The Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
This collection of essays satirizes the social conventions and hypocrisies of late Victorian England through a series of humorous anecdotes and witty observations. The author presents himself as an idle fellow who has little to do but think, and his thoughts are often critical of societal norms and expectations. He pokes fun at the pretensions of the upper class, the absurdities of social etiquette, and the hypocrisy of those in positions of power.
By Jerome K. Jerome · First published 1885 · Genre: Humor, Essays, Social Commentary · 12 chapters · 77,003 words
First lines
"Now, which would you advise, dear? You see, with the red I shan't be able to wear my magenta hat."
"Well then, why not have the grey?"
What this Textopian page supports
The Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow is listed on Textopian as an essay by Jerome K. Jerome, dated 1885 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Jerome K. Jerome
- Date: 1885 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Essays, Social Commentary, Literary Fiction, Autobiographical
- Length: 77,003 words
- Structure: 12 chapters, 1,069 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow by Jerome K. Jerome
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow?
- How does this essay by Jerome K. Jerome fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- No Help For It by O. Henry
- The Sex That Doesnt Shop by Hector Hugh Munro
- Seeing People Off by Max Beerbohm
- Dinners And Dishes by Oscar Wilde
- The Decay Of Lying An Observation by Oscar Wilde
- Dandies And Dandies by Max Beerbohm
Genres
- Humor — The book employs wit and comedic observations about everyday life.
- Essays — It consists of a series of reflective essays on various topics.
- Social Commentary — The work critiques societal norms and behaviors through a humorous lens.
- Literary Fiction — It features a focus on character and thematic depth rather than plot-driven narratives.
Tags
Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Literary Fiction · Philosophical · Wit · Irony · Absurdity · Critique of Society · Middle Class Life · Marriage · Friendship
Contents
- On the Art of Making up One's Mind
- On the Disadvantage of not Getting what One Wants
- On the Exceptional Merit Attaching to the Things we Meant to Do
- On the Preparation and Employment of Love Philtres
- On the Delights and Benefits of Slavery
- On the Care and Management of Women
- On the Minding of other People's Business
- On the Time Wasted in Looking before One Leaps
- On the Nobility of Ourselves
- On the Motherliness of Man
- On the Inadvisability of Following Advice
- On the Playing of Marches at the Funerals of Marionettes