets packing it again., At the last moment, he rushes to his room to get the brush and, finally, he wraps it in his handkerchief, and carries it to the railway station in his hand., Of course I had to turn every mortal thing out now, and, of course, I could not find it. I rummaged the, things up into much the same state that they must have been before the world was created, and when, chaos reigned. Of course, I found George‘s and Harris’s eighteen times over, but I couldn‘t find my, own. I put the things back one by one, and held everything up and shook it. Then I found it inside a boot., I repacked once more., Mortal thing: every ordinary thing, Rummaged: searched in a hurried or careless way, Chaos: confusion, Reigned: ruled, As Jerome was looking for his toothbrush in his bag, he had to remove everything but he could not find, it. He created a mess. He found his friend‘s brushes many times but could not find his brush.
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He kept everything back into the bag one by one, shaking each item, and finally, found the brush inside a, boot. Then once again, he repacked the bag., When I had finished, George asked if the soap was in. I said I didn‘t care whether the soap was in or, whether it wasn’t; and I slammed the bag shut and strapped it, and found that I had packed my, spectacles in it, and had to re-open it., It got shut up finally at 10.05 p.m., and then there remained the hampers to do. Harris said that we, should be wanting to start in less than twelve hours‘ time and thought that he and George had better, do the rest; and I agreed and sat down, and they had a go., Didn‘t care a hang: show no concern or interest, Slammed: shut the lid forcefully and loudly, Hampers: baskets used to carry food, utensils, etc., Now when Jerome closed the bag, George asked if the soap was there inside it. As Jerome was, impatient, he replied that he wasn‘t concerned if it was there or not, closed the lid and strapped the, bag. Then he realized that he had packed his spectacle in it too and had to open it again to get them., Finally, the bag was closed at 10:05PM. Then they had to pack the food baskets. Harris said that as they, were left with less than twelve hours to leave, they should pack the baskets as well. Harris decided that, the food baskets would be packed by him and George. Jerome agreed to take his turn for some rest, while his friends packed the baskets., They began in a light-hearted spirit, evidently intending to show me how to do it. I made no comment; I, only waited. With the exception of George, Harris is the worst packer in this world; and I looked at the, piles of plates and cups, and kettles, and bottles, and jars, and pies, and stoves, and cakes, and, tomatoes, etc., and felt that the thing would soon become exciting., Light-hearted spirit: to be cheerful, Evidently: clearly, obviously, Exception: a person or thing that does not follow the general rule, George and Harris started packing the hampers in a happy mood. They wanted to show Jerome that, they could pack well. Jerome waited for them to create a mess because he considered Harris to be the, worst packer in the world., Jerome looked at the piles of plates, cups, kettles and bottles, the jars, pies, cakes and tomatoes which, had to be packed into the hampers. He thought that as the boys would mess up, it would be an, interesting thing to watch., It did. They started with breaking a cup. That was the first thing they did. They did that just to
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Show you what they could do, and to get you interested., The scene became interesting as they broke a cup at the start. Jerome says that they broke the cup to, indicate that they could do that too and to make things interesting., Then Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed it, and they had to pick out the, tomato with a teaspoon., Squashed: crush or squeeze something with force so that it becomes flat, soft, or out of shape, Harris placed the jar of strawberry jam on top of the tomatoes. The tomatoes were squeezed by the jar, and then, they removed the damaged tomato with the help of a spoon., And then it was George‘s turn, and he trod on the butter. I didn’t say anything, but I came over and, sat on the edge of the table and watched them. It irritated them more than anything I could have said. I, felt that. It made them nervous and excited, and they stepped on things, and put things behind them,, and then couldn‘t find them when they wanted them; and they packed the pies at the bottom, and put, heavy things on top, and smashed the pies in., Trod on: stepped on, Next, George stepped on the butter. Jerome remained silent but sat on the edge of the table to watch, the action. His silence irritated his friends. They became nervous and stepped on the things. They kept, the things behind them and later, when they wanted them, they could not find them. They placed the, pies on the bottom and kept heavier things on them which smashed the pies., They upset salt over everything, and as for the butter! I never saw two men do more with one-and two, pence worth of butter in my whole life than they did. After George had got it off his slipper, they tried to, put it in the kettle. It wouldn‘t go in, and what was in wouldn’t come out. They did scrape it out at, last, and put it down on a chair, and Harris sat on it, and it stuck to him, and they went looking for it all, over the room., Upset: overturned, Scrape: drag or pull, The boys overturned the can of salt on everything. Jerome says that they created a lot of confusion with, the small piece of butter. He had not seen anyone create so much mess with butter that was worth one, and two pence (meaning it was a very small piece) as they did. George removed it from his slipper and, tried to put it into the kettle. As he was unable to do that, he placed it on a chair. Harris sat on it, the, butter stuck to him, he stood up and both the boys went around the room looking for the piece of, butter., “I‘ll take my oath I put it down on that chair,” said George, staring at the empty seat. “I saw you, do it myself, not a minute ago,” said Harris.
