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What are the similarities between Harris and J.'s Uncle Podger?

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, we have at least two chances to make the comparison ourselves. Go to Chapter VI and read Harris’s own account of how he and his country cousin got lost in the Hampton Court maze. And go to Chapter XI and read about Harris’s attempt to cook scrambled eggs for his friends, on the second day out. In both instances, Harris thinks he knows what he’s doing. He thinks he’s got the job under control. But he has to bring in and involve other people in his process. And in the end, he fails at the task.

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