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The River
Food in the story represents the conflict between the men’s desire for the simple pleasures of nature and the comforts of modern life. Though the men profess to seek communion with the natural world, the choices they make show that they can’t leave their city selves behind, and this is particularly evident when it comes to food. Indeed, the fact that the men stock up with so much food that they require shopkeepers to help them carry their bags to the boat evidences their refusal to accept simpler fare and leave the “lumber” of life behind. A great number of the anecdotes throughout the book further link food and drink to social mores and pretensions. Take, for example, the story in which J. has to transport some pungent cheeses from Liverpool to London as a favor to his friend. In one sense, the cheese is a symbol of refinement—buying high-quality cheese shows the purchaser to have disposable income and therefore a certain standing in society. Unfortunately for J., the cheese is so smelly that everyone he encounters along his way tries to avoid him. The cheese, then, turns into a symbol of embarrassment, another reminder of the “lumber” of life.
Later in the book, the men rejoice when they remember that they’ve brought pineapple with them. Packed in a tin, the fruit symbolizes the new opportunities afforded by the modern world in which the men live; technological advances have allowed it preservation travel far across the globe. However, because the men forget their tin-opener—another piece of “lumber” from the modern world they purport to reject—they are powerless to open the pineapple, and cause themselves stress, frustration, and injury before giving up and throwing the pineapple into the river . Finally, the men take comfort in the end of the story by returning to their favorite French restaurant. Food, here, is a symbol of modern conveniences and delicacies that, despite their protestation of modernity, are what truly bring the three men comfort and joy.
Food Quotes in Three Men in a Boat
The Three Men in a Boat quotes below all refer to the symbol of Food. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 12
Quotes
We beat it out flat; we beat it out square; we battered it into every form known to geometry—but we could not make a hole in it … There was one great dent across the top that had the appearance of a mocking grin, and it drove us furious, so that Harris rushed at the thing, and caught it up, and flung it far into the middle of the river, and as it sank we hurled our curses at it.
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Chapter 13
Quotes
We went to a good many shops … by the time we had finished, we had as fine a collection of boys with baskets following us around as heart could desire; and our final march down the middle of the High Street, to the river, must have been as imposing a spectacle as Marlow had seen for a day.
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Chapter 19
Quotes
‘Well,’ said Harris, reaching his hand out for his glass, ‘we have had a pleasant trip, and my hearty thanks for it to old Father Thames—but I think we did well to chuck it when we did. Here’s to Three Men well out of a boat!’ And Montmorency, standing on his hind legs, before the window, peering out into the night, gave a short bark of decided concurrence with the toast.
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Food Symbol Timeline in Three Men in a Boat
The timeline below shows where the symbol Food appears in Three Men in a Boat. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
...rain would be difficult. People would fall out with each other, suggests J., all the supper would be soaked through with rain, and one’s “baccy” would be damp. And then they’d...
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Chapter 4
The three men move on to the important question of what food to take with them. They agree they should take a methylated spirit stove, because when...
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They think of plenty of food to take but agree not to bring any cheese. Like the paraffin oil, it tends...
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His friend buys a couple of “ripe and mellow” cheeses with a “two-hundred horse power scent…that could knock a man over at two hundred yards.”...
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Arriving in London, J. takes the cheeses to his friend’s wife. She can’t stand the odor either. She wonders if she can...
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Food list complete with meat and fruit pies, butter, cold meat, and an array of kitchen...
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...kitchenware—and they’re just as bad as J. The other two break a cup, tread on butter, and squash the pies, much to J’s amusement. The dog makes a nuisance of himself...
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Chapter 7
...appease the girls, but the new rower splashes them even more. When they stop for lunch, the girls constantly worry about getting food on their outfits.
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Chapter 8
The group stops for some lunch under willow trees at Kempton Park. An angry man comes to tell them that they...
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Chapter 10
...but do manage to find it eventually. They pull up at “picnic point” to have supper, deciding to first put up the canvas for them to sleep under.
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...up. They put the kettle on to make some tea and set about preparing their food. J. discusses the importance of ignoring the kettle while it is boiling—he believes that a...
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The men devour their food in silence, sighing with satisfaction once they are finished. J. says there is no happiness...
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As a case in point, J. cites the effect this meal has had on the group: now they are all smiling at each other, happy to...
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Chapter 11
Harris suggests he makes the group some scrambled eggs , for which he claims to be famous. However, things don’t go to plan, and...
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Chapter 12
Stopping for lunch, the three men realize that they’ve forgotten to bring any mustard. Both J. and Harris...
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Their spirits are cheered when they remember that they have brought tinned pineapple with them, at least. But their happiness quickly turns to frustration as they realize they...
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After lunch, the boat passes by Maidenhead, which the men say is “too snobby to be pleasant.” ...
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Chapter 13
...stock up on provisions for the rest of the trip. They, buy vast amounts of groceries including pies, tarts, cheese, and sweets. The shops send their boys to help the men...
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The men stop for lunch, and Harris proceeds to carve up the beefsteak pie that they are looking forward to...
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Chapter 14
...the river in the way of cooking,” with Harris inspired to make a big, hearty meal. He decides to make an Irish stew.
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...potatoes they are left with are tiny and useless. George puts an unsettling mixture of food into the pot, mainly comprised of the leftovers from the food hampers (bacon, cabbage, salmon,...
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Chapter 15
The next morning, the three men wake late and eat breakfast. They agree to row the boat for the day (rather than tow it using ropes)....
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Chapter 19
...The rain keeps pouring down, making everything in the boat damp and clammy and ruining supper. They men start hankering for more luxurious food. J. wants “whitebait and a cutlet; Harris...
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...the Alhambra. J. adds that, if they were there, they could follow it up with dinner and wine at their favorite French restaurant. Harris thinks it’s a pity they’ve already decided...
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...bribe the doorman to let them in. After watching some ballet, they head to the restaurant.
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J. confesses to enjoying that supper immensely. The French sauces, the smell of the wine, the attentive waiter—all of these make...
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