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Oath: to swear upon something, George looked intently at the empty seat on which he had placed the butter a few minutes ago. He took, an oath of truthfulness that he had placed it there not even a minute ago., Then they started round the room again looking for it; and then they met again in the centre and stared, at one another., Once again, they searched it in the room. They met in the middle of the room empty-handed., “Most extraordinary thing I ever heard of,” said George., “So mysterious!” said Harris., Then George got round at the back of Harris and saw it., “Why, here it is all the time,” he exclaimed, indignantly., Indignantly: in a manner indicating anger or annoyance at something perceived as unfair, George said that the disappearance of the butter was the most amazing thing that he had known. Harris, said that the disappearance of the butter was a mystery. George saw the butter sticking to Harris‘s, back and said that it had been there all this while., “Where?” cried Harris, spinning round., “Stand still, can‘t you!” roared George, flying after him., And they got it off, and packed it in the teapot., Harris turned around and asked where it was. George flew to Harris‘s back and asked him to stand still., They removed the butter and packed it inside the teapot., Montmorency was in it all, of course. Montmorency‘s ambition in life is to get in the way and be sworn, at. If he can squirm in anywhere where he particularly is not wanted, and be a perfect nuisance, and, make people mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels his day has not been wasted., Sworn at: get scolded, Squirm: to wriggle or twist one‘s body, Nuisance: to cause inconvenience or annoyance, Jerome‘s pet dog Montmorency participated in all this. His aim was to interrupt everyone and then get, scolded for it. Jerome adds that if Montmorency was able to twist into a place and create nuisance by, angering people and get things thrown at him in return, he felt that he had utilized the day in a good, way.
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To get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him steadily for an hour, is his highest aim and object;, and, when he has succeeded in accomplishing this, his conceit becomes quite unbearable., Stumble: to trip over a hurdle, Curse: scold, Conceit: here, his pride in himself, Montmorency‘s aim was to get people to trip over him and scold him. By doing this, he felt that he had, fulfilled his aim and would feel proud of his achievement., He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed; and he laboured under the, fixed belief that, whenever Harris or George reached out their hand for anything, it was his cold damp, nose that they wanted. He put his leg into the jam, and he worried about the teaspoons, and he, pretended that the lemons were rats, and got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris, could land him with the frying pan., Worried: disturbed, Pretended: to behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, Land him: hit or punch someone, Montmorency sat on the things to be packed. He thought that when George and Harris reached out for, the things to be packed, they were reaching out for his cold wet nose and would bring it forward for, them. He stepped into the jam bottle, he shook the teaspoons, he acted as if the lemons were rats and, stepped into the hamper to kill these rats. He was stopped by Harris who hit him with a frying – pan., Harris said I encouraged him. I didn‘t encourage him. A dog like that doesn’t want any, encouragement. It‘s the natural, original sin that is born in him that makes him do things like that., Harris blamed Jerome for encouraging Montmorency for doing all this mischief. Jerome say that a dog, like Montmorency did not need encouragement. It was born to be like that and act like that., The packing was done at 12.50; and Harris sat on the big hamper, and said he hoped nothing would be, found broken. George said that if anything was broken it was broken, which reflection seemed to, comfort him. He also said he was ready for bed. We were all ready for bed. Harris was to sleep with us, that night, and we went upstairs., Reflection: thought, At 12:50, they had packed the hampers. Harris sat on it and said that hopefully, nothing would break in, it. George was indifferent and said that if something broke it would not matter. As they were ready for, bed, they went upstairs to sleep., We tossed for beds, and Harris had to sleep with me. He said :
