In terms of style, Three Men in a Boat mirrors its plot with its writing. This is clearest in terms of pacing, which is as leisurely and meandering as the boat trip at the center of the story. Although there are moments of panic—mostly for comic relief—the writing is unhurried and rich. This deliberate pacing allows readers to fully immerse themselves in the scenes of natural beauty and social oddity Jerome paints. Like the characters themselves, they are invited to “look” at their surroundings slowly and appreciatively.
The diction in this novel is characteristic of 19th-century British vernacular. Jerome’s characters speak very animatedly, and the novel includes a lot of period-specific idiom and exclamation. This adds authenticity to the narrative, giving the book more of a sense of local color. It also adds authenticity to J.’s narration, as it’s almost as if one can “hear” the men speaking to each other. The dialogue and descriptions are peppered with phrases and expressions typical of the era, as well as diseases and ailments modern readers are less familiar with. However, as many critics have noted, it still remains successfully funny. The language and its contents might be slightly antiquated, but Jerome's humor still rings true.
The syntax in the novel also varies. Sometimes sharp and concise, at other times it’s directionless and meandering, much like the plot itself. This variation in sentence structure keeps the reader engaged, as J.’s recounting shifts between quick, humorous quips and more descriptive, imagery-heavy passages. The changing syntax also reflects the unpredictable nature of the characters' journey. Even Jerome’s sentences contain moments of calm interspersed with bouts of chaos. The way he uses figurative language—particularly personification and simile—also adds to the novel's realism and immersiveness. For example, the river and the boats the men use are often personified, which imbues them with personality and life. The sensory language is abundant and intense, strongly emphasizing the slippery coolness of water, the bright colors of ribbons and flowers, and the majesty of England’s many ancient buildings. Jerome also explains potentially unfamiliar things with simple similes, making the novel unusually approachable.
