A short presentation about some facts of Jerome K. Jerome's life, his bibliography and some peculiarities of his writing style.

2. Jerome Klapka Jerome (1859 –1927)
He was an English writer and humourist.
The son of an ironmonger, a ruined
businessman, Jerome was born at Walsall
in Staffordshire.
Jerome's childhood was very difficult as his
parents were falling into financial ruin and
it left its mark on him.

3. He could not finish school because his father
died in 1871 and the boy had to begin
working to support his family.
With the help of his father’s old friend he got
the place of a clerk in the London Railway
Office and received two pounds a week.
Office work did not interest Jerome and he
took up teaching, journalism and acting.
His first literary success was a one-act
comedy that was performed in the Globe
Theatre.

4. Novels:
 Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886)
 Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)
(1889)
 Diary of a Pilgrimage (1891)
 Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1898)
 Three Men on the Bummel (a.k.a. Three Men on
Wheels) (1900)
 Paul Kelver, a novel (1902)
 All Roads Lead to Calvary (1919)

5. Short stories :
The Haunted Mill
The New Utopia
The Dancing Partner
Evergreens
Silhouettes
The Skeleton
The Snake
The Woman of the
Saeter
Christmas Eve in the
Blue Chamber

6. Jerome’s writing is much more magazine-
style, quick and efficient.
His works is characterized by the garrulous
style of genial wit and wisdom
Jerome gives picturesque and vivid
descriptions created with the colourful
metaphors and different similes.
He shows us a developing situation as if he
had no prior knowledge of the
consequences; when they emerge we
recognize the funny side for ourselves.

7. Jerome K. Jerome’s writing style is
characterized by
Satire
Droll and straight-faced style – he
does not laugh at his own humour
Self-mockery, and embarrassing
truths we can all relate to.

8. His vivid style and his humour which is
generally expressed in laughter-
provoking situations. So the humour is
often based on:
Exaggerations
Incongruity
Misunderstandings

9. Incongruity – opposition to the order
of things – provides humour by
placing a normal action or remark in
the wrong context and, in Jerome’s
style, in an understated way.