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“Do you prefer the inside or the outside, J.?”, I said I generally preferred to sleep inside a bed., Harris said it was odd., George said:, “What time shall I wake you fellows?”, Harris said:, “Seven.”, I said:, “No — six,” because I wanted to write some letters., Tossed: throw something somewhere lightly or casually, As they settled in their beds, Harris asked Jerome if he preferred the inside or the outside of the bed., Jerome said that he preferred to sleep on the inside of the bed. This seemed strange to Harris. George, asked them that he should wake them up at what time. Harris replied seven while Jerome wanted to, wake up at six as he had to write some letters., Harris and I had a bit of a row over it, but at last split the difference, and said half-past six. “Wake us at, 6.30, George,” we said., A bit of a row: an argument, Split the difference: this means that they agreed on 6.30 because it was halfway between six and seven, Harris and Jerome had a discussion on the time and finally, they settled on half past six, each, accommodating his time by half an hour., George made no answer, and we found, on going over, that he had been asleep for sometime; so we, placed the bath where he could tumble into it on getting out in the morning, and went to bed ourselves., Tumble: to fall quickly and without control, George did not respond as he was asleep. Harris and George made mischief by placing the bathtub next, to George‘s bed so that he would fall into out as he woke up on the pretext that this way he would, take a bath as soon as he got up., Question and Answers, Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30–40 words).
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Q1. How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them. (Don‘t forget the dog!)., A. There are four characters in the story. They are the narrator, Jerome, his friends George and, Harris and a dog named Montmorency., Q2. Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?, A. Jerome was proud of his packing skills and so, he offered to do the packing.Actually, he, did not intend to do the packing work, but he wanted to supervise his friends and direct, them to pack the right way., Q3. How did George and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?, . George and Harris readily agreed to Jerome‘s plan. They sat on the sofa and the chair, respectively and watched Jerome do the packing., Q4. What was Jerome‘s real intention when he offered to pack?, A. Jerome did not intend to do the packing work, but he wanted to supervise his friends and, direct them to pack the right way., Q5. What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till, then to ask?, A. After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris pointed out that Jerome had forgotten to pack, his boots. I think that he waited till then because he thought that Jerome would pack the, boots in the end., Q6. What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?, A. The horrible idea that struck Jerome was whether he had packed his toothbrush or not., Q7. Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?, A. He found the toothbrush inside a boot., Q8. Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?, A. Jerome had to reopen the bag because he had packed his spectacles in it., Q9. What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?, A. George and Harris offered to pack the food baskets. They did so because they wanted to show, that they were better packers than Jerome., Q10. While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things., Tick the statements that are true.
