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What is your opinion of the three friends after reading the novel, Three Men in a Boat?

George, Harris, J. (the narrator) and a fox terrier named Montmorency spend almost two weeks in a boat following the course of the River Thames in southern England. At various times, and especially at the beginning, it seems as though we’re reading a comedy of errors. The men don’t appear to have much experience in boating. They have trouble with just about everything: packing for the trip, navigating the boat, putting up the canvas tent, cooking meals, etc. Their difficulties make for good storytelling by the narrator. But by the end, we can see that the personalities and talents of each man complement those of his friends. They make a successful informal working team, in spite of all of their individual deficiencies and differences of opinion. The bottom line is that they’re good as friends. This adventure will probably not be the only one they tackle together.

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