What is a character sketch of Jerome in the novel Three Men in a Boat?

First of all, the narrator is referred to as “J.” This is a work of fiction. And even though Mr. Jerome and two of his friends did indeed make trips along the River Thames in real life, this particular one is an amalgam and an invention. So the author and the narrator are not one and the same person, although they may share some similarities.

J.’s character can be summed up by surely the most...

First of all, the narrator is referred to as “J.” This is a work of fiction. And even though Mr. Jerome and two of his friends did indeed make trips along the River Thames in real life, this particular one is an amalgam and an invention. So the author and the narrator are not one and the same person, although they may share some similarities.

J.’s character can be summed up by surely the most famous line in this book, which comes in Chapter XV: “I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” Yes, J. is the man who says this. We don’t hear that he has a “real job,” but he does prove to be an excellent storyteller and creative writer, so we can perhaps assume that he supports himself by some kind of writing. He would also rather supervise activity than participate in it. In Chapter IV, he tells George and Harris that he knows a lot about packing and that “they had better leave the whole matter entirely to me.” They agree, which isn’t quite what J. had in mind.

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. … There is nothing does irritate me more than seeing other people sitting about doing nothing when I’m working.

We get the idea that J. is a hypochondriac, based on his museum tale from Chapter I. He has a good sense of humor and seems to find the funny story – or at least, a story – in just about anything that comes his way. He’s smart, especially about historical details. He can be easily swayed by compelling evidence. He can become emotional, as when he cries at George’s banjo song in the final chapter. He’s a likable enough guy, but is indeed chatty.