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(i), (ii), (iii), , They started with breaking a cup., They also broke a plate., They squashed a tomato., , (iv) They trod on the butter., (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), , They stepped on a banana., They put things behind them, and couldn‘t find them., They stepped on things., They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top., , (ix) They upset almost everything., (x) They were very good at packing., A. The true statements are:, (i) They started with breaking a cup., (iii) They squashed a tomato., (iv) They trod on the butter., (vi) They put things behind them, and couldn‘t find them., (viii), (ix), , They stepped on things., They upset almost everything., , Q. What does Jerome say was Montmorency‘s ambition in life? What do you think of Montmorency, and why?, A. Montmorency‘s aim in life was to create hurdles in the way of others and get scolded for it. I think, that Montmorecy was a loving pet who liked playing with his masters., Match the words/phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B., Ans:, 1. slaving, , (viii) working hard, , 2. chaos, , (vi) complete confusion and disorder, , 3. rummage, , (v) search for something by moving, , Things around hurriedly or carelessly, 4. Scrape out, , (ii) remove something from inside
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Another thing using a sharp tool, 5. Stumble over, tumble into, , (vii) fall, or step awkwardly while walking, , 6. accomplish, , (iv) finish successfully, achieve, , 7. uncanny, , (iii) strange, mysterious, difficult to, , Explain, 8. (to have or get into) a row, , (i) a quarrel or an argument, , Use suitable words or phrases from Column A above to complete the paragraph given below., A Traffic Jam, During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter _________at crossroads. Drivers add to the, confusion by _________ over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by,, seeing a few policemen ______________ at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling, of having _________ something., Ans:, A Traffic Jam During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter chaos at crossroads. Drivers add, to the confusion by getting into a row over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes, passers-by, seeing a few policemen slaving at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling, of having accomplished something., Q. The table below has some proverbs telling you what to do and what not to do. Fill in the blanks and, add a few more such proverbs to the table., , Positive – Negative, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), , Save for a rainy day. (i) Don‘t cry over spilt milk., Make hay while the sun shines., - (ii) Don‘t put the cart before the horse., Look before you leap. (iii) Making a mountain out of a mole hill., Live and let live., - (iv) Don’t put eggs in one Basket., , Extra Questions and Answers:Short Answer Type, Question 1., How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them.
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Answer:, Jerome, George and Harris are the three human characters in the narrative. Jerome is the narrator of, the story. Their pet dog, Montmorency too is an important character, who participates as, enthusiastically in the packing as his masters., Question 2., Why did the narrator have to pack for the journey?, Answer:, As soon as the narrator offered to pack for the journey, his two friends, George and Harris accepted the, offer with readiness and sat back to let him do it all. He had expected his friends would work under his, guidance and directions rather than doing the task himself., Question 3., When he offered to pack Jerome‘s real intention was not to do the packing himself. Elaborate., Answer:, Jerome‘s real intention was not to pack himself but to make his friends George and Harris work under, his directions and supervision. He would guide and direct and, pushing them aside every now and then,, showing them the right way of packing things in – really teaching them, as you might say., Question 4., “I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way.” How did he do that?, Answer:, The man, with whom the narrator once stayed drove him mad by lolling on the sofa and watching him, constantly as he went about messing the tasks at hand. The man said he really enjoyed that sight and, felt good, Question 5., What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?, Answer:, After packing everything in the bag for the second time, the horrible idea that occurred to Jerome was, that he had packed his toothbrush in the bag. He realised that he would need his toothbrush the next, morning. So, he reopened his bag and turned everything out but he could not find it., Question 6.
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Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag again and again?, Answer:, Jerome had to reopen the packed bag because he kept forgetting things. First, he forgot to pack his, boots and then couldn‘t remember having packed his toothbrush. After having spent a lot of time, unpacking and packing, he packed his spectacles and spectacles in by mistake and had to reopen the bag, yet again., Question 7., Do you think George and Harris were experts at packing? Give reasons for your answer., Answer:, No, George and Harris do not seem to have been experts, because they started by breaking a cup, and, continued by squashing a tomato under the bottle of jam. They packed the pies at the bottom and thus, squashed them, spilt salt over everything and as for the butter, they stepped on it, sat on it and put it all, over themselves and the room., Question 8., Why did George and Harris have to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon?, Answer:, While packing the hamper, Harris packed a strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed it. So, they, had to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon which was a messy and time-consuming task., Long Answer Type Questions:, Question 1., Who offered to pick the bag for the trip? Was he happy at his own offer, Answer:, The author and his friends decided to go on a holiday. The author, who saw himself as an expert in, packing. “I rather pride myself on my packing. Packing is one of those many things that I feel I know, more about than any other person living.” He told his friends, George and Harris that he would do the, packing., They readily agreed to his suggestion. George sat in an easy chair, while Harris put his legs on a table., The author had not intended this. He was unhappy with himself for having offered to pack. He had, thought that Harris and George would pack and he would supervise them, teaching them how to do, things better. When he worked and his friends relaxed, he was greatly irritated.
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Question 2., Briefly describe Jerome‘s attempt at packing., Answer:, Right in the beginning Jerome volunteered to pack, because, according to him, he was especially good at, it and George and Harris agreed readily. What Jerome of course had meant was that he would supervise, the packing while they packed. They of course meant he‘d pack while they watched from lounging, positions. Jerome packed all their personal belongings, from boots to toothbrushes. When he had, finished, Harris pointed out whether he wanted to leave the boots out., Once the boots were packed, Jerome realised he needed his toothbrush out for the morning, so the, entire bag had to be unpacked and the toothbrush searched. It was found in a boot. The bag was again, repacked when Jerome discovered he had packed his spectacles in. Once again, the bag was unpacked, to take out the spectacles and then repacked. After going through several unpleasant rounds of unpack,, repack, unpack, repack, the job was done, with only the soap (possibly) having been forgotten., Question 3., Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or the worst packer? Support your, answer with details from the text., Answer:, According to me, Jerome is the best in packing. Although Jerome, George and Harris are equally, disorganised as packers, Jerome is not as clumsy as his two friends, Harris and George. While Jerome, takes a lot of time to pack the bag, George and Harris damage a lot of things while packing the hamper., Jerome, who considers himself a skilled packer, is able to arrange the items to be packed in the bag, neatly and in order., However, there is a lot of delay because he first forgets to pack his boots and then forgets having packed, his toothbrush. After unpacking twice, he again packs in his spectacles absentmindedly. On the other, hand, both Harris and George messed up everything. They began by breaking a cup., Then, Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed it. George stepped on the, butter, then Harris sat on it. They spread salt all over the place. Of course, Montmorency constantly got, in their way and made things worse. Once the hamper was packed and closed, Harris sat on the lid of, the hamper, and said he hoped nothing “would be found broken,” to which George replied that “if, anything was broken it was broken.” Thus, we can easily conclude that though Jerome and George and, Harris bungled equally. However, Jerome did not cause as much breakage or chaos as George and, Harris., Question 4., Do you find this story funny? What are the humorous elements in it?
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Answer:, The story is very funny with dry and slapstick humour. The chaos and confusion created by all the, characters is very amusing. The gap between the self-assessment of Jerome, George and Harris and their, actual capabilities is highly entertaining. Montmorency‘s contribution to humour is no less significant., Jerome‘s sense of pride about his packing skills and the manner in which he packs the bag is very, funny. He claims, “I rather pride myself on my packing. Packing is one of those many things that I feel I, know more about than any other person living.” While Jerome expected to use the opportunity for, bossing over his friends, of “pushing them aside every now and then with, “Oh, you!” “Here, let, me do it.” “There you are, simple enough!” — really teaching them, as you might say.“ They make, him toil instead, lounging about and offering helpful suggestions. Jerome’s forgetfulness and the, subsequent unpacking of the bag many times over is quite amusing., , The butter episode, in particular, generates a lot of laughter. First of all, George stepps on the butter, and it sticks to his slipper. After George has got it off his slipper, he and Harris try to unsuccessfully put it, in the kettle. They put it down on a chair and then Harris sits on it, and it sticks to him, and they go, looking for it all over the room. George finally noticed it behind Harris‘s back from where it is, removed. Montmorency, the dog, too adds to the humour with his habit of getting in the way of things., His indiscipline and inquisitiveness earns him curses but he still manages to put his leg in the jam and, chase lemons like rats till he is hit by Harris with a frying pan. All these instances lend humour to the, story.
